Hey Dennis, thanks for sharing your story with this resistance. I LOVE this idea of sitting with your own work and enjoying the show! 👏 🍷

Thanks for your thoughts Roy. It’s interesting that you were an architect which is a respected and artistic profession. Perhaps the move to artist was seamless for you, having a good grounding and foundation in art. Also, you are evidently easy with the identity of artist. True, it’s a label, but sometimes a label helps us embrace being that person. It’s an interesting paradox!

They are all just labels given to us by society, what does it matter?
I was an architect and now I’m an artist I never felt the need to shout this from the roof tops as the opinion of others is not what I seek.
If someone asks me what I do I may just say I like to paint, there is no self worth in titles.

Hey Nola, I hope now you aren’t apologising for your work but owning it! I love that you are painting what fulfils YOUR artistic urges. You do YOU!!! And congratulations on your sales. That always feels good.

Hey Sharon, it’s funny how we find it easier to call ourselves “a painter” rather than “an artist.” Perhaps because there’s not so much baggage attached to the word “painter.” A while back, I when I was asked what I did for a living and I said “I’m a painter” they asked if I painted houses or commercial and how did I feel about being upon ladders and scaffolds!!! They couldn’t conceive that being “a painter” meant anything else. Sigh.

Thanks for your addition to the conversation and for pointing out how important it is to have a community of artists around you.

AND that art is a journey – we continue to grow and learn as we explore and challenge ourselves.

And that YES, we ALL have bad paintings, bad days, bad seasons!!

See you in France 😁🎉

Jan, I love hearing that this article was a timely article! Thank you for sharing your experiences and reflections on this topic. And I agree about how others may define what an artist is…to them…It’s an interesting conundrum!

Hi Len -thanks for your thoughts and your separation of hobby and professional.
And perhaps you can try calling yourself an artist in the wee hours of the morning.
Your passion and wanting to improve are all signs!!

Thanks Russ for sharing where you’re at with regard to this question.
My question to you: what are your standards and how will you know when you reach them?