What is Art?

What is art? That’s an age old question isn’t it because art is subjective and means different things to different people. First, here’s the Webster’s Dictionary definition of art: “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” This begs the question is all art beautiful? I think it’s for the individual to decide but typically the artist wants to create something that impacts and connects with the viewer, whether it’s beauty or evoking a raw emotion. For me, there are a few criteria that I deem art worthy: 1) the artwork should connect on a humanistic, even inexplicable level, 2) when this happens, it is artistic purity, 3) to be pure, it should be appealing, and even beautiful and this can also evoke emotions of sadness as well as joy and laughter, 4) this requires skill, craftmanship and patience to achieve, 5) the best art, is that which exemplifies all of the aforementioned at once in the most profound, moving and memorable way. Even as an artist, it’s hard for me to put into words what is art exactly. I’m so used to just doing it and not explaining it. I love creating art and I always work with the goal to express God’s given beauty that surrounds life.

In looking for this answer to this question about art, I found Whit Whittlings’ informational blog post on What is Art — Today? I remember watching this 7 minute claymation video, Creature Comforts USA – Art, on TV when it first aired and just laughing hysterically. It includes animated folks imitated as animals while they are interviewed about the meaning of art. All of the YouTube videos that he’s collected for this post are worth watching but this one is artistic in an of itself.

Here’s a family photo that was “staged” on our road trip to New Orleans — just two weeks before Katrina in August 2005. Hopefully a certain iconographic painting will come to mind: