Proud To Be An Artist!

Satisfied with being an artist. Not sure pride fits exactly.

As someone who has recently started to try to commercialize his art, and realized quickly how difficult it is, I am finding that I must fall back on this exactly: pride in creating for the sake of creating.

I'm not fond of the word "pride", whether right or not it has a bit of a negative connotation to it for me, like having a huge ego and believe it is all about yourself. I actually find creating art to be quite humbling. Besides selling art, making art is the hardest thing I've ever tried to do, and I've only accomplished what little I have because other artists have been so generous in sharing their art and knowledge. Not to mention the fact that without the beautiful and fascinating world we live in I'd have nothing to make art about. Pride? No, more like profound gratitude.

Proud, Proud, Proud to be One.

I agree with DK pride is not the right word for this.

I am not humble. I am not braggadocious either. I am very extroverted and willing to market myself.

I am at peace. And that is asking a lot in life.

Dave

Be proud who you are and do what you love :D!

I am proud of everything I do

Yes.

It's one of best ways in life to share our inner self and our creativity

Yes

Yes I am an ARTIST and Proud to be ONE!

I used to be in the eighties, but with stock photos selling for a buck for full rights I don't feel it anymore. In the late 90s people started asking me for my work for free and say "it's just a picture". The corporations came in and turned us into slaves and the photographers, of the time, did absolutely nothing. It was a beautiful profession and I am lucky I was there when it peaked.
George Robinson

No I can't say I have ever felt proud of being an artist. Sometimes I even have wished I wasn't one...to be so compelled to create art is not something I really have any control over. I can stay away from it for a little while but it haunts me. It is just who I am...like having brown eyes...never much thought of it as being something to be proud of.

I was proud of my tomatoes this year! My first garden and it was really an awful mess but I was proud of those tomatoes :)

Val,

Congratulations on the tomatoes, there are very few things in the world as great as homegrown vine ripe tomatoes that you grew yourself!

RE: Art/Pride: I understand, it's part of you, so it can seem like a non-sequitur to be proud of something that you're born with. Like being proud of having brown eyes, it's just the genetic cards you were dealt. Are you proud of what you've done with it, though, with your compulsion to make art?

I'm compelled to make art, too, I'm the person who would turn in her homework without her name on it, and the teacher would know it was mine because of the doodles. Drawing in business meetings. The ball point pen won't stop, even when I know I'm being rude, and it makes me look as if I'm disinterested, or not paying attention. A source of entertainment, on a good day, not exactly a source of pride, especially not good if it's annoying the boss.

Then I turn the compulsion into something... into works of art that I'm proud of, that other artists who see those works look at and respect, that I respect. Our society has a love-hate relationship with artists, it's easy to find people who do not respect what we do. It's also a badge of honor to be able to join other artists in their journey, and keep pace, to carve one's own space in the society of other artists, that is a thing to be proud of, IMHO.

You are here and you hold your own, in the company of artists. That's not an accident of genetics, it's an accomplishment worthy of pride.

No!

I guess I could say I am proud of my milestones as an artist, like when I create a piece that really out does the others. Like others here have said, I didn't choose art, it chose me, it's a part of who I am, it's in my blood. I guess I echo David King in the fact that I find it quite humbling. I love being an artist, and I wouldn't have it any other way!!

I love the art community here and seeing exceptional work is very satisfying. Pride or love for what we get to do is expected at some level. So many dream of doing what some of you make look easy on a daily basis :)

Not at all. The opposite in fact.

I'm proud to be an artist and even prouder to be a part of Fine Art America because what I do is fine art and I'm a part of what I believe to be the present and future of great art. Pride is not my favorite word, but on an honest note, I'm so proud to be here!

Great question Mani!!!

I am humbled to be an artist, to be proud would mean I am taking credit for a talent I openly recognize as a gift. No room for pride in my life for anything, even when it wants to creep in I try to ground myself in this truth, I have learned to equate pride with foolishness, and humility with great wisdom.

Mario, that is a great response.

Thank you Lisa, and to clarify I am not suggesting anyone who feels a sense of pride by any means is foolish either, I am simply looking at this from my own perspective as it applies to me.

Proud to be ,part of Fine Art America.
Thank you all for all of response...

Have always really loved art, but I'm more into the joy of the experience than the label. Like gourmet cook, artist is a term that's better when someone else uses it to describe you.

No I am not an artist. Can't paint. Can't draw. But I do create images from photo manipulation. Is it art?

Peter, yes I would not have a problem calling that art, I really like your gallery, some great art images there!

I don't call myself an artist.

I am still tickled that I am an artist.

I love doing this work. I can not turn my back on it for more than a few days.
I work for weeks till drained, turn my back on doing any work. It never lasts. I go back
happier than ever before.

I am more than at peace. I know myself.

Dave

Appreciate your kind words thank you very much Mario. Cheers.

No I'm not proud.

Every body wants to make money from there profession (to pay for all the bills come each month)

I tried to be professional free lance artist, for 5 years
(Always broke)

I choose another profession (cab driver) making good money always!!
I Am not proud of being cab driver but I make good money!!

I am proud of being an artist because it makes me broke and
Happy and make me wants to cry sometimes ....

There are different kinds of pride, the obnoxious kind where a person thinks they're better than others, a misplaced sense of entitlement. Synonyms might be arrogance, or hauteur.

Then there is another kind of pride, the pride in accomplishment that derives from the simple truth that competence at a skill is of value, that the fruits of one's creative endeavors enrich your own life and the life of others, a legitimate reality-based sense of self-worth.

I am proud to be an artist! I think an artist is a special kind of person who intuits society - who can interpret and comment upon what he sees in reality. This ability is a gift!

Someone told me that as an artist you have to be willing to deal with rejection.

Do others agree?

I find this is a difficult thing for me, when I post something to a public place and get little response.

Rejection is just part of being an artist. To deal with it your motivation must come from within, even then it can be disappointing.

Rejection?

I get twisted heaps of rejection....mixed with like......it is odd. And planned for.

Dave

I am very grateful that God Almighty took the time out of his busy schedule to bless me with the desire and talent to document his beautiful creation.

Gosh, there are some smart and interesting responses here.

I think you have to learn how to rise above rejection of your work because while one person wants something changed, another is adamant that your work is genius. Only you, the artist can play with concepts and find your niche.

I was exposed to art at a very young age and took a great many classes in college. If you are involved in creating images and attempting to sell them, you are an artist.

Charles: "Someone told me that as an artist you have to be willing to deal with rejection."

Of course you have to deal with rejection, if you're showing your art to other human beings. Not all people like the same kind of art, so unless you're making *every* kind of art there is in the world (an impossible task, and why would you want to?), there are going to be people walking the planet who don't like your art. Some people don't like art of any kind (their loss, not my problem IMHO), so that increases the pool of people who won't like your art.

"I post something to a public place and get little response."
Teachers have to deal with that, too. Ask most kids what happened in school today, they answer, "Nothing." That's not because the teachers failed to present a lesson in class.

Lisa,
If you are involved in creating images and attempting to sell them,you are an artist, you are absolutely right! Lisa

I did that for 5 years,but I was not making enough money
To be proud of...

If you are making good money and satisfied with your art
You should be proud of yourself !!
Because not many artist can do that...

Mani, I don't make any money with my art. I mostly spend money for canvas' and brushes. The originals I sell are usually at a bargain price or free.

Like you, Mani, I make money alright, but not in art. I bet taxi driving is fairly interesting and risky. I'm going to find out where you drive and the next time I'm in your city, I'm going to ask for you!

My job is too boring to discuss, but I have a lot of fans of my artwork at my place of work. That's good because I cannot house all of my work. I will die before I ever make a dime, but I don't care because art is my penance for doing wrong in this world, I'm compelled to do my art work, and so there it is. I'm glad others are in this boat with me. It could be that I just need to get a lot better at my craft. I expect to do just that over the next two years.

Cheryl...I love your written word as it's like philosophical art... Every painting you do should include some of your amazing philosophy.

Happy I definitely am, but pride..........no, I am yet to consider myself that great an artist to take pride.

I am PROUD of my daughter....She has Asperger's and has come such a long way! Pride would be the wrong word I'd use for being an artist. It is like saying I am proud to be female....It is just a part of me. I am happy though that I can actually earn a living with art.