For
some reason I have always defined artists as people that draw, paint or create
sculptures, etc. Webster’s definition
confirmed my belief:
Artist: 1) a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily
subject to aesthetic criteria; 2) a person who practices one of the fine arts, especially a painter or sculptor; 3) a
person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting,
etc.
I
personally have never considered myself an artist. The best I could do was draw a stick
character. I vividly remember being a kindergarten
student at Anza Elementary School in the Western Addition of San Francisco (a.k.a.
the Fillmore); we had some type of drawing assignment and I was frustrated
because I couldn’t draw the picture I wanted so I asked my classmate, Anita, if
she would draw my picture. I clearly
remember her reluctance, but she conceded nonetheless as I stood over her “talked
her into doing it”.
My
younger sister, Sheena (Tachina Danielle), started singing professionally about
20 years ago and
identified herself as an artist, which put a different spin on
the term “artist for me”. She has an
amazing voice and she’s a great lyricist as well. I had always thought of people who sing as just
singers – don’t hate, you don’t know what you don’t knowJ.
Between my uncle Rueben, a “singer” and musician for as long as I can
remember, even travelling Internationally with the Edwin Hawkins Singers, back in
the day; my eldest sister, Deb (De’Anna), a singer, and Sheena’s journey to
become a professional recording artist which started about 20 years ago, I was
enlightened to the profession and I learned that they too are artists. Whether it is gospel, jazz, blues, opera, hip
hop or rap, when people can hear and create controlled sound with their vocal
chords they are creating art which can also be captured, not on canvas, but in
the moment that they are creating the sound which can move you to tears, give
you goose bumps and/or make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. The artist’s creativity can as we know be captured
digitally so that we can experience over and over their incredible sound.
Artist: 4)
a person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer;
a public performer: a mime artist; an artist of the dance.
After
all this time, I finally realize that I too am an artist. I am a Word Artist. You see there is one other definition for the
word artist:
Artist: 5)
a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.
If
I don’t know anything else, I can talk but what I was completely unaware of was
my gift to write,
The
Cost: My journey for the past three
years has been filled with ups, downs and what appeared to be complete stand
stills. Facing giants that sought to
smash and obliterate me; Anticipating the moves of others like a master chess
player (though I have never played chess in my life), hearing what people weren’t
saying when they talked at me, watching the guilt in their eyes as they lied to
my face, pretending to cooperate with me because they needed something from me or
acknowledging their fake smiles as they stabbed me repeatedly in the back with
a toothpick; poked me in the ankle with a plastic fork or plucked off little
pieces of my earlobe. but thanks be to
God, my Father, Friend, Provider, Healer, Redeemer, Protector, Vindicator,
Supplier of all my needs he didn’t let ‘em get me. Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our
vines have tender grapes.
Solomon 2:15 (NKJV). Most people are
too scary to kill you outright, but if they can pluck off small pieces of you
without you being aware, it gives them some type of satisfaction as sick as it
is – what poor miserable creatures.
In
January 2014, I began seeking God for specific direction after a devastating,
but necessary life changing experience. I
sat down for a minute and asked him some serious questions about the next half
of my life and he answered me just as clearly as if he were sitting in the same
room with me when he said: “Teach, Write
and Serve.” I love to teach it’s one of
my gifts too, which requires me to write and I get an absolute joy from serving. My response was “Ok, God, but who do you want
me to teach and where do you want me to serve?”
A couple of weeks later in February 2014 a door swung wide open for me
to do all three things: Teach, Write and Serve.
Shortly thereafter I had an epiphany, I realized how much I enjoyed
writing, my passion became intense and I was consumed with it, not to the point
where I neglected my responsibilities, but I began to own it, I declare it, as
I realized this was my unique gift from God our Creator that I had possessed
all of my life and I didn’t realize how incredible it was until now.
Now (Webster): at the present time or moment: without further delay; immediately;
at once:
I
am not be intimidated by others, their achievements, education, intellect
and/or their abilities. I applaud them,
but they are not me; I am not them and have no desire to be. I am the best at
what I do because no one can do what I do the way I do it. I never have to fear anyone taking my place
or stealing what I have because when something is custom designed specifically for
you, no one else can wear it the way you can.
Am
I conceded and cocky? Absolutely not, it’s
called C O N F I D E N C E*.
Confidence (Webster) Belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance
Look
out world, I have arrived
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