I am....

I think I am, therefore I am. I think....

George Carlin

I had a philosophical discussion with a friend about at what point can you say that are you an artist. To make the proclamation that "I am a artist". Is it after you attend a series of classes and get a diploma or a degree? When you produce a series of pieces? Take part in an exhibition or your own gallery show? Or even ultimately have the crown and mantle of artist placed on you by those that make up the 'art world'? All considered possibilities, but not for me.

There is another quote that I found by Lana Del Rey that sums it up:

If you are born an artist, you have no choice but to fight to stay an artist.

And that is the essential truth. It is a calm inner knowing that you have to follow a certain path of creating. It may be painting, photography, embroidery, writing. It may be bringing children into the world and raising them. It may be developing a policy for your company, but if the spirit of creation illuminates what you do then we all can shout to the universe, I am an artist! Most of all I am the artist of my own life.

I have to acknowledge that this discussion came about because of David Bowie's passing and his last artistic creation 'Blackstar'. The last months of his life he continued on the path of being artist, both of the life he wanted to create while he had it, and the artistic works he wanted to share with the world. He inspired me to look and to continue to look at the life I am creating and what I am sharing.  I found something that he said in an interview (lots of quotes today)  that follows the theme of being and sharing that I have alluded to:

I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't just about expressing my work; I really wanted more than anything else, to contribute to the culture I was living in.

Thanks David for helping us to see that we all can be artists.

Chris Hadfield, 'Space Oddity':