The Moment I Accepted Myself as an Artist
When I accepted that I am an artist — and my creative nature.
It happened when I was standing in the middle of Utrecht in the Netherlands, during my solo trip in the summer of 2025.
Before that, I was doubting if I dared to call myself an artist. When people excitedly looked at my works and said, "Wow! You are an artist!" — I timidly mumbled something like, "No, no, I'm not!"
But suddenly, at that very moment — standing in the middle of the city centre, sketching the dome of an old cathedral (not for a course or practice, just because I liked it) — I thought: "Hm. It's not so common to see a person standing in the middle of the city sketching something, while people are rushing around... Maybe I am an artist indeed...?"
In that moment, I felt relief. I gave myself permission to consider myself an artist — even without a diploma for it.
However, I don't really like clichés or frames to put oneself into. It is a matter of definition. It all depends on what a person means behind those words.
For myself, I defined it this way and allowed myself to consider myself an artist. But if someone else believes that you can only call yourself an artist after receiving a certain degree or diploma — that's totally fine as well. By that definition, that person would not consider me an artist, and that is okay. That person would probably limit their own life, not allowing creativity to be fully experienced.
But as for me? I will not be offended :)
Before that, I was doubting if I dared to call myself an artist. When people excitedly looked at my works and said, "Wow! You are an artist!" — I timidly mumbled something like, "No, no, I'm not!"
But suddenly, at that very moment — standing in the middle of the city centre, sketching the dome of an old cathedral (not for a course or practice, just because I liked it) — I thought: "Hm. It's not so common to see a person standing in the middle of the city sketching something, while people are rushing around... Maybe I am an artist indeed...?"
In that moment, I felt relief. I gave myself permission to consider myself an artist — even without a diploma for it.
However, I don't really like clichés or frames to put oneself into. It is a matter of definition. It all depends on what a person means behind those words.
For myself, I defined it this way and allowed myself to consider myself an artist. But if someone else believes that you can only call yourself an artist after receiving a certain degree or diploma — that's totally fine as well. By that definition, that person would not consider me an artist, and that is okay. That person would probably limit their own life, not allowing creativity to be fully experienced.
But as for me? I will not be offended :)
