“Why Art?”
- JP de la Rama
- Oct 6
- 3 min read
Finding Purpose Beyond the Canvas
“Art is not about finding the perfect answer — it’s about asking the question ‘Why?’ with every line you draw and every story you tell. Purpose isn’t discovered. It’s built, one brushstroke at a time.”
Setting the Stage
Earlier this week, I had a conversation with a fellow creative.
It started off casually — the usual talk about projects, deadlines, and frustrations — but then it shifted to something deeper.
They asked a question I’ve wrestled with countless times in my own career:
“Why art?”
It’s a deceptively simple question, yet it carries so much weight.
It’s the same question my five-year-old asks about everything:
“Why is the sky blue?
Why do we sleep?
Why do we make art?”
And every time she asks, I’m reminded of how fundamental that “why” really is — not just for kids trying to understand the world, but for artists trying to survive it.
Because if we’re being honest, every creative has asked themselves this at some point — usually in those moments of burnout, doubt, or existential dread when nothing seems to make sense anymore.
The Struggle Behind the Question
The truth is, “Why art?” is not just a question — it’s a battle cry and a burden.
Most of us start with passion. We draw, paint, design, or tell stories because it’s fun, because it feels natural, because it’s how we make sense of the chaos around us.
But as time goes on, that passion often gets buried under client demands, unpaid invoices, rejection emails, and the weight of “real life.”
And somewhere in that noise, the question begins to haunt us:
Why am I even doing this?
Does my work even matter?
Would my life be easier if I just quit and got a “normal” job?
I’ve been there. Years ago, before I had a clear direction, I was stuck in that cycle.
I was doing work just to survive — not because I loved it, but because I had to.
And that’s when the existential questioning became paralyzing.
But something shifted when I started focusing on personal projects.
It wasn’t overnight, but creating for myself — not just for clients — reignited something I thought I’d lost. It reminded me that art isn’t just about making a living; it’s about making meaning.
Reclaiming Your “Why” Through Personal Projects
Here’s what I’ve learned — and what I wish someone had told me sooner:
You don’t need to have all the answers to “why art.”
But you do need a reason that’s bigger than survival.
And often, that reason is built, not found.
Here’s how to start reclaiming your purpose:
1. Start with a Personal Project — No Matter How Small
It could be a sketch series, a zine, a short comic, a world-building exercise, or even a daily doodle challenge. What matters is that it’s yours. Personal projects strip away the noise of client expectations and let you create purely for the joy of it.
2. Set Micro-Goals to Keep Moving
The key to sustaining passion is momentum. Set small, achievable goals for your creative work — like finishing one character design a week or writing one page of a story. These little wins add up and slowly redefine your relationship with art.
3. Reconnect With What Inspired You in the First Place
Was it a childhood comic? A painting that changed the way you see the world? Go back to that. Revisit the stories, visuals, and experiences that first lit the fire in you. They’re not just nostalgia — they’re fuel.
4. Accept That Purpose Evolves
Your “why” at 20 might be different from your “why” at 40 — and that’s okay. Purpose isn’t a static destination. It grows, shifts, and deepens as you do. The point is to keep chasing it.
The question “Why art?” might never have one definitive answer.
But maybe that’s the beauty of it — the pursuit itself is what gives our work meaning.
Every brushstroke, every panel, every story we tell is another attempt to answer that question — and in doing so, we build a legacy that’s uniquely ours.
So the next time you’re stuck in that creative fog, don’t run from the question.
Sit with it.
Let it guide you.
And then pick up your pencil and start building your “why,” one line at a time.
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