Am I really an artist?

Picasso said, “every child is born an artist” meaning children are naturally creative, uninhibited, and expressive. The second part of the quote; “The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up,” suggests that judgment and thoughtless criticism can stifle this innate creativity and block us the rest of our lives. Were you told to “stay within the lines and focus on more practical aspects of life?” I was! My father said, “What good is art? You can’t eat it or wear it.” However,finally I have accepted the fact that I am an artist. It was was a childhood dream and ambition of my life time to say, “I am an artist.” Apparently​ I believed it was a far off aspiration that I had to earn. One just couldn’t say “I am an artist” without creating brilliant, perfect works of art and being accepted in important art communities. Making lots of money selling my art would certainly prove that I deserved this magical title. When I was just a child, I remember going into an art supply store and asking for “lamp black watercolor for transparent washes” I probably didn’t know anything about transparent washes, but I loved acting as if I did. I drew and drew,especially people. In a earlier post I shared that I almost didn’t make it into 6th grade because of ignoring the arithmetic assignments, I spent my days drawing my classmates. ( I am so old that math was called arithmetic) After years of attending art schools, getting my FAA degree, countless gallery shows, teaching hundreds of creative students both privately an in a university, I still didn’t feel that I was a legitimate artist. Thinking in terms of author Malcolm Gladwell’s proverbial 10,000 hours, which suggests that one achieves a certain degree of excellence only after so many hours and years of practice in a discipline, (I know that I have put in more than 10,000 hours.) This requires a person to hone their talents to such a degree that the necessary motor skills become instinctual, ​relying more one’s own intuitive powers. This is what I share in my workshops. I want to encourage the participants to “feel” the creative process rather than intellectualize it. Finally, I recognized that I have always been an artist in this life and have been developing my creative and mental qualities over time, constantly wanting to reach new artistic heights, share with others, both students and collectors. ’ve come to know that we who are involved in the arts for any period of time can experienced moments of inspiration. At this point, it can feel as though something has been handed to you. I have had students, both young and mature, be completely surprised by the outcome. That is such a a rewarding experience! I love sharing all that I know. Last week I was blessed by a delightful workshop participant who booked a one day private class. She said, “I am not an artist” I was motivated to prove to her that she just needed to trust her instincts and feel what she was doing instead of using her intellect. This is what she created that day