always_sundae (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
always_sundae) wrote2018-09-15 09:28 pm
always_sundae) wrote2018-09-15 09:28 pm
Entry tags:
Are you an Artist? No, I'm Not.
[Originally posted to Lavender-Sprinkles on PF]
Are you an artist?
No, I sing.
No, I carve wood.
No, I bake.
No, I decorate rooms.
No, I act on stage.
No, I sew outfits.
No, I write.
No, I just doodle with pen and paper.
I'm not an artist because...
I didn’t go to school for it.
I only do it for fun.
I don’t have a following.
I use cheap supplies.
I don’t sell what I make.
My work doesn’t look like someone else’s.
I don’t care about showing anyone my work.
I hate my work.
But you...
Listened to a melody and learned to follow along to the tune.
Uncovered a beautiful sculpture by whittling away everything that wasn’t your sculpture.
Combined ingredients together carefully to make a delicious treat.
Figured out how to make a room comfortable and pleasant to be in.
Followed a script in such a way as to bring out the words and actions of the characters to life.
By trial and error, figured out how to make a piece of clothing fit your body.
Used only 26 letters in different combinations to create worlds, characters, stories, and prose.
Created beautiful and silly designs from a tube full of ink and a blank piece of paper.
You don’t have to go to school to learn things.
You don’t have to do it professionally.
No one looking forward to seeing what you make doesn’t negate the fact that you still made it.
People can make wonderful things from the simplest of mediums (Crayola crayons for example!).
Just because you don't want to sell your work or if you do want to and it doesn't sell doesn’t mean it has less value than a creation that does sell.
Everyone has a different style that is their own spin on things. Just because you aren’t doing it X way doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong or it’s not as good as X style.
Some people like to keep their hobbies as a private past time, not put it on display. It’s your choice whether you share your work or not.
Many people struggle with thinking their work is good enough, pretty enough, acceptable enough. But many of them still create despite those insecurities.
Are you sure you aren’t an artist?
No, I’m not.
I wrote this post because I know so many people who struggle, including myself, with feeling like we are actually meeting an arbitrary standard of what it means to be an “artist”. Logically, we know the definition of the words “art” and “artist” and we will use those words as an easy shorthand for what we do. But sometimes, we ask ourselves, “Am I a “real artist”? Am I really sure?” Usually, the answer we get, even if we don’t completely believe it, is, “No, I’m not.”
I want to tell you something though. Those thoughts that tell you that you aren’t really an artist, that you’re just pretending, that you aren’t good enough, that you aren’t doing as well as this person or that person. They're lies.
The only thing that matters is if you create something using imagination or skill.
Art | ärt | n.
1. The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination producing works to be appreciated primarily [but not solely] for their beauty or emotional power.
2. A skill acquired by experience, study, or observation.
Are you an artist?
No, I sing.
No, I carve wood.
No, I bake.
No, I decorate rooms.
No, I act on stage.
No, I sew outfits.
No, I write.
No, I just doodle with pen and paper.
I'm not an artist because...
I didn’t go to school for it.
I only do it for fun.
I don’t have a following.
I use cheap supplies.
I don’t sell what I make.
My work doesn’t look like someone else’s.
I don’t care about showing anyone my work.
I hate my work.
But you...
Listened to a melody and learned to follow along to the tune.
Uncovered a beautiful sculpture by whittling away everything that wasn’t your sculpture.
Combined ingredients together carefully to make a delicious treat.
Figured out how to make a room comfortable and pleasant to be in.
Followed a script in such a way as to bring out the words and actions of the characters to life.
By trial and error, figured out how to make a piece of clothing fit your body.
Used only 26 letters in different combinations to create worlds, characters, stories, and prose.
Created beautiful and silly designs from a tube full of ink and a blank piece of paper.
You don’t have to go to school to learn things.
You don’t have to do it professionally.
No one looking forward to seeing what you make doesn’t negate the fact that you still made it.
People can make wonderful things from the simplest of mediums (Crayola crayons for example!).
Just because you don't want to sell your work or if you do want to and it doesn't sell doesn’t mean it has less value than a creation that does sell.
Everyone has a different style that is their own spin on things. Just because you aren’t doing it X way doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong or it’s not as good as X style.
Some people like to keep their hobbies as a private past time, not put it on display. It’s your choice whether you share your work or not.
Many people struggle with thinking their work is good enough, pretty enough, acceptable enough. But many of them still create despite those insecurities.
Are you sure you aren’t an artist?
No, I’m not.
I wrote this post because I know so many people who struggle, including myself, with feeling like we are actually meeting an arbitrary standard of what it means to be an “artist”. Logically, we know the definition of the words “art” and “artist” and we will use those words as an easy shorthand for what we do. But sometimes, we ask ourselves, “Am I a “real artist”? Am I really sure?” Usually, the answer we get, even if we don’t completely believe it, is, “No, I’m not.”
I want to tell you something though. Those thoughts that tell you that you aren’t really an artist, that you’re just pretending, that you aren’t good enough, that you aren’t doing as well as this person or that person. They're lies.
It doesn’t matter:
- What your medium is.
- Your skill level.
- How you learned.
- When you started.
- How old you are.
- How young you are.
- What you make.
- How you make it.
- If you sell it or not.
- The price of your supplies.
- If you went to school or not.
The only thing that matters is if you create something using imagination or skill.
Are you an artist?
Yes, you are!
Yes, you are!