What it means to be an artist (Guest post by Farmgirl Paints)

I've never been comfortable with calling myself an artist.  When I say it I kind of mumble it beneath my breath and downplay that I could have such a title.  I feel like a fraud, that I should have my work shown in a gallery or have credentials behind my name to say it.  To me it's like using the term Olympic athlete, novelist, rock star...Academy Award winner;)  How could I possibly be an artist?  It's such a cool thing to be:)  However, I truly believe unlike the other lofty titles I threw out there that we are all artists.  If you can create a beautiful meal, pull together a lovely home, sew something, create anything with love YOU are an artist.

That's where I found myself several years ago.  Very young, with no money and a desire to create a pretty home, so I whipped out some paints and my artsy journey began.  Amazing how resourceful you can be when you have nothing.  Instead of buying that cute painting in the Pottery Barn magazine...I tried to make it.  Pretty soon my own ideas started to emerge.

Simplicity defines my style.  In the past I was really insecure thinking anyone could do this if they wanted, but then I started to realize that my style is unique to me.  God gave me this gift.  I shouldn't be insecure or uncertain about it.  I shouldn't compare my work to others because we are all different and art would be pretty boring if it all looked the same. 

When I decide to paint something I go through a mental process.  The canvas starts out empty and I have to brainstorm what I want.  I sketch out my idea and many times erase and start over again and again.  Then the first layers go on and it's often really ugly.  I have to mentally push through and not get discouraged or I would just give up.  It's not until the end when the details are in place that it actually starts looking like what I brainstormed in the beginning.  That's when the buttons pop off and I think to myself I did that.  I actually made something pretty...yay!  Ultimately I know it's not me...I have no idea what I'm doing.  That makes it even more special.

What if I would have given up during the process?  I would never have had the immense satisfaction of knowing the beauty in the end result.   So for me art inevitably means follow through.  It's having a vision of something beautiful and seeing it to the finish line.  I need to create because it brings me joy.  It makes me proud of myself.  It gives me a title that I don't feel I deserve.  It's following in my Creator's footsteps and using the gifts that He's given me.  In doing that the reward is far better than a gallery showing or credentials behind my name...it's divine purpose.




(Thank you, beautiful Becky... from the moment I met you, I was struck by the artist in you. The way you paint Christ through brush and word. Thank you for sharing your art with us, today)

*Becky designed the 'Follower Free' button which you see here on my blog; to view more of her work, please visit her Etsy shop here.*