Are You an Artist?
Is an artist defined by their success? If this were the case, then the term “starving artist ” would not have been coined. Artists are those who express their ideas in some creative form.
We have our own ideas of what an artist should be like. Like Cary Grant said to Jimmy Stewart in the 1941 movie The Philadelphia Story, “I thought writers drank excessively and beat their wives. I always secretly wished to be a writer.” We have preconceived notions of what defines an “artist”.
Well, I’ve always secretly wished to be an artist. I love to write, but I also love to paint. I discussed what defines an artist with some friends last night and we agreed that there must be at least a smidgen of crazy. They see things that no one else sees, or at least in a way no one else can.
I would propose that a true artist is one who has a passion for creating. I think art is defined by passion.
I was at dinner with friends at a local buffet recently. An adorable little girl about six years old was at the dessert bar embellishing her ice cream cone with colored chocolate candies. The only problem was, each time she put them on with the spoon, they kept sliding off and back into the candy container. I helped her get a little bowl and put the candies in it to take back to her table. “Now you can just eat them with your ice cream cone at your table.” I said as the people in line behind us sighed with relief while I scooped all the candies with ice cream on them into her bowl.
Later, as I was leaving the restaurant, she came up and thanked me for helping her with her ice cream. I smiled and talked to her for a little bit. Then she said “I made this for you,” and handed me a napkin with a smile design made by the colors from wet chocolate candies… I hope no one ever tells her she is not an artist!
Beauty - Women Only 
Love it!
“…we agreed that there must be at least a smidgen of crazy. They see things that no one else sees, or at least in a way no one else can.”
I think this is so true, and I love this about your blog. There are times that I feel very different, seeing a completely different aspect of a situation. For instance, I turn all my dreams (and nightmares) into some sort of story. I enjoy “different” things – I’d rather sit and scribble on a rainy day then go to the movie theatre. If I’m passionate about a project, I’ll never stop, and I’ll dream big to the point of craziness about it. With almost every event in my life I find some sort of correlation to a book or something I’ve written or a piece of artwork that I’ve seen. For these and many other reasons I’ve always felt very different, and sometimes very alone.
One thing I love about your blog is that you’re honest. (A hard thing to find in this world š )You think what you think and you say it, but so kindly that nobody could begrudge you. You’re a true woman of Christ. I want to thank you for the beautiful words you wrote – about the “smidgen of crazy” and “seeing things no one else sees.” I’ve put them onto a sticky note on my computer so I can read them every day, and know I am understood.
Thank you.