Besides some of my children, my students are some of the most engaging people in my life. I am continually challenged by them and opened to new ways of thinking by them either technically in terms of painting or drawing or creative ideas but more significantly in terms of the question...
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN ARTIST? OR
WHEN WILL I KNOW WHEN I AM AN ARTIST?
I am sure there are many people who have a clear idea how to answer that question. But I am not sure the answer is that clear especially for so many of us.
To me it is an identity question. A child may come up the question. WHEN WILL I BE A GROWNUP? To me that is like asking when will I qualified as a bona fide adult with all the privileges of adulthood (responsibilities not under consideration in this questions at this time.) That is a cultural and social question looking to a specific cultural and socially acceptable goal. Meeting the standards of a socially acceptable cultural concept of being a grown up can often feel less than fulfilling. One could be classified an adult, with adult privileges and responsibilities and still feel something is MISSING.
For some students that idea of becoming an ARTIST appears on first blush to be answer to that missing part in their life. For other students making paintings is something they do....nothing more. I am speaking to those students who look to MAKING ART AS AN ARTIST as a way to FILLING THE MISSING PART.
The question goes to the core of your humanity. Why are you here? Many of our social, political and religious institutions have answers for you providing you with causes and purposes to drive your life. But can you unabashedly embrace any of them wholeheartedly? If you can you may have a place to find a VOICE. BUT IS IT YOUR VOICE? Perhaps!
But for me it has not been that easy. Perhaps I am disillusioned. Perhaps I am stubbornly independent. Perhaps I don't like the feeling that I am putting on someone's worn and used garment. Perhaps I am conflicted because the people I love or feel I must answer to have no use for MY VOICE. Finding ones personal VOICE is a self journey into ones motivations. It is not a journey for the faint hearted.
For me social causes do not ring true. I have a metaphysical side that is empowered by the BIG questions and dwells in the wonder and beauty I have an eye to see in spite of life's sojourns into disillusionment. I am blessed in that I have not lost heart or sight of the light at the end of the tunnel, like so many tired souls in retirement years.
My journey is not identical to your journey nor can it be. Every artist you will look at will be different. Each must find their own way.
One such artist I want to look at was brought to my attention by a student recently. This artist has work that has compositional elements that I think would be interesting to discuss but also has a VOICE that speaks to the cyclical story about the rural American. The name of the artist is Edward Hopper.
In the next post we will look at Edward Hopper "Cobb's Barns, South Truro"
From the INTERNET...
What does it mean to be an artist?
Being an artist means putting your best feet forward everyday and to create things that makes a difference; whether that difference is for you, or for others. ... That's what being an artist means to me. Being unsure if what you do will resonate with others, but you need to say something all the same.Sep 24, 2013
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only.
Artist - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artist
Artist | Define Artist at Dictionary.com
www.dictionary.com/browse/artist
a person who practices one of the fine arts, especially a painter or sculptor. 3. a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist. 4.
I highly recommend that you take a good long look at this artists journey not as a model but as a story of his artistic journey. And don't forget to read the comments, which are equally insightful.
Check out
http://www.vulture.com/2017/04/jerry-saltz-my-life-as-a-failed-artist.html
The Art Story: Modern Artists Full List
www.theartstory.org/section_artists.htm
Below are biographies and analysis of the work of all the artists who were central to modern art.
