I think it’s like the term “consultant” – anyone who can provide advice on a subject can call themselves one. I don’t think it really matters what we call ourselves or anyone else – what matters is the value we can deliver, the relationships we maintain, and the world we create.

On the note of an artisan economy – I thought this article by The Economist was thought-provoking as it talks about manufacturing on a micro scale. In other words, the huge factories of the Industrial Revolution and the cities built around them will be far less important since production will be something that happens in our garages or local shops.

http://www.economist.com/node/18114327

We may see a return to what society looked like before the Industrial Revolution – a lot of microenterprises (like artisans) and a few large organizations employing many people (like the Dutch East India Company or the navy). Intuit’s report on the economic trends of the next decade support this idea of a “barbell” economy: http://http-download.intuit.com/http.intuit/CMO/intuit/futureofsmallbusiness/intuit_2020_report.pdf

Hope this helps. Mark, thanks for the thoughtful conversation.

@ Marcy – I’d say our uniqueness makes us all potential artists. As you point out, “art is a unique expression that inspires” so we all have to make the choice whether to express it or not.

Aside from dictionary or society definition of art, art is a unique expression that inspires.

Yes, I believe it is possible to be an artist in business, education, childcare, construction – or other non-artistic professions.

The key is to learn where and how to showcase our art.

In my opinion, what’s even more valuable is seeing the art in others.

I suppose music and all other forms of art are the same… but from a literary background (especially), and as someone whose profession (government) is about creating words – writing is an example that virtually all of us would resonate with.