What is Art?

art     (ärt) n.
  1. Human effort to imitate, supplement, alter, or counteract the work of nature.
  2. High quality of conception or execution, as found in works of beauty; aesthetic value.
  3. A field or category of art, such as music, ballet, or literature.
  4. A nonscientific branch of learning; one of the liberal arts.
  5. Skill that is attained by study, practice, or observation: the art of the baker; the blacksmith's art.
  6. Skill arising from the exercise of intuitive faculties: “Self-criticism is an art not many are qualified to practice” (Joyce Carol Oates).

 

It seems like a simple concept.  Art is drawing, painting, sketching, and photography.  You know, all those things that artists do.  But what about writers?  We know that the pen is mightier than the sword, but is the paint brush mightier than the pen? Perhaps.  Perhaps not. OK, let's amend our definition to include writers and poets.  Now can we add musicians to the list?  Definitely.  Listen to the sound of any of your favorite musicians and tell me that what they are doing is not art.  What about someone who sculpts, but not in a physical medium.  Let's use a teacher as an example.  A good teacher can help sculpt students enabling them to become the masterpiece that they had hidden within them.  So art isn't just something physical we can touch, or hear.  What about those that practice in the art of compassion helping people every day including social workers, priests, and even a helpful neighbor.  Are they not also  artists helping paint the canvas of our society in a new light? 

 Do we have a good definition now of what art is?  Art is drawing, painting, sketching, photography, writing, music, sculpting minds, and changing society.  is that all?  What about the firefighter who every day practices the art of sacrifice, risking everything to help others in times of great need?  OK, we can add those who sacrifice for the greater good of all to the list of artists.  Now do we need to add cooks, wine makers, bakers, quilters, architects, and a whole list of people who are masters of other craft related skills?  This definition seems to be growing quite large suddenly.  Eventually we could have a single definition that filled up pages listing every possible area of art.  Perhaps a more encompassing definition that drills down to the essence of what all these artists are doing is needed. 

Art takes it's root in the soul of the artist.  It is an outward expression of the feelings, emotions and desires.  Whether it be something you say, something you do, or something you create, everything you do is a form of expression.  So just perhaps the definition of art should be something like this:

art     (ärt) n.
  1. Anything that you do with passion, creativity, devotion, sacrifice and love.