Saturday, February 26, 2011

Art

Morning!


So, it's not quite 2 a.m. and I find myself awake. I'm not usually an insomniac, but lately, as I've started letting my creative side out, I've found myself staying up later. It's when the juices tend to flow.


As I write this, I'm laying in my bed, laptop and a glass of pinot grigio close at hand, television set to the Food Network. I'm thinking. Come on now, it's not all that rare. I've been known to think from time to time, I just hide it well.


I'm thinking about art, and artists.  I've never considered myself an artist, even though I do have a tendency to be creative. Maybe that's because in the past, when I've thought about art, I've always thought about paintings, and drawings, and such.  I don't paint, and I can't draw, so, clearly I'm not an artist, right?


In the last few months though, I've come to realize that art is everywhere, and in everything. Really, when you think of it, in one way or another, we're all artists. Some artists paint or sculpt, some artists style hair, some draw. I write, and take silly photos, and make videos. It may not seem like it to some, but it's how I express myself, and it exercises my creative self, and so, it's my art. My idea of art is very likely different from another's idea of art, and that is okay. We don't need to all be on the same page.


I guess that what I'm getting at is that art, like so many things in life, is subjective. What's art to me may not be art to you. Which leads me to my question: what do YOU think of when you think of the word "art?"  Leave me a comment, let's have a discussion.


Happy Creating,
Tara.

4 comments:

  1. Friend of mine once said that art is intention - which is to say, if you cut a piece of your floor out and nail it to the wall and say that that's a piece of art, it's a piece of art, simple as that.

    It's a neat and easy definition to work with, but doesn't allow for much refinement... and does not say a word about good art vs. bad art, which reopens the whole can of worms all over again; it dodges the issue of value entirely.

    And once you bring value into the room, it's my first urge to run screaming. Billie Holiday can bring me to tears, but was she in tears when she did that recording? Is a brush stroked in anger the same thing as an angry brushstroke? Another friend of mine said that there are people who will do almost anything for their art - they'll suffer, they'll starve, they'll endure pain, deprivation, etc... they'll do anything, in fact, except learn how to paint.

    And that's the thing, innit? Ever since the Impressionists rejected Academic artistic conventions and brought in this narcissistic idea of the artist as genius, inspired by the great whatever, who rejects all rules and paints for his soul...

    It was a great sales pitch, but they all had training, they all knew what they were doing. Monet did NOT paint all his paintings in a few minutes - he painted the outline and then worked on it for hours more back in the studio. The thing about it is, yes, we all have something to say, we all have deep emotions that we need to get out, but the trick of art is to *arouse those emotions in the perceiver*, and that takes more than inspiration. It takes technique. As soon as a musician writes a sad song in a minor key instead of a major, he's conceded the necessity of musical theory, even if he's only grasped the bare minimum required.

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  2. An interesting point, for sure. My question is, I suppose, what of those people who create, yet lack formal training? Does that make their work any less "art?" Does it have less validity because they have yet to perfect their technique?

    Or a beginning artist who's in the process of studying his craft. Is his work only considered "art" once he's completed his training, or is the work he produces along the way art too?

    I don't claim to be an expert on the subject, so I doubt I'll stand up to rigorous debate. =) That's why I refrained from posting a literal definition of the word. It's mostly something I was thinking about, and wanted to gather opinions.

    I love hearing what other people think, so thanks for your comment. Food for thought is always good.

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  3. I think art is any type of creative endeavor that You feel is art. Painting, photography, crafting, and heck, talking a walk can be artistic if you take the time to look at, and appreciate, your surroundings.

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  4. Agreed! In fact, maybe I should go take an artistic walk!

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