All art begins as self-expression.
I recently heard art educator Jim Kuhlman say on Instagram that no piece of art was made to be put in The Metropolitan Museum of art. It was a birthday present or it was an expression of someone’s inner emotion, but it was never meant to be a question on an exam or locked up in a showcase. It was a part of someone’s life.
Once the maker is done creating, the work becomes the audiences to project upon. We assign meaning to someone else’s work with our histories and worldview. The lens through which we make sense of the world distorts the creators expression and intention.
Sometimes the only way I can create is to think of what someone else might be able to transform my expression into. What spark might they ignite through my effort? That is exciting. That’s alchemy.