What is an artist?

What is an artist? Can a person just decide they are an artist? Do you have to go to school to be qualified as an artist? Is everyone really an artist? Is no one really an artist? Let’s explore some of the definitions that are found for this term, and try to come to a real definition… if there is one.
Dictionary.com
1.         A person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.
2.         A person who practices one of the fine arts, esp. a painter or sculptor.
3.         A person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.
4.         A person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer; a public performer: a mime artist; an artist of the dance.
5.         A person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.
6.         A person who is expert at trickery or deceit: He’s an artist with cards.
7.         Obsolete. An artisan.
All seem reasonable to a degree, except #6. A person that is an expert at trickery or deceit. See when I read that it furthers my belief that the word is completely superfluous. It’s nothing but a grammatical cock stroke. You’re telling me when an executive posts a “now hiring” ad online for artists that they could be looking for con-men?
American Heritage Dictionary
1.         One, such as a painter, sculptor, or writer, who is able by virtue of imagination and talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the fine arts.
2.         A person whose work shows exceptional creative ability or skill: You are an artist in the kitchen.
3.         One, such as an actor or singer, who works in the performing arts.
4.         One who is adept at an activity, especially one involving trickery or deceit: a con artist.
These are all okay, but let’s continue pointing out #4.
Digital American Heritage Dictionary
1.         One who practices any of the fine arts, esp. painting, sculpture, or music.
2.         One whose work shows skill.
Here’s the big one: #2; one whose work shows skill. This is where the veritable shit hits the fan for me.
A receptionists work shows skill; a taxi drivers work shows skill, a janitors work shows skill. However none of these people are deemed artists by society or by themselves.
Why? Because “artists” have warped the term into such a meaningless lump of bile. However let’s not jump to a conclusion yet. Let’s continue looking at more definitions.
Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary [10th Edition]
1.         One skilled or versed in learned arts.
2.         One who professes and practices imaginative art.
3.         A person skilled in one of the fine arts.
4.         A skilled performer.
5.         One who is adept at something.
Okay. Let’s continue where we left off. One skilled in learned arts? Aren’t learned arts a synonym for a learned craft, which is a fancy word for a job? So you’re skilled at your job. Hopefully everyone is skilled at their job otherwise they will be fired.
This differs from #3; which is fine arts.
But another big one is #5. One is who adept at something. Merriam Webster never let me down. Isn’t everyone adept at something? Sleeping, eating, playing video games, masturbation, arm farts, brushing ones teeth, etc? Surely everyone out there is adept at one thing at least. If anyone out there is depressed enough where you claim you aren’t adept at anything; I would bet money that someone could spend 2 hours with you (or less) and find something you are good at.
Online Etymology Dictionary
1581, “one who cultivates one of the fine arts,” from M.Fr. artiste, from It. artista, from M.L. artista, from L. ars (see art). Originally used especially of the arts presided over by the Muses (history, poetry, comedy, tragedy, music, dancing, astronomy), but also used 17c. for “one skilled in any art or craft” (including professors, surgeons, craftsmen, cooks). Now especially of “one who practices the arts of design or visual arts” (a sense first attested 1747). Artistic first recorded 1753; artistry 1868.
This is one fair enough, but I guess it is worth pointing out that “one skilled in any art or craft.” This reckons back to the fact that every one is skilled at some craft.
WordNet
1.         A person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
Fair enough.
Kernerman English Multilangual Dictionary
1.         A person who paints pictures or is a sculptor or is skilled at one of the other arts
2.         A singer, dancer, actor etc; an artiste
Good enough as well.
In conclusion, there is more than one printed source stating that an artist is nothing more than someone who is good at SOMETHING or any craft.
Everyone walking this planet is good at something or some craft. From bus drivers, janitors and McDonalds employees to painters, digital artists and actors.
An artist isn’t someone who is tortured by their creativity, has to wear black nail polish, drinks Starbucks, and listens to My Chemical Romance. An artist is everyone; the teacher you hate; the parents you rebel against, the boss you loathe.
Walk down a crowded street and everyone around you is an artist.

(Note: This was originally written for my first website, I HATE ARTISTS. Upon re-reading it, I actually still hold on to these same beliefs. This posting is almost 3 years old and every word still rings true to me as the day I wrote it. I hope you enjoy it.)

What is an artist?

What is an artist? Can a person just decide they are an artist? Do you have to go to school to be qualified as an artist? Is everyone really an artist? Is no one really an artist? Let’s explore some of the definitions that are found for this term, and try to come to a real definition… if there is one.

Dictionary.com

1.         A person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.

2.         A person who practices one of the fine arts, esp. a painter or sculptor.

3.         A person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.

4.         A person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer; a public performer: a mime artist; an artist of the dance.

5.         A person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.

6.         A person who is expert at trickery or deceit: He’s an artist with cards.

7.         Obsolete. An artisan.

All seem reasonable to a degree, except #6. A person that is an expert at trickery or deceit. See when I read that it furthers my belief that the word is completely superfluous. It’s nothing but a grammatical cock stroke. You’re telling me when an executive posts a “now hiring” ad online for artists that they could be looking for con-men?

American Heritage Dictionary

1.         One, such as a painter, sculptor, or writer, who is able by virtue of imagination and talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the fine arts.

2.         A person whose work shows exceptional creative ability or skill: You are an artist in the kitchen.

3.         One, such as an actor or singer, who works in the performing arts.

4.         One who is adept at an activity, especially one involving trickery or deceit: a con artist.

These are all okay, but let’s continue pointing out #4.

Digital American Heritage Dictionary

1.         One who practices any of the fine arts, esp. painting, sculpture, or music.

2.         One whose work shows skill.

Here’s the big one: #2; one whose work shows skill. This is where the veritable shit hits the fan for me.

A receptionists work shows skill; a taxi drivers work shows skill, a janitors work shows skill. However none of these people are deemed artists by society or by themselves.

Why? Because “artists” have warped the term into such a meaningless lump of bile. However let’s not jump to a conclusion yet. Let’s continue looking at more definitions.

Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary [10th Edition]

1.         One skilled or versed in learned arts.

2.         One who professes and practices imaginative art.

3.         A person skilled in one of the fine arts.

4.         A skilled performer.

5.         One who is adept at something.

Okay. Let’s continue where we left off. One skilled in learned arts? Aren’t learned arts a synonym for a learned craft, which is a fancy word for a job? So you’re skilled at your job. Hopefully everyone is skilled at their job otherwise they will be fired.

This differs from #3; which is fine arts.

But another big one is #5. One is who adept at something. Merriam Webster never let me down. Isn’t everyone adept at something? Sleeping, eating, playing video games, masturbation, arm farts, brushing ones teeth, etc? Surely everyone out there is adept at one thing at least. If anyone out there is depressed enough where you claim you aren’t adept at anything; I would bet money that someone could spend 2 hours with you (or less) and find something you are good at.

Online Etymology Dictionary

1581, “one who cultivates one of the fine arts,” from M.Fr. artiste, from It. artista, from M.L. artista, from L. ars (see art). Originally used especially of the arts presided over by the Muses (history, poetry, comedy, tragedy, music, dancing, astronomy), but also used 17c. for “one skilled in any art or craft” (including professors, surgeons, craftsmen, cooks). Now especially of “one who practices the arts of design or visual arts” (a sense first attested 1747). Artistic first recorded 1753; artistry 1868.

This is one fair enough, but I guess it is worth pointing out that “one skilled in any art or craft.” This reckons back to the fact that every one is skilled at some craft.

WordNet

1.         A person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination

Fair enough.

Kernerman English Multilangual Dictionary

1.         A person who paints pictures or is a sculptor or is skilled at one of the other arts

2.         A singer, dancer, actor etc; an artiste

Good enough as well.

In conclusion, there is more than one printed source stating that an artist is nothing more than someone who is good at SOMETHING or any craft.

Everyone walking this planet is good at something or some craft. From bus drivers, janitors and McDonalds employees to painters, digital artists and actors.

An artist isn’t someone who is tortured by their creativity, has to wear black nail polish, drinks Starbucks, and listens to My Chemical Romance. An artist is everyone; the teacher you hate; the parents you rebel against, the boss you loathe.

Walk down a crowded street and everyone around you is an artist.