Artists Diaries : Writing about Art

It seems that when people think of the writings of Art History, that it is the art critics whose articles appear in various newspapers or magazines who run the ship. The Artist is separated from their work, with much scrutiny placed on their personal life and what effects that had on the art, as apposed to them being the artist who created the artwork.
However, the writings which provide much of the strong foundation in art history, and inevitablly the best in terms of their meaning and power, is those writings of the artists themselves. In reading these articles, you get the sense that they know what they're talking about. Whilst a lot of what is written is in relation to their own work as artists, it also offers explaination to a lot of art questions, just by their own examination of their own work. It provides something to get your teeth stuck into and chew on for a while. They offer inspiration to budding artists and are able to connect with the art world on a different level than you're average art critic - because of that hands on experience of creating art.
Some artists prefer not to delve too much into their own work, saying that they need not explain their work, for the work should speak for itself; allowing the viewer will gather their own meanings from the art. This is true for me. I believe that art should speak for itself, but in saying that; if someone was to ask more about it, I would only be too happy to offer some of my own thoughts towards the piece. The reason I do this is because I don't like the way in which art critics and writers treat their own experience of the artwork as fact. Many assumptions and opinions have been wrongly made about artworks because the artist either didn't offer an explaination, or the artist no longer lived to tell the story. It then appears in written form, studied and soon becomes a given fact, even though the truth may not have be heard from the horses mouth - the artist. It is therefore important that the artist speaks about his work when required, so that the real meanings and the thoughts behind the work can be recorded and therefore the real truth behind the work comes to fruition.
In saying this, I don't believe that artists should have to write about their work in order to explain it. That is the job of the art critic! But - Artists should write; and they should write about art. Whether it be from their own work offering insight, or their own experiences; artists will offer the best explaination to any art question, for it is the artist who drives art.
Artists will always have opinions about art. It is part of their job. They see things other people don't see, and are the only ones who truely know the goings on of their own work.
Write, artists; write!