#Art Blog article n.28: Why am I an Artist?
21. September, 2024 - Reading time 8 Min. - Markus Prummer
#whyamianartist #askartist #markusprummer #abstractartist #nurnberg
People often ask me why I became an artist and what drives me. To be honest, I have asked myself this question many times, again and again, because sometimes it would be a little easier without it. But this question cannot be answered…
Why am I an artist?
People often ask me why I became an artist and what drives me. To be honest, I have asked myself this question many times, again and again, because sometimes it would be a little easier without it. But this question cannot be answered in one sentence, because the path to art is just as complex as art itself.
The German writer Jean Paul (1825+) is said to have once said that "art may not be the bread, but it is the wine of life". This may not be the last word in wisdom and sounds like one of the many calendar tear-off slogans, but there is a spark of truth in it.
Art doesn't (usually) fill you up, but it does trigger a kind of high. When I paint or have finished a picture, or am at one of my openings or exhibitions or preparing for them, the happiness hormones bubble up. It's often a lot of work, but it energises me.
For me, it all started with curiosity and the urge to express myself, my way. Even as a child, I painted and drew - as many people do. I was fascinated by colours, shapes and playing with the unknown/new. But the path I took was anything but straightforward. I went through many stages, tried out different professions, studied and gained a lot of experience before I found my place in art.
Art has given me a freedom that I haven't found in any other field, because I don't want to be controlled by others or drown in the crowd. It is a way of expressing my thoughts and feelings, which are often difficult to put into words. Abstract painting allows me to go beyond the boundaries of the real and create new worlds. It gives me the freedom to shape my own reality and share it with others.
My motto that accompanies me on my journey is: "It doesn't matter where you come from or who you are. What matters is how you go where to become what you have always been." Somehow I've never been on the wrong path, I've always been on this one path, only now it's becoming more visible.
So the decision to become an artist was not so much a conscious choice as a natural step in my personal development. It is a process of growing and becoming that never really ends. Art is my way of understanding the world and expressing myself.
Written by Markus Prummer
