The word artist evokes a wide range of images from the painter in his studio to the dancer on stage. Each embodies a unique facet of artistic expression. A skilled and imaginative individual, an artist creates works that are both beautiful and thought-provoking. The art they produce reflects the world as they see it and often challenges or reframes societal norms. Artists are often their own biggest critics as they work to develop and hone their skills. They are loyal to their talents and will not give up on their vision even if they encounter resistance or failure.
But the term artist is a slippery one and there are many different definitions of what it means to be an artist. Some are narrow and focus on specific mediums such as painting or sculpting. Others are broader and encompass a more broad range of activities such as writing or music. Still others focus on the process of creating rather than the end result. Many people have a hard time with the notion of being an artist as they may feel that they don’t make the kind of art considered to be artistic. And there are certainly those who will only call themselves artists if they meet some preconceived idea of what makes someone an artist such as having a certain amount of training or achieving some level of recognition.
In the case of the arts, there are numerous ways for individuals to learn and develop their skills and become more proficient. They can participate in formal educational opportunities such as classes, workshops or a degree program. They can join local art groups or pursue self-directed learning through books, online tutorials and videos. And, of course, they can simply practice and get better over time. Many of the most renowned artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Vincent van Gogh did not receive any formal education in art but still went on to create stunning pieces such as the Mona Lisa and Starry Night.
The dictionary defines an artist as a person who practices any of the various creative arts in which accomplished execution is informed by imagination. This is a very useful definition as it covers a very broad range of artistic activity. However, it does leave out the role of the professional artist who is hired by another party to produce a particular piece such as a painting or sculpture. In this situation, there are specific standards that the artist must meet in order to be hired. Whether that is in the form of training, experience, having a degree or being recognized by an official art curator. It is also important to note that while the majority of artists are independent contractors they do have other jobs such as answering emails, dealing with clients or packing and shipping their artwork. In this way it is very difficult for a full-time artist to spend every waking moment on their art.