i call myself an artist, why not?

recently, i have retreated and reviewed my own way of thinking. i have questioned who has the right to call the self an artist.

of late, i have been in a frenzy!

i was so stimulated, so inspired, so enthused, moved, encouraged, motivated,

that i can do one piece a day. (well, i know of a wonderful person who can do more! bwahahaha).

but this never happened to me before. and previous to this miracle that happened to me, i was a bit stingy and mean by not letting one other person use that on himself. was i bad? well, i think i was. so i had to give myself time to reflect and here goes my rant on the title “artist”.

art is for everyone. art is for sharing.

i used to find it difficult to say “i am an artist” because i felt that i had not really earned that right yet. . . but when does one ever earn that? when a diploma says so? i think not! so i call myself an artist, why not?

i think i have done enough to say i am an artist.

i am a natural artist, i have no training to speak of but my paintings bring people pleasure. they evoke emotion, and that is ART!

my artwork is created with passion and enthusiasm. people have seen that, commented on it, paid for it, and even trusted me to teach their children art!

my art has been viewed and shipped all over the world.

what else do i need, to call myself an artist?!?

nothing.

i am an artist and i am proud to call myself an artist. i do not need a professional qualification to tell me i am.

i belong to a group of artists (burikbutikan) who love to share their work with art-lovers. i am an artist because i love to create art, and also because i love to see people’s reactions to my artwork—whoever they may be.

now, that is my opinion on the matter. . . but what do you think?

do you and i (and others like us) have the right to call ourselves artists?