Why do I have a problem with people calling themselves artists...

Discussion in 'Random Thoughts' started by FlyingFly, Feb 13, 2013.

  1. I'minmyunderwear

    I'minmyunderwear Newbie

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    the sudden transition here makes it look like you're referring to cherea's dirty underwear as a pie.
     
  2. i_was_in_shroom_land

    i_was_in_shroom_land Shroomier than you!

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    would it make a difference if they say they are artistic instead
     
  3. josh989

    josh989 Member

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    Kind of like how DJ's are considered musicians. It's like saying I'm an artist because I found a bunch of art and made a slideshow with cool background music and transition efects... bah.
     
  4. roamy

    roamy Senior Member

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    i see what you mean ha! ha! but as always only you could put that funny spin on it immy, but i was definitely talking bout cher great apple pie :pie: :)
     
  5. FlyingFly

    FlyingFly Dickens

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    What I wrote applies to most but not all. And if I were always coming out of conclusion 'oh, he is probably very different individual not like everyone else' I would probably hang myself long time ago.

    Well... if he really means it...

    Then everyone is an artist.

    Which adds to my point, why the hell would anyone call themselves artist?
    It is like walking around and saying proudly 'hey, I'm a human!'

    So if I own a guitar I am guitarist?

    No matter what I do with it/if I do anything?
     
  6. Manservant Hecubus

    Manservant Hecubus Master of Funk and Evil

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    I've been pondering this some more. I think being paid as a service is great (paid to do a mural) but when it gets to selling prints and t-shirts, that is the sell-out.
     
  7. themnax

    themnax Senior Member

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    i have no problem with people calling themselves anything.
    but if the call themselves a bowl of cerial, they look damd silly sitting on the kitchen table with milk on their head.
     
  8. magic_rocks

    magic_rocks ٱللهِ ٱلرّ

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    This is something I've considered and reflected on throughout most of my life, and have ultimately resigned myself to regard it without the label and accept as only a part of who I am. As a child and up unto my early twenties I was a prolific painter, but in my late teens I discovered I was naturally gifted with music, and in my mid twenties I discovered that I was also able to convey my visions through poetry and prose. So I can work fairly well in the major mediums but do not excel in any, because I jump around too often I temporarily lose my firm position and it takes me a few hours / weeks to get back into swing with it. What troubles me the most, is that I haven't picked up a paint brush to put to a canvas since I was 17, with one notably poor exception (a drug induced one, at that). The same kind of thing has happened with music, I started out by learning first to play bass, and then got a classical guitar and within a few months I was figuring out Bach and ragtime, and then I got into analog synthesis while I had not touched a piano since I was in second grade (my piano teacher tried to convince me and my mother to remain her student because I was advancing at an unusually fast pace, but I hated it, and her, and quit after nearly a year), so all of my piano skill (despite it's similarity to guitar and other stringed instruments) had to be relearned, and is still not quite close to where I'd like to be, especially as synthesizers require not only piano playing but sound modulation simultaneously.

    For the past few weeks I've had a strong desire to go back to where I left off with painting, but I already suspect that this is going to be the most difficult of all to regain, it is not like the others and maybe this is not the case for everyone, but it has always been the most difficult for me to work with. It's not the basics or the form, I can sketch and capture still life with very little trouble and in several styles, but it took me over two years while in high school to be able to begin mixing colors and apply them in a way that was nearly satisfactory, so it will be a very challenging and uphill process for me. But the thing is, I was very good back then, the self portraits, landscapes and imaginary visions I put to paper and canvas made me very happy and I received much praise for some of them, and I enjoyed the attention for having given them to friends and family, and I would very much like to relearn, to pick it back up and teach it to my children, if they show any interest and especially if they show signs of natural ability (Sophia already has, my son has too but he has not shown the same amount of interest as my daughter yet).

    So, even though I have never stopped being artistic since I first used a crayon, outside of a few dry spells due to financial troubles, broken equipment, lack of other artists / musicians to correspond and work with, I do not consider myself an artist, only artistic. I, too, have no problem with people calling themselves or each other artists and wish everyone well. Nobody needs to be a professional artist to turn out a glimpse of beatific vision, a mastery in skill and a social accomplishment that gains one praise and titles do not have to go together in order to validate the authenticity of a work. While the idea of becoming a professional artist, a recognized master at something is attractive, I admit that I find the exchange of most art work for money contemptible (not all, but most, some of the greatest works where done under immense pressure and at least superficially for financial gain) and believe that while I have repeatedly shown great potential, my ability would suffer were I to gain any amount of fame, I am weak to attention and because I can figure out most things on my own, I let ideas of grandeur go to my head very easily. Clearly I am still somewhat conflicted as I have a drive and personal ambition to only create greatness, and believe that is you don't believe in yourself and push yourself, nothing worth any acknowledgement can come, but I don't trouble myself about it anymore and look patiently forward to more practice and dedication to refining my skills rather than daydream about being lifted up on peoples shoulders and paraded around town while women weep and animals spring up and dance in a universal jubilation celebration of me, as a true artist.
     
  9. Impending Confusion

    Impending Confusion Member

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    Definition of Art: The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture,...: "the art of the Renaissance"

    Definition of Artist: A person who practices any of the various creative arts, such as a sculptor, novelist, poet, or filmmaker.

    Art can therefore only be classified as art if it is an expression of creative skill.

    An artist can therefore only be a skilful person who practises a creative art.

    If you see yourself as an artist, then you must believe you are skilful.

    The person who posted that he's an artist even though he sucks at the art he creates is WRONG according to the dictionary.
     
  10. Frieden

    Frieden Senior Member

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    This thread is, like, super deep.


    It's kind of like being a hippie, man. Because you wear a tie dye shirt, well, it doesn't make you a hippie, just a victim of bad fashion. Hippie is a way of life, brah.
     
  11. Asmodean

    Asmodean Slo motion rider

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    Yes, it may be a subtile one but to me it seems like a worthy distinghuisment :2thumbsup:
     
  12. antithesis

    antithesis Hello

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    I consider myself a writer because I write.

    If someone makes art I would consider them an artist.
     
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