I had the pleasure of attending the preview of ‘Come As You Really Are’ at the NGCA last month. It was a wonderful evening hearing more about the motivation behind the exhibition and seeing the array of work on display. I tend to think of myself as a hobbyist, no formal training, no steady stream of sales, sneaking in a few hours here and there in between work, family life and all other responsibilities, to practice. I often use this as a dismissal of my work, telling myself I’m not serious enough, can’t quite find my niche, not dedicated enough to ever meet the goals I secretly dream of. This exhibition has been a real turning point for me on that, an opportunity to change my view. From dismissing my work as merely something I do in my spare time for fun to admitting that it’s so much more. The fact is I need to make, I need to create, there’s something deep in my bones that calls for it and always has. From being a small child I have always found myself getting lost in the process and love of painting, drawing, crafting, photographing, whatever it may be and it has stuck by me all along. I think anyone who makes will know what I’m talking about, I heard someone once say if they didn’t make music they would die, the theatrics of a true artist, but I get it. Would I physically shrivel up and wither away? Maybe not, but would there be a death of the soul, the spirit, the core of me? Probably. I don’t mean to sound dramatic, but the art world can seem to be impenetrable, I can’t help but feel like an outsider looking in, wondering how to make myself seem more serious, appear as one of ‘them’. Then I tell myself it’s not about that, art is to be enjoyed, the process is as important as the outcome and who gives a damn if anyone else enjoys it. And I believe that, I do, even when I’m using it as a defence mechanism, but I also believe hobbyists deserve to be taken seriously, because every time we create something we’re laying a little piece of ourselves out for all to see, spilling onto the canvas or the tapestry or the clay, whether it’s viewed by a million or one, and without that vulnerability and the willingness to do it anyway, despite the cost, despite the times it disappoints, despite how often you’ll hear someone say ‘my 5 year old could do that’, we’d have a much more ugly world without it. This exhibition is a celebration of that, a shout out to those of us who do it whether we get recognition or acclaim or money, knowing that the simple act of making is enough and we’ll continue to do it until our hands give in. So if you find yourself in this category and are reading this then take this as motivation to keep going, the world needs you and your creativity. 

Hetain Patel: Come As You Really Are is a nationwide project, the Sunderland branch is showing at the Northern Gallery For Contemporary Art until 5th July 2025