What do you see when you think of an artist? Do you see a tortured soul, frantically scribbling down an elegy by a brook, constantly tormented by their internal demons that ultimately fuel their passion for art? Or do you see an eccentric, frazzled crazy person, splashing paint onto a canvas in a frenzy, yet somehow turning it into something haunting and beautiful? The tortured artist is an archetype that needs to die.
As someone who has identified as an artist in many different ways during different periods of her life, I find nothing more discouraging than the belief that you have to be mentally unstable to be permitted to create art. I have been a photographer as an innocent child, a musician during the worst, most depressive time in my life, and a writer as a mentally healthy, happy adult. Nothing dictates your ability to create beautiful art except your belief in yourself.
We need to stop expecting an artist of any kind to meet certain criteria before being considered makers of art. Art is for everyone, no matter the state of your mind. Everyone is allowed to enjoy the art that we consume on a daily basis such as television, music, graphic design, and architecture. So, why can't everyone be able to experience the joy of making something original, whether is be literature, music, or hand crafted? Putting people in boxes and telling them that they are invalid, or that their creations are invalid simply because they do not subscribe to society's preconceived image of what an artist is, is wrong.
Furthermore, we as artists should never doubt ourselves only because we think that we aren't sad or angry enough to create something beautiful. We should not fall into the trap of believing that artists are a certain breed of people who all see the world in a cynical, melancholy way. We need to end the perpetuation of this archetype by proving that happy, healthy people are certainly capable of producing art, as well as ending the glorification of mental illness as something that only helps you to unlock your true artistic potential.
Art is a tool that is useful to anyone who wants to use it. If writing or painting or playing an instrument helps you deal with demons that you may possess, then you should never stop making art. Likewise, if you don't necessarily need help with mental health, but any of these things are your favorite hobby, or even your passion in life, then you should never stop making art. Art doesn't care about mental health. It doesn't care about skin color or gender or sexuality. Art loves everyone. Art is all inclusive.
