Cultivating the Artist Identity

At the moment I'm reading a book called 'Studio Art Therapy: Cultivating the Artist Identity in the Art Therapist'. I like it. To start with, its no where near as conceptual and tricky to read as most of the other stuff, and its also more of a mingling of being an artist with being a therapist, rather than being an 'arty nurse', (as a former art therapy student described it). I think I'm interested in this way of practicing partly because since hearing about art therapy and starting the course, I have constantly wondered how the two disciplines go together and also because the group I am working with on my placement want to make art but don't want to have 'therapy'- leaving me in an odd position, as the therapist who can't therap. While enjoying the book its also scaring me, because it sounds like I have to be an art teacher and an art therapist and I don't feel like I'm either at the moment. I do, however, like the idea of cultivating an artist identity, because I suppose I don't feel like much of an artist. The book is basically talking about how the two roles shouldn't be kept separate but influence and overlap each other - which seems to make sense...

"As an artist, my art is an expression of my life. If I approach my role as an art therapist by knowing the unique gift I bring is my artist identity, then my work is also an expression of my life."

I suppose this also applies to other areas too (not that there seem to be many other areas of my life right now!!) instead of aspiring to be an artist, I need to believe it is who I am and because of that it will effect how I am. As I said, I often feel like the most unartistic artist ever, but maybe it just needs some cultivation? Another quote I liked from the book is...

"I have found that the majority of satisfying art making comes about as a result of slogging hard work. It comes from doing a thing over and over again; from going forward in spite of numerous setbacks, frustrations, and perceived "failures"; from a willingness to dedicate time, attention, and energy to the task of making art. If there is any special gift or genetic endowment that contributes to the shaping of artistic abilities, it seems to me that it is, more than anything else, the gift of a deep, abiding and insistent need to make art. Beyond that, whatever successes occur as an artist can be largely attributed to disciplined practice and the ongoing development of a trusting relationship with art making. "

...time for some sloggin