What makes him/her a true artist?

[Marvin Mattelson]

To me, art is what I respond to visually in a positive way. I believe we all react to certain stimuli based on a variety of factors, which are directly tied to our experience. What we see is based on what we learn and this informs what we look for.

As my understanding evolves it's interesting to note which aspects remain strong and which dissipate. I see a great number of commonalities in the approaches of the artists that I favor, and these I try to incorporate in my working methodology. It's also the basis of what I teach.

My preferences are solely the function of my taste and not biased by what anyone else thinks is correct or what is commonly agreed upon to have merit. Time alters perception, and the general consensus always reverses itself. I believe that the more agreement there is, the less the likelihood of any real merit. My true path revealed itself when I became frustrated with the status quo and sought a different direction.

I always weigh the opinions of others and consider what they say. If I'm swayed and shift my position it's ultimately a function of my intuitive judgment responding to the revelation of a bigger truth. As a result my clarity is ever evolving. My path is dynamic, not static and the end is nowhere in sight. I'm closer now than ever before and that's very exciting. As a result I consider myself an artist in training.