There seems to be a lot of contentiousness about what, exactly, an artist is. Some people get defensive about the term, feeling that only certain types of art make you an artist.

Others have internalized a negative assessment (often from teachers or family members) that they’re not creative, so they shouldn’t call themselves artists.

Still others use the term proudly and use it at every opportunity because we’re all artists, dammit!

I looked around for many years to find a definition that I liked. It’s complicated. One day, I realized that all humans create. We can’t help it. We doodle during meetings, we stack sticks and stones, and we artfully arrange the garnishes on a plate. No, not all creation is art. I can agree with that.

But all art has one thing in common. It creates order from chaos. It might be the chaos of colors in a crayon box. Or it might be the cacophony of musical notes in your head. Or the tumult of words and feelings and ideas running through your head. Artists pull that stuff together and make a special kind of magic from the mess.

We can all do it. And I think that’s a miracle. Let yourself go. What chaos will you tame today?

#polymerclay #polymerclayartist