What is "art"?

[Rick Hughes]

What do you think art is and what it isn't? Is something "art" simply because an artist says it?

[Lee Shore Gallery/Christina Lee]

Art to me is Creation at it's finest. It is taking something from nothing or from someone else's junk and making a treasure. To me it is a miracle that I can take several pieces of glass, fuse them together in my kiln, string them with some beads and make a beautiful piece of jewelry. Or light a torch, take a glass rod, melt and shape it into a handmade bead, then string it with some silver and Swarovski crystals into a necklace, for someone to wear and enjoy. I love having people love my jewelry and wear my art. God is the creator of the universe, and by my being able to be creative, I have some very, very, very minuscule part of that wonderful creation. To me this is just one very small part of art, not to mention painters, sculptures, potters, the great masters, etc., etc., each having different talents and abilities, all adding to "Art". I also think art is in the eye of the beholder. Just because I say it is art, if you don't like it, it is not art to you, and because we are all unique individuals, art is something different to everyone.
Christina Lee/Lee Shore Gallery

[rilla]

art spelt backwards is tra, so when you can say tra da ! thats art
rilla

[Rick Hughes]

love it!

rilla said:

art spelt backwards is tra, so when you can say tra da ! thats art
rilla

[Rose von Perbandt]

Art is communication

[Rose von Perbandt]

Sorry Rick, my last response was much too simple and unworthy of the thought behind your question, but it always feels like a 'trick' when that question is posed. Above my desk hangs a crayon drawing, given to me by my granddaughter. She drew it in school and presented it to me with a flourish, stating proudly that "she's an ARTIST". My reply to her as I taped it to the wall was "Indeed you are." And it's true. But her drawing hangs next to the works of a man who has dedicated half a century to perfecting his skills, whose entire adult life was spent, full time, making a living creating Art. He, too, is called an "ARTIST". And there in lies the "trick". You ask us to describe in words, which are limited, what Art, which is infinite, is. Words just won't do. That's why we have music, and dance, and paintings, & sculpture, and great buildings which inspire dreams...to say what words can't.

[Lee Shore Gallery/Christina Lee]

Very well put Rose. Your answer to Rick's question, makes a person think. That is the neat thing about each of us. We are all unique and individual so art is something different to every person, and yes, that is why we call it 'the arts' because there are so many aspects of art. What it 'art' to one person is not to another. I am enjoying reading everyone's profiles as the sign up here at anything arts, because each are so unique and different, and each does another aspect of 'the arts'. It is fun to see the diversity we are starting to collect here in this group.
Christina

[Rose von Perbandt]

Thanks Christina- it's been too long since I've visited the 'Village', I'd love to see your work, will definately make an effort to come to the next ArtWalk.

Lee Shore Gallery/Christina Lee said:

Very well put Rose. Your answer to Rick's question, makes a person think. That is the neat thing about each of us. We are all unique and individual so art is something different to every person, and yes, that is why we call it 'the arts' because there are so many aspects of art. What it 'art' to one person is not to another. I am enjoying reading everyone's profiles as the sign up here at anything arts, because each are so unique and different, and each does another aspect of 'the arts'. It is fun to see the diversity we are starting to collect here in this group.
Christina

[Christopher Sanders]

Art is the spawn of an elaborate idea that one believes will grow up to become something or even someone. What that is, you tell me. I find it cool that art is intangible, yet we can pass it on to others.

[The Village Bookshop]

I don't have anything profound in answer. Although I really did like
tra da.

My contribution may run more along the line of pointing
in the direction of sources.

One that comes to mind is Lewis Hyde's book Trickster Makes This World: Mischief, Myth and Art.
His discussion of the exhibit of Mapplethorpe's work and the ensuing trial 18 years ago is worth
considering. The reality of living in a commodity society always brings us back to funding. It's also instructive
to check out the NEA funding graph shown in this article: http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2000/05/21/loc_mapplethorpe_battle...
for the years 1965-2000.

Tolstoy's essay of 1896, entitled "What Is Art?" is also good as a refresher.

There has been a lot of paint under Monet's bridge since then, but it is always a good question.

Thanks for posing it, Rick.

Doug

[Rick Hughes]

tra da


The Village Bookshop said:

I don't have anything profound in answer. Although I really did like
tra da.

My contribution may run more along the line of pointing
in the direction of sources.

One that comes to mind is Lewis Hyde's book Trickster Makes This World: Mischief, Myth and Art.
His discussion of the exhibit of Mapplethorpe's work and the ensuing trial 18 years ago is worth
considering. The reality of living in a commodity society always brings us back to funding. It's also instructive
to check out the NEA funding graph shown in this article: http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2000/05/21/loc_mapplethorpe_battle...
for the years 1965-2000.

Tolstoy's essay of 1896, entitled "What Is Art?" is also good as a refresher.

There has been a lot of paint under Monet's bridge since then, but it is always a good question.

Thanks for posing it, Rick.

Doug

[Elizabeth]

A physical format for communicating something non physical like a feeling or a meaning that is to be perceived. All at our own respective individual levels of course. Good art sure cuts right through our 'mental' defenses of disbelief, logic, reason. We (I) seem to open up and respond much more easily to art- than to facts tactfully explained expressing the same theme, or trying to. Art touches feelings words can not.

[The Village Bookshop]

Hmmm. I'm sure you could expand on this Elizabeth, to help me with some of my questions, particularly regarding def. of "Good art".

However, I am most captivated by the line: "Art touches feelings words can not."

I like the sentiment of this, although I wonder if questioned you would likely expand and elaborate in this way:

Visual art touches feeling mere descriptive words cannot.

Suggested only because some of us are affected equally by "visual art" and by the visual stimulants embedded in a literary art form.

Thanks for the thought provoking comment.

Doug

Elizabeth said:

A physical format for communicating something non physical like a feeling or a meaning that is to be perceived. All at our own respective individual levels of course. Good art sure cuts right through our 'mental' defenses of disbelief, logic, reason. We (I) seem to open up and respond much more easily to art- than to facts tactfully explained expressing the same theme, or trying to. Art touches feelings words can not.