Artists are often tempted to live in isolation, producing all they can without distraction. But it is wiser to engage with the world around us, so our art can touch people. This is what Solomon said:
A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;
He rages against all wise judgment. [Proverbs 18:1]
I have to admit it’s a lot more fun to write an article than to make an effort to get it into print. It’s more fun to write a new song than to drag my keyboard and speaker onto a stage and to play it. And my wife enjoys creating new computer graphics, but dreads setting up a display at an art show.
As we meet other artists, we find that we are not alone. Many creative people are very backward about getting their work out before the public.
Solomon learned this. Maybe he learned as a poet and writer who had to get his works out where they could affect people. Maybe he learned as a king who found artists continually seeking his favor and patronage. Perhaps he saw what many artists notice: that success doesn’t necessarily go to the best artists, but it goes to those who present themselves and their work well.
I don’t know whether this is unfair or not. But Solomon lived on both sides of the fence. He was a writer, and he was a patron of the arts. And from this dual vantage point, he said that the man who isolates himself is seeking his own desire – that is, the artists who will not make an effort to connect with the marketplace is self-absorbed.
Solomon’s words don’t have to be harsh. There is nothing wrong with using art as a hobby. It can be a God-given way to unwind; in that case there is nothing wrong with being the man who “seeks his own desire.”
But if God has called you to make an impact with your art, the creative process does not end when you have gotten the last of the paint on the canvas or learned a new lick on the guitar. The same creativity that inspires your art can also inspire your marketing: presenting it at shows or in concerts, taking it to the streets, putting it online advertising it, writing press releases about it…
It’s vital to spend time with God, letting Him give you ideas. If you want your art to make a kingdom impact, you need His inspiration in your work itself. Then you need that same creative inspiration in your marketing, and in finding ministry opportunities that your art provides.
Many artists are afraid of promotion. They fear that a sense of hucksterism will cheapen their work.
But Solomon isn’t calling us into a gaudy marketing scheme. He contrasts isolation with “wise judgment.” If you are wise enough to produce quality art, you are creative enough to come up with a marketing plan that reflects the high quality of your work.
Solomon’s words make a specific point for artists: your work isn’t finished until you find a way to get it to the people God intends for it to touch. It all demands creativity – and time spent with God will cause your creativity to blossom.
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