Is it normal to be intelligent and artistic but love doing manual labor?

Many landscapers feel that way.

I am the same way. It clears the mind.

I've never heard of anyone "loving" manual labor, except maybe Chuck Norris, so kudos to you, warehouse man!

Yes, sort of - but doing manual labour doesn't give much outlet really nor mean you're intelligent, artistic or creative. If you are those things you need to be them.

I'm the same way. I don't think it's a "waste of talent." On the contrary, I think that often relegating creativity to academia, galleries and concert halls is the real waste of talent. Your artistry will show in the labor you do.

I'm the same way. I have a masters' in music, and yet I find it much more fulfilling to build and renovate homes. Working with my hands is very rewarding, and having a tangible, meaningful impact on the world makes a huge difference for me. I find ways to be creative in that context... striving for precision, embedding almost unnoticeable embellishments, etc.

It keeps me grounded. It's very easy for creative-types to get stuck in their head, and really, I could give a flying fuck whether I'm recognized for artistic greatness or leave a legacy in that area, despite being called a "genius" by reviewers on multiple occasions.

People usually assume that, because you're creative and artistically talented, you will want nothing more than to express this artistry every waking moment of your life. The most liberating thing I ever did was admit to myself that, while I was good at it, I didn't actually LIKE making music.

It is normal to love doing what you love doing. Or hell, maybe it's not normal. But if the "normal" thing to do is make yourself miserable all your life, I'll happily be abnormal.

We need manual labourers as much as we need intellectuals

I feel the same way. My family and friends think i'm throwing away my talents because I'd rather find a respectable manual labor job en keep some time to do what I want to do in my free time. It sucks :P

It's great because it doesn't require you to constantly be firing those complex neurons. You're doing the work and you see the results as soon as the job progresses or ends. In more cerebral areas of work, results are generally a longer time coming and sometimes they aren't immediately noticeable or you never even see them at all. It's nice to get lost in a good project and afterwards step back and look at the results.

Not sure if it's normal, but it's a good thing. You sound like a very balanced person. I can't say I love doing manual labor all the time, but when I was in graduate school, sometimes it was nice to take a break from the intellectual work to do more hands on tasks, like working on a car. It's good to utilize both your physical and intellectual abilities.

I see what you mean. When it becomes a job instead of something for fun, it isn't as fun anymore.

Ditto. I'm studying science but I've always wanted to be a soldier. I guess studying science is just the more normal thing to do.

Course. That's a good thing.

Which arts are you proficient in?

Please do not use -ists and -isms.