It seems to me that when artists are asked to speak about art they usually go into their artist «character» and begin to talk about art as something almost esoteric, or religious. It would almost seem as if they are making the artists as being the new priests of the creative world. I don’t buy it.
Sometimes art lovers, non-artists, also begin to define art as something that is beyond the means and the reach of «ordinary» folk. I have heard people say that artists are born like that, with that «gift» or «ability» with statements such as «Van Gogh had so much talent». Good grief! Is being an artist now a genetic condition? Is talent a genetic trait? As far as I know Mendel did not name it as one.
Art is nothing like that at all, in my opinion. Artists are as ordinary as anybody else. Art is a profession, and a craft, like being a plumber or a neurosurgeon. One likes art, one is inclined, (is that the «gift»?), one first gets into it in High School. Then one enrols in college and takes art courses. Finally one majors in Fine Arts and graduates from University. Then one begins a professional life as an artist with one goal in mind, to make as much money as possible.
That is all there is to art. Actually the great Renaissance masters never thought of themselves as artists. They considered themselves as skilled craftsmen. And when a client came to their studios, they would show them samples of their craft. Usually they were small portraits, as portraits were the paintings commonly commissioned from them. Then they would negotiate a price and offer different plans like the good plan, the most expensive one being that the master artist paints the entire portrait. A second option would be that the portrait is partially painted by the master and the rest by the other artists operating in the studio. And the cheapest option would be a portrait painted entirely by the studio assistants. That is how the «art world» functioned in the old days.
But believe me, no one is born with a gift for art, or for the piano or for the ballet stage. One trains, rehearses, and one practices tirelessly. One realises that practice makes perfect so one practices all day, every day. The more one works the more one develops talent. And that is another issue that is greatly misunderstood by many. No one is born with talent. I cannot stress that enough. Talent is something that is developed, like muscles. One trains, one gets stronger and the body begins to show muscle development. The same thing with artistic talent. The more you paint the better you get. The more you play the tuba the better you get. In other words, the more talent you develop.
So, as an artist, I am asked all the time about the process of art and my reply is always, more or less, the same. Art is a profession. Not everyone is an artist, and not every one can make art of the same quality. Let us say that we all have the potential, but not all have the will, the drive or the desire to be an artist. And no, your five year old who just drew a «beautiful» picture of your family that you proudly hang in the refrigerator, they are not an artist. They might want to be, some day. I mean would you say just because that same five year old built a lego structure that they are an engineer?
And please do not misunderstand. I am not saying that every artist must go the academic route and graduate from uni. An artist can train at a private academy, or at any type of school. Or they can train themselves through books, videos (nowadays videos are the new books and there are many), or with other artists. But remember, no one teaches themselves, we all learn from someone or some thing. So if you have the inclination, go for it!
CHEERS
JaZzArt en València 
Cool points👍
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Thank you so much! Greatly appreciated as is your visit. All the best Jean!
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Well said Francisco! 👏😊🌻
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Thank you 🙏🏻 Sara! Have a good and peaceful night. 😊🌻 Sweet dreams 😴
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You’re very welcome. Sleep tight Francisco! 🤗🌸💤
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Good morning 🌅! Have a fab day Sara! 🌻🌻🌻
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Good morning Francisco! Have a beautiful Thursday. I hope the new painting is going well. 😊🌞🌻
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Thank you! Yes, it is a beautiful day here in the Mediterranean coast! The new painting is beginning to talk, I have to try to understand what it is saying 😊. All the best to you and I hope you too enjoy a fab and splendid Thursday, after all it is the middle of the week. 🌺🌻🌺
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It’s great when the painting is communicating, I hope you decipher the language 🖼️.
Enjoy your Mediterranean sunshine. Happy mid week, Francisco 🤗🌸🌞🌻
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Thank you Sara! You too! Enjoy! And I think I can make out a few words of the painting’s language… hehehe… 😊🌞🌻
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My pleasure! That’s a good start Francisco – you’ll be fluent with the paintings language if you keep working at it! 🤗😂🌞🌻
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Hehehe… I don’t know about fluency, but it is moving and we are adapting to each other. But there is still much to talk about. Thanks! Hope you have a lovely afternoon. It is gorgeous here today, sunny and 21 degrees and Thursday. The terraces are so busy around here I must keep the windows of my salon closed… All the best. 🌷🌷🌷
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I feel a dance coming on! 🤗 I’m glad the communication is alive.
The sun has emerged here, but still quite cool.
My garage looks like an abstract art work.. several pots of paint fell from a height – numerous colours and full pots!!!! 🙆♀️
Enjoy the warm weather, albeit having to shut the windows. ☀️🎨🕺🌻
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Oh my God! An spontaneous abstract in your garage! Phenomenal! I hope you do not have too much problem cleaning it up but photograph it first, you might have something there. Enjoy the evening, it is getting close to wine time and I am about to close the studio for the day. All the best to you Sara! 💐💐💐🍷🎼😊
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Don’t worry, I took a pic! What an arduous task it was cleaning it up… over 5 ltrs of paint – footprints, handprints, drips, splashes… 😬😂.
Definitely wine time for me 🍷
Enjoy your evening, Francisco 🍷🎼🍷🤗🌺
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Wow! Yes, I did reckon it would not be easy work. Hope you enjoyed your wine 🍷. Have a peaceful night and pleasant dreams 🥳
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Yes, I certainly enjoyed the wine after a very painterly day🍷. Sweet dreams Francisco! 💤😊
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Good morning 🌅! And a lovely day it is! Happy Friday Sara! 😊🌞😊
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Good morning 🌧️🌧️! Happy Good Friday Francisco! 😊🌻🌞
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Cheers Sara! It is a beautiful day here today. Hope you are enjoying the long weekend. 😊🌷🌻
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Awww…raining in damp Wales! Still sorting the garage after my Jackson Pollock paint tins misbehaving! 🙄
Enjoy the beautiful weather and day Francisco! 🌞🌺🌻
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Hoping your afternoon is shaping up good Sara. Rain can be a downer but it always stops… I wonder if you can make anything interesting from the pics you took of the paint mess… Enjoy the day and all the best! 😊🌷🌻🌞🍷
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Thank you Francisco! I think it’s wine time 🍷and I’ll ponder over the paint mess pics!
Enjoy your evening – cheers 🍷🍷🌞🌺
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Cheers! 🍷😊🌻
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great article
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Thank you!
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Appreciated
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Thank you!
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