Art and Craft

Alright, so this is that big, long post I was preparing everyone for.  What is art?  So I’m going to start with my own personal definition of what I feel art is.  I think that art is anything anyone creates.  I think it must show expression, and it must makes people feel something.  I think that art can be temporary, or permanent.  I don’t think it has to be around forever, I think it can last for one day, or a lifetime, and either way, I think it is art.  I don’t necessarily think there is a difference between art and craft.  I think that originality and expression is key in both.  I think music is art, and movies are art, and video games, and graphic design, and jewellery, and paintings, and sculptures, and carpets, and clothing, and landscaping, and buildings and almost anything really.  I think we can find art in anything and I think it is presumptuous and close minded to put restrictions on what can be ‘classified’ as art.  One person’s view of beauty does not have to be another’s.  So who is anyone to say what I consider to be art, is not?

The difficult part, is drawing the line.  If I say landscaping is art, when is it, and when is it not?  I think that this is the real question.  If we do begin to open our minds and allow new artistic possibilities to enter, when does it stop?  There aren’t any rules to this, because it is a relatively new concept; considering non-traditional pieces of work to be ‘art’.  But, I do stand by what I said above, art must display expression (in my opinion).  I think that is where the line is drawn.  I think that if you feel you’ve created a piece that will trigger emotions, you have created art.  If you view something, and it brings you back to a certain time in your life, or makes you feel happy, you are viewing true art.

Have your parents ever told you that you are there biggest masterpiece?  My mom used to, and I always thought it was kind of silly.  I mean, I’m a human, I’m not art.  But, is that completely relevant? We all trigger emotion, and we all have memories, and we all bring joy and sadness, and experience joy and sadness ourselves.  We base ‘art’ off our own emotions, and our own perceptions of beauty.  So does that make us the real art, and our pieces just copyright of our own feelings?  I’m honestly find it impossible to define art. 

I mean, some parents would define their 4-year olds drawing of a stick figure family as art, while others wouldn’t even consider it.  I think that art is weird.  And defining art is weird.  I think it’s a matter of opinion, and preference. 

I just have to say, I’m not sure what art is.  And, I’m not going to be so ambitious to say that I do. I was planning on sharing some images of what I thought art was, but after getting about half way through this post I realized that I don't have a clue.  I have my own idea of what I consider to be art, but I would be willing to listen to other opinions, and discuss it further.  I think the sunrise is art.  And no one created that, it is just there.  I love the sunset, and the constellations are a masterpiece.  So I really don’t know.   I just think that in any art class, or in any art museum, everything should be given a chance.  I don’t think that certain pieces should be shut down so quickly, and considered a ‘craft’.  I think that each piece should be given a fighting chance, and that the artist should be able to express why there piece is art.  I don’t think that this battle of what is art and what is craft will end anytime soon.  But, I do think it is a question that should be widely considered.  Art and craft is not so black and white anymore, there is a definite grey area, and I look forward to seeing what becomes of that grey area.