Are You an Artist or an Artisan?

 Recently, a dear friend of mine who is an artist living her dream in Italy saw some of my creations and she exclaimed that she never knew I was also an artist. That made me blush and exclaim that I am no artist!

She was insistent that we were on the same level with our "art" and there was no convincing her otherwise. So, I finally told her she was the artist and I was the artisan. Being Italian, she had a hard time understanding this concept and that got me thinking about the differences between the two words. 

Let's take a look at the dictionary...

Artist: An artist is a person skilled in any of the arts. This can include drawing, painting, sculpture, music dance, acting, and other forms of creative expression. The term "artist" can also refer to a person who creates art as a profession or hobby.

Artisan: An artisan is a skilled worker who practices a trade or handicraft, especially one requiring manual skill.

Hmmm...reading those definitions, I suppose Linda and I were both correct! She is definitely an artist
(and really an artisan) and I am definitely an artisan (but I can also concede that I might be a little bit of an artist).

So, for all my crafters out there, do you consider yourself an artist or an artisan? Either way, get into those craft rooms (or to the kitchen table for those without a dedicated craft space) and start creating something fabulous!