To define an artist you must first define art..

Art is about freedom and creative expression.  Being an artist is first and foremost about feeling free to create. It is about expressing what is inside you, expressing something that potentially others have not expressed before or have expressed in a different way. It is about expressing what you want and maybe even need to express. It has nothing to do with schooling or if you create profesionally or as a hobby.

I have always had an artistic eye; however, I could not find my niche. I tried painting, sculpting, pottery, fasion design. It took me 35 years and I happen upon it by accident.  I create beauty with beads. I design jewelry. When I sit down surrounded by my beads and tools the outside world is gone. My mind takes in all the textures, colors and shapes in front of me. I can put the same beads together in 50 different ways, and suddenly my mind says " Stop! That is it. That is perfection!"

I never thought about it until you asked this question. But I am an artist in what I do. I do not sell my works they are too personal. I have been asked to. But, I feel that would be too much pressure and the pleasure of creating would disappear for me. So, if art is about feedom and creative expression I am an 'Artist' and so are you.

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