What is Art?

I think art is organizing and binding of time and material with intent. The intent is to add quality while expressing some purpose in our lives. Good art does this with aesthetic intent, craftsmanship and the imbuing of the artists pleasure into their construct. A person can be an artist in the way they load a truck, mop a floor or care for a child.

It isn’t necessary to intend to make art in order to have art made.

Art isn’t necessarily brought into being by persons who claim they are making art.

I am attaching a couple of clear examples of what I feel art is, where the intent of the creators wasn’t necessarily creating art as art – sometimes the conjoining of form and function result in art almost as a default. This is a beautiful truth.

neolithic tool set

neolithic tools

Longji terraced rice fields in China

2 thoughts on “What is Art?


  1. What is art?

    I found your thoughts on this interesting. ‘Art’ to me is an interplay of shapes and light that affect my mood, that touch my soul. In my definition, the wonderful turn of a road that is unfolding before me becomes art, just as the interpretation of an image by an artist – your piece “Centre” – unveils layers and slips into my mood.

    Your web is inspired. The design is quite wonderful and it’s a terrific place to share your work.

    Thanks for putting the effort into creating it!

    YLS,

    Gail.


  2. I think you are right. I think it is part of our make up to try and create beautiful things and our ancestors decorated many of their tools and everyday objects. I think that a painted chest is as beautiful a work of art as a fine canvas painting. I think it is fairly recently that things started getting divided between “fine” art and “craft”. But even in fine art you need craftsmanship to make a really outstanding work.

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