Do you call yourself an Artist?

Do you call yourself an artist? why?

I paint,draw,sculpt, and use other mediums. I make art, but I don't call myself an artist. I'm actually not too sure why, but I know it has something to do with not wanting to come across as haughty and arrogant. It's weird because I don't mind others who call themselves artists. I might call myself an artist when I'm happy with my work, but that will be a while I'm beginning to think I might be the only one who thinks this way

 

I consider myself an artist... It's just a part of who I am. I've been drawing since I could remember, and I got to the point where I was so obsessed with art that I holed up with my canvases for weeks at a time. However when I discovered music it became my second favorite hobby...
I paint, draw, and take photography. I'm also about to open my own little hippie art store on etsy.com so that I can make this into a part-time career for when I'm not working on performing and making music.

 

I wish you the best of luck with your hippie art store what sort of music do you make?

 

Thank you!
I make psych/freak folk.

 

Absolutely. i haven't got anything else to go off of. but make things is what i do, i paint, draw, make clay sculptures, write stories, knit, write poems and make music.
arrogance has got no part of telling people what you do, and if you make art, you're an artist.

as for the definition of art, well, people've been trying to pin that down for ages. not going to happen. i say if you made it from your soul, even dinky little drawings of cartoon turtles or what have you, and did it for the purpose of doing it, it's art.

my mom used to tell me she thought that an artist was someone who sold art professionally, I thought that was absolute crap.

EDIT!

the great thing about art is that there is always something you're searching for, a better way to express a certain feeling, a better way to capture a moment or a form. You're never completely satisfied. If you wait for that moment, it's easy to get hung up on the title of "artist" and never accept it.

 

I understand what you mean when you say it has nothing to do with arrogance. I suppose I just feel that I shouldn't need a title...you know? I just do it.

Yes! You totally get it. I will never be 100% happy with my work, which means I will always try to improve myself. Just to clarify, I never expect to be completely satisfied

 

Yes and it has been paying the bills for 6 years now.
*fingers crossed it will keep paying the bills*

 

Wow congrats, I hope it keeps paying your bills too . I don't think I could ever rely on just my art to support myself, I don't usually work well with timelines/pressure.

 

i write poems, they make people cry. therefore, i consider myself an artist.

 

i feel the same way.

 

That's good : ) I've decided you should never try to prove anything with art, even try to prove that it's "good", it's a dark path!

And I think I know what you mean when you say it shouldn't need a title. Kind of one of those odd situations where you think it ought to speak for itself, you know? But I see calling myself an artist as a fantastic privilege (in reality it feels a bit like I'm in some sort of grand and mystical club) and something I've worked hard for. That's just me though, and if you wish to let your actions speak for themselves go for it.

 

I am a motion graphics designer for one of the largest media companies in the US....so I had to sacrifice my soul to pay the pills.

 

Nope, just weird.

 

Only when I need an excuse for not having anything. Though, still, it's probably true.

 

I really like reading everyone's thoughts on my question, thank you all for sharing

 

If you're including the auditory form of art, yes.

 

I do not consider or call myself an artist really....
I use a variety of mediums, and have a bit of talent I suppose,

but I don't really enjoy it. I'm no artist, I'm just a bored kid with a set of paints

 

Yes, I call myself an artist. But to me an artist is not some sort of a special being. Every human has creativity as a part of their spirit. If they do not give this creativity a place in their lives they become dysfunctional - unhappy depressed beings. The current system of things seeks to stifle creativity because creative people are not obedient workers, model 'citizens', and mindless consumers. Going to less developed countries one can see free flowing creativity - decorations on their houses, cars and clothing - art as part of everyday life and everyone is an artist - as it should be.

 

i know exactly what you mean. i am going to college and i am an art major... i paint draw and make many random little "creations" and i am constantly looking at how i can decorate things... yet, i still dont feel 100% comfortable to go as far as calling myself an artist for the same reasons you dont... honestly i think its all in my head because if you think about it, thats what we love doing and its what i would like to spend the rest of my life being able to do so we should just accept the fact that we are artists. If we call a woman who has children a mother then we should call people who make art an artist. right?

 

no.
in my op, it takes a lifetime commitment and pursuit of art to be one. I'll probably never have the patience to dedicate myself to one thing like that.