Artzine: What is Art?

First, let me say that I was totally thrilled when my friend and fellow blogger, Wren, invited me to join a collaboration of bloggers called Artzine, a project which was created by the lovely Khana. Artzine is a monthly project featured on Khana’s site where “we can share our experiences, thoughts and feelings regarding art.”

After looking the project over, I thought the project sounded very intriguing and just like the kind of project that I would love to be involved with, so of course, I gladly accepted her kind invitation.

But first I must warn you: I am not an artist. The best I can do when it comes to drawing, sketching, or painting people is that of stick figures. I’m not kidding! I do, however, have a good sense of color. And sculpting? I must say that I make a pretty fair ash tray from Play-Dough along with the best of them. But I am aware that there’s more to art than just drawing, sketching, painting, or sculpting. And that’s what brings me to the first question.

The question for this post is this: What is art anyway? What does it mean to you?

I think the definition of art is going to be different for everyone. You know the saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder?” Well, I think that art is like that, too. I think that art is in the eye of the beholder as well. What one person sees as art another person may see as a piece of of junk or as a bunch of scribbles. It’s all in how you look at art, I think. I think that art is very subjective. Everyone’s tastes are different.

For instance, I adore art from the renaissance period, but pop art – not so much; whereas my daughter loves pop art but does not care for art from the renaissance period. I know this because we have gone to art exhibits together before so I know her tastes, just as she knows mine. She can see things in pop art that I just cannot for the life of me see. I just don’t get it, but she does.

I also believe that art can be anything that is created. I’m not talking about only painting or sculpting. But let us also consider music. Is that not art? Are not musicians artists in their own right? They create masterpieces of a different kind, and those masterpieces, the music, that they create can touch your mind, your heart, your very soul, can they not? This is why I believe that music should be considered as art.

There’s all kinds of art all around us. I myself create art when I make my quilts. And what about a master carpenter who creates beautiful wood furniture? Is that not art? And what about a dancer? Is not the dance an art in itself? What about a singer? Is not the song he or she sings not their art? I think there are countless kinds of artists that I could not even name them all here.

I think that art is any work that stirs us, moves us, or touches our mind, our imagination, our emotions, our heart, our soul.

I love being an artist. I love to create things. As I said before, I am a quilter, and when I’m creating quilts, I am at my best. I’m also a singer and I play the piano. When I’m making music, I am the most happy I can be. I’m a writer, and when I’m writing, I’m at one of the highest points I can be at. I am an artist at heart, so yes, I love being an artist. So I guess you could say that art means a lot to me, and I never even realized it until I had to answer this question. Art is life. Life is art. What more is there to say?

QUOTE OF THE DAY:  “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”  ~ Aristotle