The Self - Defining yourself

How do you define yourself regarding your creative work?  Are you an artist?  Actually, I am not comfortable calling myself an artist.  I can see myself as an Employee Relations Manager and an Operational Manager (both of which roles I no longer possess) - perhaps because I was paid a good salary to be these.  Now, my identity is of a Student.  Someone who is learning, exploring, thinking and at some point might draw conclusions.

Class debate ranged around whether whether self definition was based on Competence, Success or Recognition.  Much easier to define whether another person is an artist, based on competence, success recognition than to self define.

Structure - leads to outside definition
Agency - leads to self definition

Class came up with various definitions - to me, an artist looks, thinks and conveys things. Portrays via various media.

Ian, the tutor, floated the idea that a fixed definition loses dynamism, which is critical to being an artist.  Debate about Constructionist or Essentialist.

Constructionist 
Culture
Culturally constructed
Discourse
Fit into art world definition

Essentialist
Nature
Born, innate, inherent
Pre-destined
The Artist's Calling.

Ian is clearly a Constructionist - he believes everything we think and do is culturally constructed.  I am not so sure.  I think some people have artistic tendencies born into them, although this may have a cultural support by the family into which they are raised.  But I think the Essentialist element can be demonstrated by artistically talented people who were raised outside their own family, can show a genetic inclination to arts subjects - so it is born in them.

We debated "Post Van Gogh".  The Art History version of Van Gogh does certain things -

Personalisation of the artist.
Glorifies the abnormal - goes outside the rules of the time
Rarity, not conformity
Beauty is discredited
Expression of artist's personality - does not make delightful objects.
Obscure.

Modern examples of the abnormal - Amy Winehouse, Nick Drake, Alexander McQueen.  Led to the need to write the Art Manifesto - so audiences understood what the work is about.

Today's paradigm myth - 'I am in control of my own myth': Andy Warhol, Tracey Emin, Grayson Perry.

Pierre Bourdieu - Society and Utopia.  Distinction is achieved by power through difference.  Compares power through hierarchy, wealth, power and influence.

Capital is worth and monetary value.
Cultural capital - knowledge and education, skills and experience.
Symbolic capital - status and prestige.  Lies within habits - lifestyle, values, tastes, social groups.  All about cultural values.

Van Gogh's capital changed from his lifetime definition (very little achievement) to post death definition.  Largely altered by his brother who had all the documentation from their correspondence.  Modern ways (e.g. blogs) mean there is more documentation by which cultural and symbolical capital can be ascribed and defined.  This is a scary thought for people like me who have blogged about their practice.  Much of your artistic thought process has been defined and is available.