by Joanne Greco

Created on: March 14, 2007   Last Updated: April 11, 2007

Is an artist someone who makes money from their art? Someone who has their sculptures in a museum or takes formal classes? What about a child drawing a picture of their house? Or someone painting their first self portrait...simply for the fun of it?

In "What is an artist anyway?" Tera Leigh has this to say;

"Being an artist is about more than just creating original work or mastering every skill! It pervades every facet and moment of our life. If you've ever rearranged your furniture, you used your artistic ability. If you've ever painted a white room a different color, you've change and created".

Pay attention to the moments in your life when you are creating, and remember to acknowledge it. You are being an artist. Creating something makes you an artist. It really is that simple. :-)

Tera again;

"What if you just decided to call yourself an artist? Right this second, pick up a tablet of paper and write: I AM AN ARTIST on it. If it makes you laugh or feel nervous write it over and over and over until those feelings diminish. If you have struggled with defining yourself as an artist, those feelings will not go away overnight. When people in your life question you about it, you will feel those old doubts creeping back up. You will have to continue to work at it but like anything else in life, the more you do it, the easier it gets.
Artist is just a word. It is a way that others can understand what it is that we do. You are worthy of this title. You are so very valuable".

Nina Wise, from a book entitled "A Big, New, Free, Happy Unusual Life";

"You already know everything you need to know to live a big, free, happy, unusual, enthusiastic, and amusing life. Creativity is an inborn aspect of being alive. All you need to do is relax and let it out. And if you do, you will find yourself, without the slightest hint of effort, dancing in your living room, singing in the car, writing poetry on cocktail napkins, and noting the dinner plate is a perfect canvas for a painting made of food."

I never felt like an artist. Not until recently anyway. Not until I started unschooling my children and deschooling myself. Not until I had a daughter who would accept nothing less than being considered an artist because she draws comic strips and being considered a writer because she writes stories.

Other people's expectations, our own self doubt, the school system, among other factors, chip away at our creativity.

And we allow it.

YOU are an artist. Don't save the word artist for "other people". It belongs to anyone who creates.

Credits:
http://www.teras-wish.com/whatis.htm
http://www.ninawise.com/bnfhul.html

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