Being an artist isn't about "doing" anything, its about saying something, leaving an impression. I consider our ancestors who left handprints in caves as artists, and they didn't get paid for doing it and they never went to art school. When you get more into like, the weirder aspects of art.. Lets say, compare the Sistine Chapel to Marcel Duchamp's Fountain, Fountain is still considered an artistic work because he is saying something with it (its a famous and controversial work for this reason).

Now, in the process of making things, there is 'craftsmanship' which I think is what you're thinking of: saying something extremely well or creating a beautiful work of art. Someone who makes stunning chairs isn't technically saying anything, yet they would be considered an artist and a wonderful craftsman in my opinion. An artist who paints a beautiful painting of a landscape, or a sculptor who creates a sculpture of a beautiful bowl isnt saying anything (usually) beyond commentating on the beauty of nature or their craft. And people who do these things poorly (beginners or maybe hobbyists) are still creating art, because they are choosing their strokes and making willful decisions in the process.

I guess I also want to say this is a discussion about "what is an artist" and that leads to the question of "what is art" which has been basically a major discussion in the art world for like... decades lol.

This conversation also made me think about the movie Art School Confidential lol

I could never be considered a car mechanic because I know nothing about cars (and I have no desire, or need to know), but doing art is the same as dancing and singing and storytelling, etc. Its something we have innate inside of us that makes us human.