Aesthetics, authenticity, and belonging: The roles of personal identity and aesthetic sensibility in artistic development and practice

Many of us seek to conduct our lives and work in a way that fulfils the personal need of following a path that is true to us. At the same time, we still have a need to engage with others and to belong among those who matter to us. For those involved in the practice of art, the connection between identity and work can be particularly strong, and for students of art, creating a balance between searching for one?s own authenticity and the influences of others can at times be challenging. This thesis looks at notions of personal identity and social connections in terms of aesthetic sensibility. The roles that teachers and mentors can play are explored, as is the idea of a personal aesthetic: how it begins in childhood and then develops with exposure and practice. Ways of responding to art and articulating those responses are looked at also.