I don't believe in "art". I believe in craft; that is, a series of skills acquired through dedication and hard work. Some things come more easily, to begin with, to some people than to others; that is not so much a question of inborn talent, I think, as of having been encouraged at just the right time to build on something in which you are interested, and in which, to others, you seem to show promise.

To speak of music only, Mike Jensen has said just what I have said myself at other times: it is a form of language, and is perfected by use and by the development of understanding. Physical technique is important, too; it is all part of the same process: but even superlative technique, without a passion for the craft itself, is empty.

Essentially, I think, an "artist" is a one-trick-horse; a genuine craftsman, on the other hand, even if he or she chooses to concentrate on a single aspect only, is nevertheless capable of turning their hand to whatever might be needed. That's the thing to aim for. It doesn't matter if you don't get there. While you are trying, you'll learn, and grow, and you won't go stale.