WHAT MAKES AN ARTIST?
What created your creativity? We asked 60+ artists in middle America, “We know you make art, but what made you an artist?”
SPONSORED BY
KANSAS CITY, MO
We were invited by our sponsors at Artist Inc and Mid America Arts Alliance to come to KC, where we gathered over 60 art community leaders from a dozen states. We rolled up, and opened the door to the Mobile Incubator for a weekend and threw a big ass party (or two) where we could ask this incredible assembly of art leaders one very important question.
“What kind of art do you make?”
Just kidding. Artists are tired of that question. We’re tired of talking about what we make. Instead we asked…
“Hey we already know you make art, but what made you into an artist?”
What made you, you? What created the creator? The answers were all over the place.
“My polish ski coach.”
“A little bit of amnesia…”
“Alcohol denial and violence.”
“Failure, faking it, and sacrifice.”
“Ambition and energy and drive and dreams.”
“Existential crises.”
“A fuck ton of privilege.”
“That entrepreneurial spirit."
Well we recorded 60 artists but for the brevity of this podcast we’re going to settle in on a couple reoccurring storylines. I’d like to introduce you to our main character today. His name is…
You’re recognized for your creativity, you explore it, and then you encounter your first doubter, your first hater, your first imposter syndrome. Many of the artists who came in described that same moment of doubt and proceeding anyway.
"What made me is pain from my mother. I remember her burning my drawings. Whatever art supplies I had were destroyed."
"They told me I couldn't be an artist. But after a few years I couldn't handle that. I needed the creativity back in my life."
"I always knew that I wanted to be an artist, and my story had more to do with accepting that was okay."
The very foundation of being an artist, being a creator, and being an entrepreneur is overcoming self-doubt - the imposter syndrome - then other people’s doubts, and the haters.
Remember you will hear the words, “so you think you’re an artist huh?” You’re answer is simple.
“Yes I am an artist.”
Lucas Spivey, September 15, 2019
DOCUMENTARY
PODCAST
DISCUSSION
David Wayne Reed tells his story of dealing with small town homophobia and the struggles he faced to fit it. Ultimately he was able to reframe those moments as ones that transformed him into his highest creative self. Since he was going to be called names anyway, he realized he didn’t need to bother trying to fit in with narrow minded people. Today David makes films and plays for an open minded audience. He says that “those mean farm boys who called me a faggot… I think they were soothsayers who set me free”.
Q: Are there hardships in your past that you can reclaim as inspirations?
In the podcast Jose Faus was in college when his co-worker said “So I hear you’re an artist?” and when he didn’t respond she said “Oh it must be a hobby.” Jose says his reluctance to answer her was that he’d “never been accused of being an artist before” and was unprepared. He tracked her down to tell her “Yes I am an artist”.
Q: What was the moment that made you into a creator? Have you claimed it?