Should I think of myself as a real artist if I'm just starting out?

If you believe you’re an artist, then you ARE an artist. Period. It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out or if you’re established. Once you have a business card and a website, you’re officially an artist with a business. Don’t wait for external validation or permission. If you have a god-given gift for creating art, that’s probably one of the purposes for why you’re on the planet at this particular time. You can’t stop being an artist if that’s what you are. Embrace that identity and start building your business around it with confidence.

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Asked by an emerging artist questioning their legitimacy · Answered by William K. Stidham · art-marketing-podcast · 2017-03-20