Who is an artist? Lessons from Nancy Cawdrey and the Gee’s Bend quilters
When I wrote the art book Sky’s the Limit, I spent hours interviewing the gifted artist Nancy Cawdrey. Nancy’s work is extraordinary, and her artistic process inspires me. She emphasized how much training she’d received and how it shaped her craft.
But then there’s the women of Gee’s Bend.
The Gee’s Bend quilters challenge the idea that artists need formal training. These women, living in a small, isolated, and poverty-stricken rural community, had never left their hometown. The early quilters of Gee’s Bend were enslaved and uneducated. Yet, their quilts are hailed by critics as some of the greatest modern art of the twentieth century.
What Defines an Artist?
Nancy’s perspective and the story of Gee’s Bend raise an intriguing question:
Who is an artist?
- Is an artist someone who has extensive training?
- Is it someone moved by a vision, driven to bring it to life?
- Or is it someone who loves something so deeply they want the rest of us to love it too?
Ray Bradbury once said, “If there is no feeling, there cannot be great art.” Feeling may be the common thread that ties all true artistry together, regardless of training or background.
The story of the Gee’s Bend quilters reminds us that art doesn’t require formal education—it requires heart, vision, and the courage to express what moves us.
What do you think defines an artist? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
