I began my long journey to becoming an artist some 40 years ago. Just yesterday (smile). "Becoming" took the form of being a student of formal art teaching (George Brown, Toronto School of Art. York University Art History). a practitioner (I have a large body of work that is available beyond what you see here) but most importantly a believer. Self-acceptance is the first order of any journey. Becoming takes you further down the path. But for me they took about the same time 40 years. I call myself an artist with a straight face these days because I know what an artist is. For the longest time I didn't.
My work is passionate, expressive, and untidy. It's about the vital importance of emotion and the love of colour. My work often is "realistic" only in the sense of being recognizably something, a tree, a landscape, or a person. Sometimes it is purely abstract, just shapes and blobs.
And that's what made "becoming" so hard. I had to accept the emotion and the untidiness. I had to accept the "me-ness" of my art. I had to accept that not everyone, at every time, would like the work.
Not all art is "good". Not all good art is "good"! But the best art has behind it an artist who can grab you and never let go.
He or she demands your attention. Your honest attention is all us artists really want.