Are you an artist?

"Are you an artist", "Did you go to art school?" 

Um, maybe? And no, I did not go to art school.

I get asked these questions often, especially the one about going to art school.

         I remember the first time someone asked me that; I recall being speechless.I had never really considered myself an artist before. But the fact that someone thought I might be felt really good! But..... was I? Sure, I own a paintbrush and I own a lot of paint, but still. To me, being called an artist is huge!! I still don't refer to myself as an artist. For one thing, artists are amazing! And for another, when I think of artists, most that come to mind are.... dead. At the very least the ones that everyone has heard of are. But I do love art! all of it! In every form and medium. I didn't always feel this way though, when I was younger I thought art was boring. It wasn't until I started painting furniture that I really felt different about art. I began to get artsy with the dressers and hutches as I painted them. I guess you could even say they were my first canvasses. From there I jumped to actual canvasses, and after I painted them, I would hide them. One day I brought one into the shop, I called it Girl in Chaos. Customers eventually asked " how much ". Whaaaaat?! I had hung it behind my checkout where I thought no one could see it. That sale is what gave me the guts to actually paint another one to bring in.. And that one sold too!! But painting and selling art didn't really make me feel like an artist. Maybe its because I'm having way too much fun creating that I don't feel like an artist. Or maybe it's because I came into the whole " art " thing a little later than most. But whatever the reason it doesn't really matter to me because I don't plan on stopping anytime soon!!

So, am I an artist?

I'll let you decide