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What Makes An Artist?
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Message
Posted
At my open studio event last weekend I was showing some visitors a piece of root which I had lacquered and painted to represent a tree for one of my rustic sculptures. The visitor said: 'Now that's what makes you an artist - I would never have seen the possibilities of that and yet you have made it into something of merit'. Putting the flattery to one side it got me thinking. As artists we see things others often never see (for example the composition in a scene, the colours in a tree trunk - reds, browns, blues greens etc) and are inspired to interpret them in our art.
I am also a prolific poet and am constantly being inspired by sights and events which can trigger ideas whilst others merely pass on by. I use the word inspired - is it the ability/the open mind to be be inspired which sets us apart as artists, poets, writers etc? Is this what sets us apart from those who have no inclination (or ability?) to create something artistic.
So what does make an artist? Or am I barking up the wrong red, brown, blue, green tree trunk?
Posted
This is one of those interesting and perhaps unanswerable questions. First I have to qualify what 'artist' means to me. I see 'artists' as people who are driven to produce art, it comes first with them...they will be an artist no matter what difficulties they endure. It's not about the quality of their work (something that's always in the eye of the beholder), it's a state of mind. I'm not like that at all. I'm a hobby 'artist'.
I think we do see things differently to people who don't paint. We see opportunities all around us that spark us to get things down on paper or canvass. So, although I'm not an 'artist' in the way I've just described, I still need to fill blank paper with the things that have sparked my interest. It's hard to say why these things do spark interest, maybe even a hobby-artist's brain cells are arranged differently to people who don't paint. It's people who interest me, and stories, real or imaginary. The imagination is a great place to retreat to when real life is being a pain. So, mostly, my pictures are 'about' something. I want to illustrate life. And I keep doing it because it's very hard to fully achieve. A couple of weeks back, some Jehovah's Witnesses knocked on my door, they were full of smiles and earnest intention, I politely ( I hope) cut them short. A complete non event for most people, but I made a note on a scrap of paper that I use as a 'things to do' list (artwise). I don't do everything on this list. But I drew an image of these Jehovah's Witnesses at my door. I haven't posted it, because it didn't come out as I'd hoped.
I don't do landscapes. A while back I painted one of Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight. It's a beautiful Bay, but I painted it because there were a number of huge wooden posts (breakwaters), they were covered in algae and minute sea life. The posts prompted me to paint the picture, not the Bay. Why? I don't know.
I think there's a certain mystique in the art process, maybe that's the attraction, and I'm not sure I need it fully explained.
Posted
I think it's the ability to see what "works" in a composition. We have a "Good eye". Before I started painting I expressed my art in photography and can snap a good un. Paint requires a new skill, not easily acquired because it's a manual skill, but it also requires the same eye. We use our eye to slightly change the world non artists see so that when they look at the frame or canvas they, even they, see something special. The trick is of course, we saw it whilst it was still hidden...
So I think the answer is: imagination and a good eye.
Posted
An artist. Do I qualify?
Outside of actually painting pictures, I have an amazing ability to create arty things associated with paint and painting. I can , for instance manage to let about twenty cups of tea per week (at least) either go part cold, or remain totally untouched due to painting. I can also manage to get an amazing amount of paint (acrylic is especially good for this) on various items of clothes and surfaces not meant for such. I become totally frustrated when called for tea etc, just as I'm in the middle of creating something or other, then the dog comes and stares at me silently demanding walks, and I can waste paint with the very best of artists for any number of reasons. I always over-estimate how much I'll need of that. One of my real regrets is packing up smoking (about six/seven years ago) as all real artists smoke pipes and I always looked forward to that day arriving. Sadly, it never will now, and that vaping stuff is totally unartistic. Did Van Gogh vape?
I would only ever wear a bow tie on a full regalia tuxedo event as I only wear normal ties for weddings and funerals etc. I do own a pair of sandals (not the biblical variety) since my "it ain't half hot mum tennis shoes" got banned, but these are rarely worn. Cardigans are my regular sartorial wear (I have half-a-dozen at least as one of my wife's hobbies is washing) and when I tried a couple of suits on for a recent funeral, a combination of Billy Fury and Roxy Music stared back at me in the mirror (no, not flares, I always hated them and all those daft platform diving boots men wore when T.Rex roamed the earth.). I was very sad when Jason King went out of fashion as he and John Steed were my sartorial heroes, and I did wear an ear-ring for quite a few years till my wife said I looked like Ian McShane's dad) ).
So, compared to Lacklan Goudie I'm a bit of a "square" or whatever one is when out of fashion. ps I do own a couple of pairs of cargo pants and there's rumours my fishermen's waistcoats my come back in fashion, so, am I an artist? 😆
Posted
Gosh what a coy lot. I've looked up the definition of an artist and the most common one seems to be: A person who creates paintings or drawings as a profession or hobby. It infers no level of competency nor style of painting nor experience. If any members of the public have pre-conceived ideas about what an artist is then that's not your problem. I agree about the Bob Ross style but many do like it - it just demonstrates the range of genres appreciated across the spectrum.
If you meet the definition of an artist then you ARE an artist and don't be shy of calling yourself such. Be proud of your hobby regardless of standards achieved or genre adopted. I do little teaching now apart from the odd workshop but I always tell my students that if you put brush to paper and have a passion for your hobby then you are an artist - think positive and don't be afraid to say so. Negative thinkers are far less likely to achieve.
Posted
Michael - back in the late eighties I was trying to do some serious writing , I attended a local writers class and our tutor was at pains to say that we were writers even though we hadn't been published , you don't have to be published to call yourself a writer so I suppose that " artists " even though they may only be " amateurs " and have never sold a painting ( Van Gogh only ever sold one and that was to his brother-in-law ) are nevertheless artists .
Slightly off topic , I was a private investigator for ten years and upon meeting a new client was told " you don't look like a private investigator " to which I thought , surely that's the point isn't it ? . I bet most of us don't fit the pre-conceived look of an artist , although my wife says I can do scruffy quite well .
Steve