No such thing as a self-taught artist?

I believe that the term “self-validating art”may have more relevance than “self-taught art”. There are so many images ,and discussions around those images, being bounced around us today that it is a wonder that any individual (without the influence of an “authority” voice from the art world) continues in their efforts at all. There has to be a drive, a passion and a self belief (if only in the satisfaction that the act of creating gives) that imbues these creations with the aura of art.-You could call it the work of the divine or simply a part of our life force and I think it has more relevance to our humanity than much of our elitist cultural hierarchies

Help ! I have strong visions of the pictures/art I want to produce.- My painting skills need improving.

I have started a foundation in art and design which is a route to do a fine art degree. Do I really need to study on and on, if the 'visions' are where my ideas come from. (the time doing work for the course takes up valuable time)

I'm scared of going it alone in case I don't 'make it' or the quality of my art suffers. What should I do ? I keep thinking how can I be the best artists I can be if I don't do a degree

Art permeates society.

If these "self taught" artists lived in the United States, they saw magazines, advertisements, editorial cartoons, packaging, Sears Catalogs, logos, liquor bottle labels, typestyles, photography, coinage, consumer goods, and a million other things every day that were drawn or designed by artists and designers.

All of that stuff influences your style, whether you want to admit it or not.

There is more of an argument to be made that illiterate country folk in the 19th century could be more sheltered from other artist's work, but somebody like James Hampton, who lived in Washington DC, walked by the work of some of the world's foremost sculptors and architects every day. He also was in the South Pacific during WW2, and saw artwork there.
There is no way he was free of outside influences- which is not to put down his work, or its greatness. I specifically sought out the Throne of the Third Heaven many years ago, and find its presence quite grand, individual, and impressive. But it certainly doesnt exist in a vacuum.

As Isaac Newton said- we all stand on the shoulders of giants...

You mean Bill Traylor and the others you mention never saw other paintings or drawings by other artists which permeate society? And the art that they very, very likely did see was not informed by other artists, and on and on?

You're right that there are more things, Horatioette, in heaven and earth than is dreamt of in our philosophy, including people who are indifferent to art and even disdainful of it. It's genetic in their case too.

Whether having gone to art school or the product of a guild or atelier, art can't be drawn from a vacuum, if you'll pardon the pun. Now art schools, universities and museums are so established in the world physically and through the media that I find it implausible that any so called self taught artist is outside of their influence.

I'd like to add to James Brown's good comment: it's quite recent (in terms of centuries or half centuries) that working artists have been getting degrees in "making" art. The art school or studio/atelier by an individual or group is older. And women in the world of artists as well as more working class artists are both more common within the last century or a bit more. Germaine Greer made some good points. John Berger,too, as art critic:his books on Picasso,etc.

I think it’s just an argument over semantics.

Is self taught.
A. No formal art schooling, lessons, or education? If so, lots of artists are self taught.
B. No contact with other art/artists from which to build upon? If so, probably only a handful of outsider artists fit this category.
C. Absolute zero influence by outside sources? Well of course no one meets this definition; no one lives in a complete vacuum.

Personally, I see self taught as exactly what it sounds like.. Teaching one’s self. Being self taught does not mean you may not be quite knowledgable about mediums, art history, criticism, etc. Some of the most talented and sophisticated artists in history are self taught and had no formal tutoring.