Are Artists Born That Way? Or, Can People Be Taught to Be Artists?

 March 4, 2025

     I was recently asked, "Do I believe some people are born artists?" Not really. There is this stupid old wive's tale—a holdover superstition from the distant past—about "artists" having been born with divine attributes and abilities. People who believe that often proudly say, "He didn't have any artistic training." Imagine someone saying that about their doctor: "My heart surgeon never had any training!". The premise being God created certain people as artists and it's magical and you can't teach or learn that. When someone says that, I am tempted to respond: "You sure know a lot for being so damn dumb." Of course, I rarely say that because I am somewhat fond of my physical well being, but you get the picture. I think when you boil it down, some people need more attention than others and they find out that they can get their father's attention if they draw good (guilty as charged).

   The other saw that grinds me is, "Did you copy that?" which is a thinly disguised way of saying, "Did you cheat and copy someone else's work?" Frankly, we all copied something, preferably an actual object or human being but I am of the opinion you can't copy enough. That's where the learning is. On the other hand, you can't steal another artist's image and claim it as your own.

Daily Whip Out: "After Van Gogh"

which is a fancy way of saying I borrowed the van Gogh style and tried to do it justice

   On the other hand, I get this a lot and it's mostly used as a complement: "That looks like a photograph," as if the entire goal of art is to duplicate what a camera sees. Granted, there is an entire branch of the Fine Art field called Photo Realism, which, by the way adheres to the principal, "Yes I did copy that, and in fact I photo-projected it and then traced it onto a canvas and methodically copied the photograph until it looks exactly like a photograph." Not my cup of tea, but it does show some skill. You know like whittling or pie baking. 

"Tracings Tell Tales That Paintings Make Secret"

   Yes, that is Ed Mell, posing for me in his studio with my hat on, mocking a certain Cowboy Artist

So, that pretty much sums up my ideas about anyone being somehow born with artistic talent. Actually, the opposite is true: there are people who are born with a desire to be an artist and produce good art and those people are known as Every Artist Who Ever Lived.

Uno Is Still Kind of Unimpressed

    Here's what I believe to be true. Anyone can be an artist and live the artist lifestyle if you are willing to do these four things:

• Draw what you see, not what you think you see.

• Draw every day without hope, without despair.

• Fail as often as you can because a winner is just a loser who tried one more time.

• Everything you want is on the other side of fear. So try to do something that scares you every day.

   If anyone you know wants to be an artist there's nothing we can do to stop them. And that is a good thing.

Great art is clear thinking about mixed feelings."

—John Baldessari