In the late 1970s I took my portfolio to Columbus College of Art and Design and hoped to be accepted and enroll there. The lady from admissions told me, "You are not an artist." Then, she said, "You are an illustrator."
I responded by telling the lady, "That's what they said about Normal Rockwell."
My wife, Mary Rose, had a similar thing happen at the University of Dayton. Her professor said that she should give up art and pick another major. I guess he just didn't like realism in sketch. My wife was crushed. She switched her major to communication arts, whatever that means. I might take a stab at it and say that it is like the huge percentage of young ladies who go to college and study psychology. Unless you get a PhD in the field, chances are that your only job will be as a school counselor.
Mary Rose used what she learned later in life as a relationship coach and a copywriter. She's a professional communicator and a past member of the National Speakers Association.
I went on with my life and pursued my dreams. In doing so, I remained ever the artist. I combined my passion for fly tying and fly fishing with artwork. I did a lot of work as a photographer, combining it with writing articles and eventually books (including one on photographic composition). I continued drawing in pencil, charcoal, pen & ink, and now on computer with a Wacom tablet and stylus. I used to do a lot of watercolor painting, but I gave that up when I switched to using a computer for paintings. I still do calligraphy with various quill and fountain pens.
The image of the lighthouse above-right was painted using Corel Painter and Sketchbook Pro on my computer with a Wacom tablet and stylus. I took a photograph of Marblehead Light and used that photo as a reference image to do the painting.
If there is a lesson that can be learned from what Mary Rose and I have experienced it is this: If you love art, don't give up if someone tells you that you are not an artist, or they look down their nose at you. Keep drawing. Keep painting. Keep learning and refining your art. Even if you never reach the level of a professional artist, paint or draw just for the love of it and don't be discouraged.
Art, like music, takes time to master. If you give up you will never know what might have been if you had kept going.
Hold on tight to your dreams. You just might discover your inner artist.
