Artists today are people who do human work.
Work that changes and positively impacts the lives of those around them. They are not replaceable people, nor are they replaceable parts in a system. In fact, they are the ones who are non-system.
Not machines, not computers, but people doing work that only a human can do.
You might ask: Can a receptionist be an artist? What about a waiter or a waitress? Can I, in a traditionally “non-artistic” job, be an artist?
We can all be artists if we choose to do our work with empathy and human connection instead of machine-like coldness.
We can serve people differently by helping them secure their desired appointment, or by giving them a pleasant experience in a restaurant.
Positively impacting, influencing, and affecting people for the better, during daily interactions—this is the definition of an artist today. Even if the impact and influence affect just a few people.
Would people around you, miss you, if you were gone?
If they wouldn’t, then you’re a machine, and you could easily be replaced by someone else.
But, if they would miss you when you’re gone, then you’re an artist. Because the service, the rapport, and the human connection you built cannot ever be replaced.