“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.”

– Jack Kerouac

What does it mean to be an artist? How do we become an artist? What defines an artist?

Perhaps artists are those who are born with an innate and inescapable drive to create and share thoughts and emotions through art. Perhaps artists are those who experience a life-changing event that opens the wondrous ingenuity of their imagination, thereby gracing them with the ability to transcend the mundane. Regardless, artists are those with a story to tell and the means to tell it. Above all, however, artists are those who can inspire the masses through unquenchable ambition, unshakable commitment, and visionary innovation.

Artists are undeniably peculiar creatures. They offer comfort, refuge, empathy, guidance, meaning, candor, and a welcomed escape from a sometimes-torturous reality. In general, artists exude a potent fusion of passion and objectivity with regards to their ever-evolving craft. In addition, artists possess a keen sense of adventure and discovery, while their detail-oriented personality makes them see the benevolent within the wicked and the wicked within the benevolent.

For an artist, soul and body are firmly intertwined. In the past, you may have gazed upon an artistic masterpiece and wondered about the chaotic collection of thoughts that might have been experienced by the artist during its creation. By understanding the background of an artist, it is possible to achieve a profound comprehension concerning their motivations and artistic madness. Artists deliberately expose their feelings on canvas, text, screen, and even through sound.

As such, every song, film, poem, or work of art is a direct reflection of the essence of an artist. For instance, Edward Munch’s famous painting “The Scream” clearly expresses the artist’s disturbance and insanity, while Gustav Klimt’s timeless classic “The Kiss” demonstrates love and passion. In the end, art is the product of an emotional state of mind and authentic personality.

By simply believing in your capacity to free your mind and imagination, it is possible to live the life of an artist.

After all, truthfully, we are all Artist.

• Edward Munch’s image of  “The Scream” courtesy of Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scream
• Gustav Kilmt’s image of “The Kiss” courtesy of Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kiss_%28Klimt%29
• Cover Painting by Danny O’Connor (Doc) https://www.flickr.com/photos/artbydoc/