A message to the artists out there:

I recently became reacquainted with a friend from my childhood. I also reconnected with his mother, and I sent her some of my CDs as a way to hopefully help uplift her during her extremely courageous battle with cancer. A few weeks ago she lost that battle, and today the friend reached out to tell me that when he went back to his mom’s house, he popped open the CD player in her kitchen (the one that she always played he said) and one of my CDs was in there. He thanked me for providing her with some joy and hope through my music, especially during the last few months when things got really difficult.

This brought me to tears and touched me deeply because it reminded me of why we artists do what we do. Very few of us will ever be famous and most of us will never even be able to make a living by our craft. But that should never discourage us or make us think that what we create isn’t worthwhile. Awards and applause are fun, and we all want to be recognized for our work and feel like it’s making a difference in some way. But just because we haven’t sold a million albums or had our artwork shown in a gallery or have a book on a bestseller list does not mean that our art isn’t appreciated, meaningful, or valuable.

So many musicians’ and artists’ talents were never acknowledged during their lifetimes, and it was only decades (or in some cases centuries) later that their genius was given the renown it was due. So why did they continue pursuing their art? For the same reason that we all do. Because it’s what we were put on this Earth to do. That impulse inside of us that needs to create something artistic should never be squelched, in fact, it needs to be honored and acted upon, even if nobody ever sees what we’ve created. It’s the creating that matters. It’s also important to remember that for the people who do see or hear our artistic endeavors, it could have a life-changing positive impact on them that we may never know about.

Art in its many forms – painting, music, dance, film, sculpture, photography, poetry, theater, prose, and more – has the ability to cut through the noise in a person’s mind and bring them serenity, beauty, hope, and encouragement. There’s a reason why people go to museums to be inspired or listen to music when they work out. The arts have such significant importance in the world, and I know that when I see or hear a miraculous piece of art I can be transported to a place where the unimaginable becomes possible.

So, to my fellow artists I want to say, keep on doing what you were born to do. While you may not receive the kudos or the compensation that you dream of, you need to keep contributing the art that only you can produce in your own inimitable way. When you create and put forth the art that is inside of you, and you channel your own voice into something that didn’t exist before, that alone makes you a successful artist.