What is Art?

Starting out in Art class I like to ask my students this question on the first day of class. What is Art? To some students this is simple to others the idea of answering this question can be overwhelming. What is the right answer? Well, to find the answer to this question every Artist/Art student must go on their own personal journey of questioning and discovering. There are many definitions of Art that vary from person to person, from culture to culture and from Artist to Artist. The important thing is to begin to define your own definition with certainty and to be able to answer and explain another question. What is not Art? Many find it easier to say what Art is rather then to explain what is not Art. Usually new Art students struggle to explain all of this clearly and concisely. It is much easier for them to simple say, "This is Art." or "This is not Art." but not be able to explain why they feel that way. Throughout Art II/III students will begin to learn how to critique Art and to learn to talk or write about Art in a way that explains with certainty their Artistic theories. Most of the time their definitions for Art will alter at least slightly but sometimes completely. And it is interesting to compare how each student answers this question on the first day of class as well as the last day of class.

What is Art? (Below are Students' first day definitions)

"Art is the expression of oneself through various mediums. It can depict and capture events or moods important not only to yourself, but to many people."

"Art is a way for people to express themselves. Like dance, it can be a way for people to express themselves without using words."

"Art is the representation of beauty and creation by the artist. It is a way of expressing creativity or ideas."

"Art is a way of expressing thoughts through drawing, painting, sculpting, etc. (Visual representation)."

"The communication of one's feelings or thoughts through a visual presentation."

"Art is some kind of creation in the form of a visual display."

"Art is the way a person communicates their feelings or ideas in a creative, visual display."

"Art is the man-made recreation of beauty made by God. That beauty is objective to an extent as all things made by God must be, but that is not to say that there is no room for flexibility. Art does allow a certain degree of independence and creativity to the artist, however, this should not be abused and God given beauty must be maintained."

"Art is a way for one to express something through the means of drawings or some other creative/visual means."