What is this thing called, “Talent?” Is it a magical quality bestowed only on a few of us by our parents or by divine agency, or by fickle chance? While many artistic people do come from artistic families, it is likely that this is more the result of nurture than of nature.

And, if magical talent is randomly doled out by a Greater Power to only a few, then wouldn’t that contradict the idea that we are all made in the image of the Ultimate Creator?

Guess what? The vast majority of good art is made by ordinary people, not gifted geniuses. It is also true that a small percentage of all art that is made soars to a new level, and often defines a new level.

But if we look at what lies behind these great works, we are likely to find that they are the end product of consistent hard work by people who constantly strive to better their skills and who nurture their own unique voice. They follow their own muse and set up conditions that foster artistic inspiration. Behind each great work of art there are stacks of not so great works that prepare the way for greatness. It is not an accident that they are called “works” of art. Developing good art is a lot of work.

There will always be art that is “better,” more marketable, given more critical acclaim than ours. So what? How is this fact going to help us when we’re alone in the studio, staring at a blank canvas? Does this idea of magical talent empower us to push forward with the work of bettering our skills and speaking with our own voice? Or does it give us an excuse to sabotage ourselves by giving up our power of personal choice? After all, if talent is determined by fate or genetics, some of us have it and some don’t…right?

Wrong. Rather, I would say that the real magical quality is Desire. It fuels ordinary working artists every day. True greatness lies in persisting in the work of our hearts and returning to it even after a detour, because it is our home. It’s time for us to put away the notion of magical talent. It’s time for us to pick up our brushes and begin!

Inglis Carre’-Dellard, M.F.A. is a Los Osos artist and teacher whose nature inspired oil paintings are the product of an intuitive encounter with the unknown. Her teaching style emphasizes individuality and self expression in a nurturing environment. For more information, e-mail at ingartist@yahoo.com