The American Visionary Art Museum lists 9 attributes of visionary art/artists:
· Are often self-taught, usually without formal art training.
· Were never taught what not to do in the making of their art (or they never listened).
· Often see their art as fulfillment of a spiritual mission or personal vision.
· May spend decades of intense devotion working to create just one work, whether small or gigantic, or repetitive until it represents a larger view.
· May not even think of what they do as “art.”
· Often grab everyday objects to make their art.
· Like the ancient Greeks and others, they try and concentrate on making things they feel are well made. The concept of art then pertains to the way of living each day, and doing things as best and as imaginatively as one possibly can.
· Make art to suit themselves. They might delight if you like it too, but foremost is the joy and need to make their art to please themselves. This may be why so many visionaries don’t start making their art until the last decade of their lives, when they have lived long enough to learn not to care so much about what other people think!
· Are at their best when they’re untamed and a bit wild.