The Tribune

You either have it or you don’t. Is this true? Do you have to be born with natural ability or, with the right help, can we all be artists?

While some incredibly lucky people are born with the gift of artistic prowess, others have to study to become fluent in the language.Most artists I know were attracted to art at a very young age. They had a natural inclination to draw, paint, sculpt or design. And I believe everyone has at least one talent; something they are REALLY good at. Some people are especially gifted at fixing things, while others can pick up a musical instrument and learn very easily.

As children we paint and draw all the time. We enjoy the chance for self-expression and are unconcerned by the final result. As a child, I can remember designing things that others my age could not. I was recently told by a very close family friend that I was destined to fall under the category of some sort of ‘artistic skill’, as he always observed the way I creatively combed my doll’s hair and the various colour clothing matching that I prepared for my dolls.

But as adults we are a lot more afraid to make mistakes, and have become more inhibited. Psychological barriers are usually to blame. By the same token, our first experience of art training often comes at secondary school, and it is at this time that people decide whether they are good at it or not. It is during these years that we lose belief in our ability and we do not try hard any more.

Another psychological barrier is the belief that you have to be naturally artistic or creative. Creativity is actually about engaging with the world and trying to express how you feel about it.

One of my strong beliefs is that worrying less about the outcome, and instead enjoying the process of creating art, is the best advice any would-be artist can receive. However, to improve as an artist it is wise to master some basic principles, and perhaps the biggest obstacles facing novice artists are the technical aspects.

The key to this is something called the ‘artist’s eye’. Learning this skill makes the other technical skills you need easier. A key part of being an artist is observing the world around you and reflecting. Stopping to smell the roses. Notice how the light changes during the day, how colours affect you, how an interaction makes you feel. Take the time to become fully aware of your surroundings, and allow your observations to seep into your work.

For instance, if you see a couple sitting under a tree, notice how their bodies interact with the nature around them. What is the light like? What colours are predominant? How would you frame the scene? Would you focus on their faces, on the colours, on the tree?

Paying attention to how you see the world will help translate your observations into art. While it takes years of training to learn to see the world like an artist, there is so much new art in the world now there could never be a museum large enough to contain it all.

How can we save all this stuff? How do we catalogue it? Art is being produced every day, every hour, and at amazing speeds. The different arts communities, painting, poetry and literature, are like individual fish bowls. Each community is its own enclave.

Art in our time has come to mean anything, from the way colourful tattoos blend into human bodies to fancy food production in hot urban kitchens where the chef is almost certainly...an artist. Clearly, ‘art’ is the most abused word in the English language.

I wince when I hear dabblers say: “I’m going home to make art.” Really? How do you know that what you are about to make will become art? That is not the point.It becomes art because they say it is art. End of conversation.

For example, a welder who is proficient at welding can decide he wants to make steel sculpture art. A carpenter may decide he wants to create artwork out of wood. People who are naturally talented at something can use that talent to make art.

Becoming an artist requires a lot more than talent. It requires learning, looking at art from other artists, and continually creating and exploring. Art can be anything you want it to be. A fashion model, for instance, will refer to her walk down the runway or her pose before a magazine photographer as ‘art’.

Actors call their work in the theatre ‘art’, although there was a time when talented actors used to be referred to as good technicians capable of memorising lines.

While this may or may not be true, expressing yourself emotionally on stage is a talent many do not possess. One thing most will agree on is this: Actors are the most visible of all the arts communities. They are really the ‘talking heads’ of the arts world, comparable to ‘talking head’ (broadcast) journalists.

By and large, those who have no natural inclination towards creativity may develop it through experiences, travels, reading and learning.

I know of artists who never had any urge to create in their life until they went through certain experiences. These experiences inspired them to pick up a brush and learn to paint; something they did not ever think of doing before.

Everyone has their own journey and reasons for becoming an artist. Nonetheless, the best way to define yourself as a unique artist is to create your own style within the medium you have learned. No one can teach you your own style, simply because you need to discover it for yourself. Break yourself out of your comfort zone.

Who is really an artist? “An artist will risk many things; convenience, popularity, fame or even friends and family to protect the integrity of their ideas. If you’re not risking anything, and mostly doing what you are told, you’re probably not an artist”. Until we meet again, fill your life with memories as opposed to regrets. Enjoy life and stay on top of your game!

• NB: The columnist welcomes feedback at deedee21bastian@gmail.com

ABOUT THE COLUMNIST: Deidre Marie Bastian is a professionally trained graphic designer/marketing co-ordinator with qualifications of M.Sc., B.Sc., A.Sc. She has trained at institutions such as: Miami Lakes Technical Centre, Success Training College, College of the Bahamas, Nova South Eastern University, Learning Tree International, Langevine International and Synergy Bahamas.