a definition of sorts...

artist -
art·ist –noun
1. a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.
2. a person who practices one of the fine arts, esp. a painter or sculptor.
3. a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial
artist.
4. a person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer; a public performer: a
artist; an artist of the dance.
5. a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.
6. a person who is expert at trickery or deceit: He's an artist with cards.
7. Obsolete. an artisan.
[Origin: 1575–85; <>art1, -ist]
—Synonyms 1. Artist, artisan are persons having superior skill or ability, or who are capable of producing superior work. An artist is a person engaged in some type of fine art. An artisan is engaged in a craft or applied art.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

what defines an artist?
you see what dictionary.com calls it. i was thinking about it today. what exactly is an artist?

someone with talent? possibly. someone starving for their art in a Paris garret? could be. someone getting paid for what they do?

i like that one.

i decided what defines an artist is passion. passion for what you do, for what you create, for what you are. what you love.

you may not be a Renoir, or an Ansel Adams, or even a Donna Downey. but if you have passion for what you create and it makes you happy, then, Gentle Reader, no matter if you make a penny for it, get a review in the local or national paper, or even get published in National Geographic.
or Creating Keepsakes.
you.are.an.artist.

feed the passion. ignite it. and jump on.
it's one helluva ride.