What Makes an Artist, an Artist?

I often have people say to me, “I can’t draw. I am not an artist.” The questions of who is an artist, what makes an artist and what is art have been debated for centuries by art critics, academics and lay people. So every time I hear someone tell me that she/he is not an artist, I cannot help but to believe that The Who is an artist debate, along with the individuals intense art scares has hindered, if not kept, the person from pursuing her/his own creativity due to equating the creative pursuit to that of being an artist. Creativity and art are not one and the same, although creativity certainly can lead the creator down a path to become a more skillful in their creative choices.. Unfortunately, many people believe and hang their hat on the myth that an artist is one who makes a living by selling their art. Or at the very least many people only believe their artist personal success is based on one’s ability to make a living selling art. For the purpose of creativity, I ask that you toss aside any believes you may have regarding what is art, what is legitimate art or what makes a legitimate artist. Replace those thoughts and ideas with, "everyone is born a creative.” I’ll never get tired of telling you about my belief, that all you need to do is follow your curiosity to begin your creative journey. I ask that you set your fears and nervousness about being a creative aside just for 10 mins a day. Those 10 minutes can help to transform your mind and emotional being. I ask that for 10 minutes a day you simply sit with yourself, a pen, a piece of paper, and gently step onto your creative path. I challenge that you will get more from this 10 minutes a day than you will by being on social media or binge watching a Netflix series. So, commune with your creative spirit. Here is one way to start. There are so many people on the internet sharing information about their own creativity who are sharing their creative tips. A person who I continually go back to is Alphonso Dunn. I love this guy. I invite you to check out Alphonso’s videos on YouTube to learn some very basic sketching techniques. I really enjoy his videos and I often practice what is in his videos. I have attached one of my practice rounds. I practice what I have learned using a pen and paper, and and iPad Pro. Alphonso explains concepts about lighting, shading and contours. He does a good job of breaking sketching down so it is achievable. All the tips he shares has added to my doodling skills. I think you will be surprised how fast 10 minutes of playing around with his videos goes. Remember it is all about having fun and enjoying the creative journey. May you always live a creative life.