Being a potter in Ancient Greece was not a great job. It was
heavy, dirty, back-breaking work to keep the wheels spinning. The pots
themselves were used to store grain, olive oil, and other household goods. They
were the shopping bag of their time. A way to haul your purchases away and
store them, not a piece of art.
Yet the potters felt compelled to paint them. They created
their own style and their own art form. Probably just to sell more pots.
Now, those pots are seen as some of the greatest works of
art in the Western world. They sell for millions of dollars, and the creativity
and skill of their creators lauded by art lovers everywhere.
Think of this the next time you work on your art. Think of
this the next time you craft something by hand.