Santa was an original Bohemian, you might say. He was well known in his community as a toy designer and artist who crafted a variety of toys including wooden horses, paper kites, ceramic dolls, stuffed animals and one of-a-kind puppets. — Barbara ‘Basia’ Mosinski, LCAT, ATR-BC, MA, MFA

Of all the ideas I can remember from a psychology class I once took in college out of a whim, I can vividly call to mind the debate about nurture vs. nature. With the former, somebody’s skill isn’t innate in him or her – a lot of practice and education allowed the person to be good at what he or she does. As for the latter, people say you’re born with a particular talent, and you can roll smoothly even without proper training.

I believe the principle applies to everyone’s artistic abilities too. It’s effortless to expect individuals who have an actual Fine Arts degree to get super creative. But then again, there are also adults who surprise others and themselves after painting, writing, or drawing for the first time and realizing they may have a future with it.

Considering you have doubts about whether you are a natural artist or not, check out a few telltale signs below.

You Love Spontaneity

Gaining the liberty to do what you want and learning from it is the essential part of life, right off the bat. You are a free spirit; that’s why it may be difficult for you to handle a regular job at the office, doing the same tasks for days on end.

You Despise Competition

Although you are aware of your capabilities, you let others go above the ranks than contend with colleagues to obtain the top spot. It isn’t that you think they’re better than you; it’s just that you know how special you are with or without that kind of affirmation.

Publicizing Your Work May Make You Uneasy

Do you have artistic pieces at home that even the people closest to you can’t see? Such a lack of confidence is usual for creative minds, especially if your family and friends always thought of you as a mathematical or scientific individual.

You Sometimes Judge Yourself Too Hard

Whereas others only think of themselves as the best at whatever they try, you feel the need to critique every move you make. In a few instances, you may go overboard with the judgments, despite everybody else saying that your output is excellent. But that’s because you’re confident that you can do better most of the time.

Your creativity looks different than another person’s and it will manifest itself differently for you depending on your age, environment, and stages of development we go through (that is to say that your creativity will be differently expressed when you are 5 years old versus when you are 40). — Diana C. Pitaru, M.S., L.P.C.

The Craft Serves As Your Comfort Zone

Regardless of what job you manage to hold on to, your stress goes away as soon as you play some music, hold a paintbrush, or feel the weight of a pen between your fingers. That is much better than any drug or alcohol, for sure.

You Feel Sensitive Towards Others

Not having a hard time to create an emotional connection with colleagues or strangers is another sign that you are a natural artist. You may have a conversation together for less than an hour, yet you immediately understand all of their emotions, including the ones they don’t say outright. Often, you can also draw inspiration from them and use their experiences as the subject of your artwork.

Freedom Of Expression Is A Big Deal To You

Expressing your thoughts and feelings matters to you more than any material thing in the world. It gives you the energy to live life without inhibitions and avoid existing for money or other people.

There are many ways to make money from your art that you may not have considered, and a combination of income sources is ideal. It’s hard for many creative types to shift into a business mindset but it’s worth the effort to be able to fulfill a dream. — Susan K Perry Ph.D.