battle between orginality and contrivance

Many artists want to create something original.....Many artists also want to create from a pure, honest place rather than entertaining thoughts like, "hmmmmmm what could I create that would garner me the most money and/or the most worldly recognition?"....At the same time, many artists are not worried about integrity and would rather find the quickest route to either the most money or the most coveted type of recognition, depending on what their primary motivator is....I would say that the majority of us are driven by a sliding scale of these factors and money often plays a part in artists' ultimate decisions if they are ever fortunate enough to begin monetizing their art. My goal is create from a pure place that reaches deep and speaks honestly....I do strive for commercial success, but I pray that the art and expression in and of themselves continue to be the main reasons that I create...I find that when I'm searching for approval, I begin to lose my connection with the creative process......For me, the art of writing songs and performing them awakens energy, infuses emotion, and shares human human experience by creating an emotional and poignant dialogue within me and with my audience.....

My goal as an artist is to, first and foremost, create from a pure place.. When I refer to a "pure" place, I'm referring to a place where beauty of meaningful thought and emotion is free to come through an open vessel whose main goal is to be the instrument that brings beauty into the world...TBC