I have been painting since I was 4 years old (82 years). Painted every spare minute I had. I have taught art for 60 years. When students asked "When do I get to finally call myself an artist?" I told them "as soon as you finish your first painting!". I mean that! It may be bad art at first, but it IS art. Even bad art sells. The good part is that you improve with EVERY painting for the rest of your life. Nothing I ever painted failed to sell. So many of my students have become really good artists, but all are artists. None ever failed. EVERYONE can paint, some just don't know it YET.
Photography may take a little longer for some, but I have been a member here since 2011 and it has been amazing to watch the improvement of so may members here. So many have gone from good to fantastic! Sadly, mine hasn't improved as much as I'd like but that's OK. I'm happy for those who have improved so greatly. To me it's all art.
JMHO.

I started photography by taking what looked like interesting artistic photos in film.

Then I became a wedding and portrait PHOTOGRAPHER in film. Here my work started to blur into art. People never liked their photos and always wanted to look better so I had to arrange light conditions which avoided any stark looks.

After about 6 years as a wedding/portrait PHOTOGRAPHER, I was essentially burned out, and only took travel photos and photos of the kids, returning to being just a photographer.

With the advent of digital, and then increasingly complex digital editing, my photography became PHOTOGRAPHY again. And now, people look at my photos and the first thing they say after “Oh WOW!” is, “Nice Painting....Oh wait, that’s a photograph.... I wonder how he did that."

I have moved into ART. My photographs are the way I want to see the subject, not necessarily the way it is in fact. Mirrorless, focus merge, and extensive digital editing allow me to do this. And, in my mind, I became a PHOTOGRAPHER once again.

Dang!! ....I'm glad I subscribe to this Food Section just for stuff like this! I LUV Lasagne, but rarely make it because it's a Pain in the A_ _ !!!
~ Now you come along, JimmyTB, and TOTALLY make the Sun Rise on my little Lasagne Pity Party and lead me to the Promised Land of Great Food!! .... Whooohoo!! (that makes two of those in ONE DAY!! ...Breakout!!)