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This is a strange question that has been bothering me to no end, probably for no reason, but I want some real feedback on this. It regards having talent, and the desire to cultivate it.

I know that I have a talent in drawing, painting, etc. that I have loved since I was a child, and have had an intense desire to cultivate it. Same goes in fiction writing. But what I can't seem to get over is the ego factor--and how can you identify if that is present. I love the idea that all art should spread a message, should respect the subject to the highest degree, fulfill an inner longing, and should be sparked by genuine interest, and be inspired by love in its purest form, but there's a problem that I've noticed. I know that fame is not something that should be the INTENT of art (and when it is, it fails quite terribly), but it becomes inevitable when you also desire to share it (can't necessarily hide art that has an intent on spreading a word!). Is that ego, or merely a consideration that naturally comes with the thought of a possible outcome? I suppose ego that is detrimental, and takes away or changes the intent of the art for merely personal gain rather than collective enjoyment of both artist and viewer, is best to avoid and discouraged.

I guess what I'm asking is that, is creating art for the purpose of appealing to a mass audience, sparked from an original idea that happened to pique your interest at a random moment in time and define your values in a conscious, loving, and dynamic way, while still enjoying the prospects it offers IN A SANE WAY, just how it is? Okay, that sounded a little dumb. On a deeper, more basic level, is "ego" present in everything we do, but the situation should be weighed on a scale of positivity and negativity? I might have just answered my own question, but I just can't rid of the idea that what I happen to desire to make, or what I do make, COULD be something monumentally popular! Any ways of being able to work around that? Does anyone have an opinion, or a personal experience, or just an observation? Or do I happen to think that making something "good" or "awesome" is a "bad" thing, which doesn't make any sense at all!

Thanks, and if you want to say, "you think too much, do too little", feel free to say so.

This is a strange question that has been bothering me to no end, probably for no reason, but I want some real feedback on this. It regards having talent, and the desire to cultivate it.

I know that I have a talent in drawing, painting, etc. that I have loved since I was a child, and have had an intense desire to cultivate it. Same goes in fiction writing. But what I can't seem to get over is the ego factor--and how can you identify if that is present. I love the idea that all art should spread a message, should respect the subject to the highest degree, fulfill an inner longing, and should be sparked by genuine interest, and be inspired by love in its purest form, but there's a problem that I've noticed. I know that fame is not something that should be the INTENT of art (and when it is, it fails quite terribly), but it becomes inevitable when you also desire to share it (can't necessarily hide art that has an intent on spreading a word!). Is that ego, or merely a consideration that naturally comes with the thought of a possible outcome? I suppose ego that is detrimental, and takes away or changes the intent of the art for merely personal gain rather than collective enjoyment of both artist and viewer, is best to avoid and discouraged.

I guess what I'm asking is that, is creating art for the purpose of appealing to a mass audience, sparked from an original idea that happened to pique your interest at a random moment in time and define your values in a conscious, loving, and dynamic way, while still enjoying the prospects it offers IN A SANE WAY, just how it is? Okay, that sounded a little dumb. On a deeper, more basic level, is "ego" present in everything we do, but the situation should be weighed on a scale of positivity and negativity? I might have just answered my own question, but I just can't rid of the idea that what I happen to desire to make, or what I do make, COULD be something monumentally popular! Any ways of being able to work around that? Does anyone have an opinion, or a personal experience, or just an observation? Or do I happen to think that making something "good" or "awesome" is a "bad" thing, which doesn't make any sense at all!

Thanks, and if you want to say, "you think too much, do too little", feel free to say so. For the record, I've been raised in a competitive atmosphere in school for a lot of my life, to desire to do something as perfect as I can do it, but not really for any name-recognition, etc. Just for the sake of doing something that met my standards for "amazing", and made other people happy at the same time, I suppose.