In general an artist is defined as someone recognized as the maker of art. OK? Well no!!! Several problems occur to me in this definition. This definition infers art is a tangible product. What about performing arts like music and story telling, and humor? Second, the maker must be a publicly known. This definition does not include people who identify themselves as artists but do not show what they do. Is it enough for an an individual to identify himself as an artist or should others bestow the title upon them?
When I was a child my art work was recognized by my parents, teachers and peers. Except for an exception when a high school teacher thought I was not good enough to pursue art and I should take home economics instead of art classes.
Currently I identify myself as an artist because this creative practice laps over into all aspects of my being. As a maker of paintings, my experience of life is enhanced with the joy of seeing, hearing, tasting, and touching. Creative problem solving is useful in how I see relationships and determine such things as choices in spending money. I like shopping for art supplies better than shopping for clothes.
I view my paint palette like a kid in a candy store. I hear the beat of the brush on canvas or board. The rhythmic sound tickles my movements dancing across the surface. Like a kid I like new toys - the cake icing spatula. It's twang when applying buttery oil colors makes me feel jazzy so I add a little secondary surprise.
So when did these simple joys begin? Childhood! So there is an arguable case that I was always an artist. We all can have these simple joys if we practice. Humans are by nature curious and playful and happy when they are in awe and involved in something they love..
When I was about 10 at Christmas time, I was on a San Francisco childrens' program, Captain Fortune. The show began focused on a group of children decorating a tree. I was very caring about how my ornament was to be placed. I tried it in several places before settling on hanging it. The camera man zoomed closer focusing on my hands. Even then I arranged things with loving care. Loving care makes us all artists. Love is important in making things by hand such as a painting or a ceramic pot because in most works there are uncertainties and problems which take love to resolve. Love is important in creative activities like cooking, arranging furniture or nurturing a garden. So all of us are creative and how much of an artist we are is to the extent that we put our heart into our doings.
Some media is considered a higher art form than others. Like oil painting is a greater art form than pastel painting. Landscape painting is a greater art form than book illustration. So an oil painter is more apt to be considered an artist than a pastel painter and a landscape painter can call himself an artist but not a book illustrator. Ridiculous, in my way of thinking!
The question one of my peers proposed is: "Shouldn't there be a word for those practicing the art that distinguishes their commitment to being highly skilled and expressive beyond the norm?" By those standards only the most outstanding and most historically influential should be given the title. If not just plain artist but something like "practicing artist" or "master artist"?
This is my own opinion of what it is to be an artist but I know there is much difference of opinion and other valid takes on what it takes to be an artist.
No comments:
Post a Comment