An artist is someone who creates art. Art is subjective, and is pretty much what you want it to be. There is no requirement for quantity or quality. You can write 1 sentence or 1000. Your writing could be good, or complete nonsense. Who cares? If you take that first step of creating art, you are an artist. There is no need to make money from your creations. There is no need to have your art put in front of everyone. These are secondary to creating art.
I think everyone should create art. In my opinion, creating art is most divine of any human activity. Just by picking up a pen or a brush, or singing or playing an instrument, or creating amazing worlds on your computer, you are engaging in something sacred and wonderful. Art enriches us in a way that no other activity can.
Our vocations keep food on our table, give us purpose and serve many other important functions in life. However, I believe that most of our vocations do not change our perception of the world, something art does very easily. Our vocations don’t make us feel connected to the universe as large, which is something art excels at.
If you’re unsure about what type of art to create, start writing. Write on your phone, write with pen on paper, write on your laptop – the medium is secondary to the act of writing. I often hear people say they don’t know how to get started. Start with journal prompts – check out this page for some great prompts. Don’t worry about filling the page with endless writing. Write a single sentence. If you have a desire to write more, do it. If you don’t, stop after 1 sentence. Write 1 sentence for a month and see how you already feel different.
You are an artist – you just haven’t started on your art yet. Art is joy, so create a little joy in your life.
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