Is a life spent on creating art worthless? who benefits from a painting in any meaningful way?

Answer 1

"Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things." ~ Edgar Degas

A life spent on art is only worthless if the artist feels it is. But if they keep returning to their art, then on some level they must not feel it is worthless.
Who art benefits is as changeable as the piece itself. It could be the artist, it could be the person looking at piece.
I've always felt that art needs no reason, and also that the artist is a kind of divine channel.

Answer 2

Is a life spent on creating art worthless? Not if the art serves its purpose, which is to make people think. To evoke a response, be it rational or emotional, in the audience. I suppose in the end though, that's for the artist to decide.

Who benefits from a painting in any meaningful way? Well, the artist, if not monetarily then at least in that he gets to express himself. Society also benefits, since life would be pretty drab without art. Society also benefits for the aforementioned reason of being stimulated to think and ponder, even if only for a second.

Answer 3

My whole life and many of my friends have been spent in art and no one can make a judgement that any of those lives are worthless. Life without art is a birthday without cake or Christmas without presents. The art industry is far more widespread than people think, one cannot pareticipate in any form of life without being touched by art, even if it is simple as a billboard, a story book or a video game. From cavemen to great masters all human life has been touched by art.

Answer 4

No. Never. When there were all these lists made in 1999--to celebrate the innovations of the closing millennium--most of the people of note were artists of one kind or another. Most of the inventions of note were related to communication--Gutenburg's press was ranked as the most important device. I know rankings are subjective, but not too many can argue with the revolution that the printing press created. It is our art that defines us, and it is our art that outlives us. We're fascinated by cave paintings because people from the past were telling us about themselves through their art. There is no way any artist can say s/he's lived an unexamined life...therefore, philosophically speaking, an artist's life is worth living. Art is our most important commodity, and everyone benefits from its existence.

Answer 5

All art is the manipulation of symbols to express an idea or emotion. Conflict between creativity and tradition arises from the desire and need for original creation. One must manipulate the existing (traditional) symbols to express a new symbol that is understood as an idea or an emotion. To express this, the artist must make the traditional symbols malleable without destroying them. i.e. A face must always remain a face regardless of how bizarre it is depicted.

Art gives us a shorthand to express our ideas and emotions. It is the foundation of all creativity. You wouldn't have the structures or the litature you have today without it. Like the space program, the effort creates things that enter into everyday life as staples.

Answer 6

No, art helps people see beauty, truth, love, hate, anger and many other ideas an emotions right before their eyes. It helps make abstract ideas and feelings tangible, where people can touch them, and ultimately manage them.

Answer 7

The Painter, be it for Its worth but most importantly for releasing inside emotion and triggering others emotions.

Answer 8

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder