Some artists proudly wear the title "self-taught," though in itself it is not a definitive term. The naive outsider artist who lives in a rural area and never gets to an art museum or gallery, is never exposed to the art traditions before her, is one thing. A self-taught artist who lives in the city and studies the art around her in museums and galleries, is entirely different.
Whether you take a class or look at a lot of art and experiment with materials, you're still coming from a rich tradition. You know what artists throughout history have accomplished. It's the same as a would-be writer reading a lot of good novels and studying how they were put together. Whether or not you have formal instruction is irrelevant.
People get MFA's to enhance their resumes or get teaching positions. And many find the experience of working with fellow artists and teachers, sharing ideas and methods, invaluable. However, whether they have an MFA or not does not determine the quality of their art.
When you judge an artist, look at the art, not the resume.
