Everyone's an Artist

Art is what makes me get up in the morning. Writing some prose or producing some music are the two things in life I'll never give up.

I get a nagging feeling in the back of my mind whenever someone praises me for being an artist -- I know they don't think of themselves as one.

The way I see it is that everyone is an artist. I'm sure back in caveman days everyone took part in dance, song, drawing, and story-telling. These things were not "exclusive" to artists. Everyone was an artist.

I think it is only until recent times that Art has become the central focus of a persons life and decentralized from society as a whole. I doubt that there was a caveman in a tribe that was dedicated to Art -- he had to find food and build homes too.

So I hate it when people think they can't be artists. Every time you tell a story to someone you're making art. Every narrative you wrote in school is art. I don't care how shitty it is -- it's the self-expression and the act of creation that matter.

So do this for me. For yourself, even. Pick one of the following:

1. Write a poem or a short story. Fuck word count, just write something.
2. If you can play an instrument, write a song. If you can't, write lyrics.
3. Draw. Stick-figures are fine. Try telling a story with your stick-figures (you can "tell a story" with one frame as well).
4. Put on your favorite danceable music and dance for fifteen minutes.
5. Cook a new recipe today. Use fresh ingredients.
6. Build something. A model or Lego's or wood or brick.

Ultimately, the point is to create something. To produce something and to add value to this world. There are many different ways to do this outside of the one's I have listed (I.E. I don't expect any of you to produce a feature length film but if you have a camera a five-minute short might be suitable).

Remember -- have fun with it.