10 Reasons The Internet is Super for Creativity

Okay I admit that I've looked at Facebook today, checked my

blog, and read some email.  But I can't get behind the idea

that the Internet is harming creativity.  Really?  Let's check

this out.

1. Before the Internet, artists were restricted in large part

to being alone, and working alone.  If you were

painting in that ancient time, do you remember how

isolated you felt? 

2. The Internet through all the social media sites, through

blogs like mine,  connects artists to artists all over the 

world.  When you are working on a piece and post it,

people comment on how well you're doing.  

You never had support like that in the far back past.

3. Seeing work from all over the world, adds to, it does not

detract from our creativity.  New ideas and new ways

of working pop up every day on favourite artists' sites,

and many of them post how-to videos, photos of how

their studios are organized.  I have learned so much!

I admit that if you have no sense of time you could

perhaps lose days just looking at what people do.

But even that would be a productive use of an artist's

time.

4. Being public as an artist puts pressure on us to

produce.  Less creative than before the Internet?

I hardly think so.  Nothing is more of a push to

get going with new work, finish old work, do the

work period, than knowing people are waiting to

see what you are doing.  We all can have an

audience now if we want it.  And I don't get the

idea of creating art in a vacuum and not sharing it

with the world.  Sharing it to me seems to be one

of the reasons for creating work.

5. Speaking of being noticed -- how would I have

been found by Howard Wolinsky, the Chicago
Journalist (and fantastic photographer)

if I didn't have a web presence (a blog)?  And

how would his YouTube interviews with me 

get picked up by the Oprah Winfrey show if

I didn't have a blog?  Marvellous and miraculous

opportunities open up for artists because of the 

Internet.  Oh and the reason I was noticed --

I was working on a then new form of Internet

communication -- Skype. 

6. And perhaps even more exciting are the

invitations to take part in International shows that

might never have come my way, if my work 

wasn't out there, visible, online.  How 

wonderful to get the chance to show in New York 

City, the Louvre, in Paris, or The Florence Biennale, 

in Italy and meet artists whose work you admire face 

to face. How lovely to visit cities you have always

wanted to see, and to make new friends there. 

7.  Let's not forget one of the reasons for producing

art if you are a professional artist -- sales.  We work

in one of the few professions in the world which

is supposed to be above discussions of money.

It's true.  I can't tell you how many artists have told

me that either they don't sell their work, or they

don't care about sales.  Either those artists are

independently wealthy (and I have met many

such artists) or they've bought (pardon my wording)

the myth that artists should be above concerns

about cash.  Not true.  The Internet can bring

artists sales from anywhere and anyone.  And it does.

8. Having an Internet presence gives artists a quick

and easy record of what they've done, and if they

write a blog, like I do, they've also got fast access

to what they were thinking creating a certain piece

of work, what their worries were, what methods

they used, and valuable insight into what their 

ideas and goals were in the past,  and how they've

changed and grown.

9.  Proof of creativity is an incredible advantage of 

the Internet.  Since I started this little blog in 2008

I've written 1840 blogs.  Say I get down (and everybody

including artists has their down days) -- that number

alone should help me see that I haven't been 

completely idle, I've been creative.  And that's just the blog,

and what about other social media.  Plus I am

getting close to 300,000 hits (or people looking at

and reading my blog.)  That is quite a lot more

attention than I would have had working alone in

my little studio, and it is encouraging.  Oddly enough

we artists are doing a peculiar thing -- making something

out of nothing.  Many of us are as insecure as all get

out about it.  The proof that people notice is a great

boon to our spirits, our productivity, and I believe

our mental health.,

10.  It just gets better.  There is so much I haven't

mentioned -- all the supportive people we can meet

who conduct seminars we can access online, both paid and

unpaid to learn about the technical, financial, 

theoretical -- every aspect of art and creativity.  TED

Talks, Alyson Stanfield, please add to this list in the

comments, I have to go and paint soon.  Plus there is

a code of honour -- certainly in the art blog world.

We only comment on work we like.  So all of our

comments are positive.  And in my experience as a 

teacher -- believe me that has a magical effect.

It is not bad for creativity for people to earn 

praise -- quite the opposite.  Think about it.

Which friend makes you want to continue with

(anything), the one who criticizes every single 

thing you do, or the one who notices what you're

doing well.  I pick the latter, and I know you would

too.  

That's it for today folks.  Hurray for the Internet

and the boost to creativity everywhere.

(This blog post is a work in process.  Even that
is possible.  Set your clocks back and I'll add to
this tomorrow).

Have an enjoying the Internet day.