What Does a Real Artist Look Like?

In my head, is a picture of an artist...

This artist is made up of a lot of different images of artists that I have seen:

·       A spiritual, hippie artist who lives at one with the universe, smells like incense, and has a strong affinity with the moon.

·       An outdoorsy artist who lives in paint-stained boots and overalls, on an acreage with horses and ducks in a home surrounded by their own creations.

·       The academic artist with their own library and umpteen notebooks filled with thoughts, ideas and inspiration.

·       The travelling artist who lives like a gypsy, shoeless and free, inspired by the world and energised by adventure.

These are the ‘real’ artists. People who live and breathe their art. Whose art is a part of their everyday. They express their artfulness in the way that they live and it can clearly be worn and seen… right?

WRONG!

No, no, nope-ity nope, nope, nope, NO! Heck no!

They look like you and me. They might also look like that list of people above, but we are all REAL artists. If you make art, then you are an artist. If you make music, if you write words, if you doodle with a pen, if you bake a cake, use a paintbrush, plant a garden, choose your clothes, hang pictures, paint your nails, hum a tune, pick some flowers, or even arrange food on a plate – this can all be art.

I can be an artist in my leggings. I can be an artist with my children running around. I can be an artist having never travelled overseas. I can be an artist who never picks up a paintbrush.

My head plays tricks on me. It wants to tell me that I am not an artist because I don’t look a certain way. But, being an artist is not about how you look AT ALL.

What is an artist?

An artist is a person who CREATES. They can look any darn way they wish, as long as they USE THEIR IMAGINATION to MAKE THINGS FROM THEIR IMAGINATION.

Slopping food on a plate or pulling on the same clothes as yesterday that you left crumpled up on a chair are not acts of creation. But, carefully arranging the food elements to be visually appealing, or selecting a coordinated outfit IS being creative.

Creativity is allowing yourself to be a CONDUIT for something NEW in the world.

So, what does a ‘real’ artist look like?

It looks like you and me. Now, go and create something!

Love,

Marley

P.S. Read more of my thoughts and poetry on my Facebook page, or join my mailing list.