Is empiricism (learning as you go) a viable path towards becoming an artist or artisan?

Well, first of all, I believe you should never stop learning anyways, no matter how accomplished you already are. But there is more to the question.

Especially for aspiring artists, hands-on practice is immensely important. When I graduated from high school and was expected to choose a field of study, I longingly glanced at performing and fine arts. Stacks of university pamphlets were accumulating in my room. Exciting degrees were beckoning, promising to open doors to a lifestyle I associated with happiness. Yet invariably, the details of the admissions process stopped me dead in my tracks. Along with your application, you needed to submit a competitive portfolio or prove you had substantial work experience. If you did both, better still. Not even twenty years old, and I had already missed the train. I patched together portfolios for film academies and failed, unsurprisingly. I imagined professors opening my portfolio, chuckling, and throwing it into the trash bin. Having "well-meaning" professionals tell me I was unfit for the field because I lacked vision and personality did the rest. Enrolling in a randomly picked humanities degree because that´s what you do when you run out of options, or when you can´t figure out what you want in the first place, seemed nonsensical.

So I became aimless. I moved half-way around the planet and, against all odds, chewed my way through to two degrees in classical piano, knowing full well I was neither good nor eager enough to stand my ground as a professional in that genre. However, those titles allowed me to earn a living as a music teacher. I was still thirsty for a different kind of existence, but at least I had evaded the horror-scenario of a meaningless nine-to-five job or plain unemployment.

Meanwhile, internet had become ubiquitous not only as a means of communication, but also as a platform for self-expression and self-marketing in all imaginable fields. It was more than a mere technical novelty - it also promoted cultural shifts. Suddenly, you didn´t need authoritative approval to make yourself heard or have your work published. Of course, a lot of charlatans felt encouraged by this circumstance, but it also provided all those with a fair shot who were the autodidactic, empirical type rather than the structured academic or seasoned business strategist. A fresh Zeitgeist and alternative approaches to life were being generated.

Personally, however, I was stuck in an outdated mindset. Dreams were a nice thing to have, I had been taught, but they were to remain dreams and the highest virtue was to live with a realistic and skeptical attitude. My family wouldn´t believe me if I told them I actually tried taking this lesson to heart, but that unfortunately, it was incompatible with my nature. I would have had to shatter myself to pieces to follow the norm, but then you don´t really get anywhere when you´re broken, do you?  

In my spare time, I had occasionally dabbled at making jewelry and sporadically indulged in DIY projects. Nonetheless, I was convinced my existence was doomed to remain unfulfilled. All things beautiful were out of reach. Remember, you need portfolios, and certified experience, a vision, personality... I just didn´t have the infamous "it" - the magical ingredient that makes you a star or an artist by birth. What a nasty echo to carry around in your head!

I wasn´t oblivious of the internet. In fact, I had been telecommuting as an author for learning software while I was studying music. But it wasn´t until I ran into someone who was using the new media and a whole lot of initiative to define themselves as an independent artist, when something finally clicked. She showed me her shop on Etsy. I was instantly hooked and, from there onwards, spent innumerable hours browsing the shops, marvelling at people´s creativity and artisan skill. There was no reason not to try.

Some sellers on Etsy clearly had years of thorough training under their buckle. Others displayed varying levels of technical accomplishment. I realized that, as long as you mastered the craft necessary to manufacture the specific item you had in mind and applied good taste and care during production, you could offer appealing, good quality products. If all you want to make is wire-wrapped earrings or knotted necklaces, why put the idea on hold until you have a degree in jewelry design - that is, potentially until never?    

The following year saw everything fall into place. My partner and I moved in together. Our new home had a tiny room that was too small for almost any use, but nicely accomodated a little workshop. I began experimenting with beads and textiles. The first outcomes were nowhere near fit for sale, but eventually I made pieces I liked and was comfortable showing to others. Not quite three months ago, I opened the CatYarnLoft on Etsy.

Does my shop sell a lot? Not yet. Will it make me rich? Nope. Is it revealing opportunities for learning and personal growth? Absolutely yes! Is it fun? Hell, yeah! Doing something you love brings you closer to yourself. It helps you appreciate your instincts and particularities. Each and every one of us is a unique, irrepeatable synthesis of elements - like a gemstone. It often seems as if only clear diamonds are valued, while diverging colors and inclusions are considered flaws. It´s a fallacy. You are at your most beautiful and most empowered when you appear as what you really are, not as a fake of something else. The phrase "show them what you are made of" is, in this sense, accurate advice.

I still mainly earn my living with jobs I hope to leave behind eventually. However, knowing that on the side I am exploring alternatives relieves much of the frustration caused by everyday routine. Happiness does not need to be postponed until a goal is reached. You can allow it to happen along the way. Nourish your skills and apply them as you advance. Let yourself grow. Behold what arises. Enjoy.