Epiphany

[Aurora]

I'm curious to know at what point you knew, or realized you were a sculptor and/or artist?

For me, I knew I was an artist after a lengthy depression and decided to finally do what I want to do, and I knew I was a sculptor by going back to when I was temporarily blinded.

Have any of you just known from a very early age? Have any of you been shattered awake? Have any of you found it to be spiritual, or material?

What are your experiences?

Aurora

[Araich]

It has been a slow thing for me. Like days end when tired, I stop, sit down, and look at the thing I have made.

Mostly I just feel very fortunate, even when the work has gone horridly wrong.

[ALH]

I knew I was sentenced to art before I finished high school. In art school I soon realized that I only drew objects; singular stand alone things. I cut classes elsewhere to get more time in the sculpture shops and there was no turning back.

In most respects the visual arts are probably the most foolish profession going (one rung above the totally hopeless field of poetry) but then it's not really something you choose.

In my case it really chose me. This is hard to explain without leaning towards mythos but my art is one of the main sources of meaning in my life. A book was recently published, "Living a life that Matters" which sums up my reasons for being an artist in it's title.

Whatever choice you make you, probably, only get one go: so why waste it on something that, ultimately, doesn’t matter.

[kestonh]

I had always been very interested in art. When it was time to CHOOSE A CAREER in my junior year of HS, I was being pushed to study engineering. Basically, I chose art to irritate the highest number of people possible :D. It was only after I graduated that I tried my hand at some engineering and really didn't care for all the maths involved.

In reality, I doubt if I had any choice. Art is an affliction(R).

[rderr.com]

Originally posted by Araich
It has been a slow thing for me. Like days end when tired, I stop, sit down, and look at the thing I have made.

Mostly I just feel very fortunate, even when the work has gone horridly wrong. :)

[jwebb]

At age 4 or so, I watched my older brother burn a design into a board with a red hot poker from the woodstove. Fascinated (and not very closely supervised, in retrospect) I tried to do likewise. As my main focus was still my mother, I produced a little geometric flower shape, and what was intended to be a dedication: "From Joe to Mom". Unfortunately, I hadn't quite got writing down yet, so it ended up saying "FROM EOJ TO WOW". That haunted me for years! But I got a lot of attention, and PRAISE for my effort, and that's all it took, I was hooked. From then on I was the kid who drew, painted, and sculpted stuff in snow, mud, papier mache', or whatever came to hand. Through school, I did the bulletin boards and displays for Christmas, Halloween, etc. I'm not sure I believe in innate or "god-given" talent, at least in my case, but I believe one trains the eye and the hand over time. On the other hand those who say "oh I can't draw", don't, and therefore, can't. The real committment to try to "be" an artist/sculptor didn't occur until I was 25, married and trying to feed two kids, and chose to keep on trying to be an artist anyway. As they used to say about virtue, it is its own reward.

[darhorn]

I wonder if one can choose to be an artist. It seems to be some sort of calling. People can choose not to be an artist, but if they have the "calling" they usually don't have particularly fulfilled or happy lives.

I feel that I surpressed my artistic side, or at least channeled it into other pursuits, for most of my life. I discovered the artist way in me after my wife had gone through a horrible terminal illness. During the early grieving process I decided that I needed to validate my artistic nature. I quit my job, sold the house and began to do art full time as soon as my kids could handle another blow to their sense of order.

It's been two or three years now And I don't regret my decision. It seems like some sort of cosmic reward to be able to do my art. I am most grateful.

Dar Horn