I think there's no substitute for a long, thoughtful process behind great art.
I don't think I've necessarily made any great art.
But the best things I've made had a lot of thought behind them.
Sometimes a good idea can come to you in a flash and it seems wonderful at first. I find that about 90% of the time these ideas don't seem as good after a few weeks, even if I have the chance to implement them.
Making meaningful art is almost like writing poetry. I'm much better at prose, but one thing I've learned about writing rhyming poems is that you should try to think of the word you want to end with first, in other words, think of what word you want to rhyme with first.
Similarly, when you're trying to make truly meaningful art, I think it works well to think of what effect you want your art to have on the viewer and work backward from that goal. This requires using a lot of empathy, imagination, and maybe even interviewing the type of person you consider your audience to get their opinions on your ideas and find out if you're going to achieve the desired effect.
Another way to create meaningful art is to focus on what matters to you. You can pander to someone else's beliefs and maybe even be convincing enough in the act to make a big sale, but your heart won't be in it unless you put your own values and loves into your work. You can do this by asking yourself questions such as "What is the most important thing that I want everyone I love to know and to focus on right now?" or "What is one thing I would tell a younger person who asked me for life advice?" Questions such as these can open up your mind to what you most value and from there, you can set a goal for communicating those values.
Study--I think studying art is an underrated way to understand what kind of art you want to make. Every time I go to a museum, I'm highly likely to come away with some new ideas for things I want to make. Whenever you get a creative idea or urge, jot down your ideas in a safe place such as a file or list on your phone, so when you sit down to work you'll have something to help you get started.
By studying art we really love we can begin to evaluate it and try to notice patterns: What do we most love about these 5 works? What do they have in common with each other? Is there a uniting ethical, aesthetic, or form factor at work?
"In large measure, becoming an artist consists of learning to accept yourself." --Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking, by David Bayles and Ted Orland.
You have to understand what you love and accept it completely to make truly meaningful art, by manifesting the meaning that is within you to the rest of the world.
Much love,
--Pam