What Is Art? What Makes An Artist?

“Art” to be put in words and in interpretation is a matter of personal comprehension. There’s so much that falls into the realm of art which makes it difficult to define.

Story time! – For a majority of my life I believed that to art meant to draw or paint. And an artist is one who knows how to wield a paint brush and was naturally skilled at the craft since the day they were born. And as a kid I recall comparing my drawings to the others at art class thinking, “I can’t draw. I am not an artist.” Some of those kids really knew how to draw a lion or paint a tree with colours in contrast to my disfigured cat with spikes for hair and blobby trees that could easily be mistaken as a green cloud on a stick. As much as I took delight in creating art, I grew to convince myself that art wasn’t my forte even though I sought to produce an “Artist” out of myself.

Later, I figured out that music is considered a form of “Art” as well and musicians are also called “Artists”. How unaware I was of the existence of this domain! And ofcourse, I ended up taking keyboard lessons and wasn’t doing bad at it either. But that tale was short lived too as I soon discontinued. Which then led me to think about what else is “Art” and who all are “Artists”?

Now, pondering on this question of defining “What is Art?” and “What makes an Artist?”, there exists no well elaborated answer. Art can be realised as an amalgamation of the senses, a dance of the imagination and craftsmanship, a bridge that fills the gap between the mundane and the extraordinary. It is the very essence of our humanity, a canvas upon which we express the depths of our thoughts, emotions, and observations. This is merely my perception or understanding of art and acceptance that art exists to be felt, discerned and defined uniquely by every individual in accordance to their own experiences. That is the beauty of art!

“Art is the intermediary between the perceptions of the senses and the operations of the mind.”

– Unknown

To my understanding, an artist emerges from the abundance of curiosity that dwells within every mind. It is the never-ending quest to capture the momentary beauty of nature and the intangible essence of life itself. An artist can simply replicate what the eyes see, but greatness is in the attempt to grab the essence that lies beneath the surface, revealing the unseen connections that bind the universe together.

The pursuit of art requires mastery over the tools at hand, be they brushes and pigments, chisels and stone, scissors and cloth, or voices and acoustic instruments and so on. Through this mastery an artist gives life to their visions, breathing soul into lifeless matter. Just as a sculptor sets free a figure from marble, or a painter conjures landscapes from a blank canvas, so does the artist create from the raw materials of the world. You see, Art is Everything and Everything is Art. That would mean that everyone is an Artist!

But let’s not confine art to the domains of aesthetics alone. An artist wields their craft not only to please the senses but also to provoke thought, ignite emotions, and even catalyse change. Art is the language that goes beyond linguistic barriers, speaking directly to the heart and minds of all who encounter it.

In essence, art is the representation of boundless creativity, a manifestation of our endless desire to explore and comprehend the mysteries of existence. It is an interaction between observation and interpretation that raises mere existence into shared experiences and insights. Art shapes our perception of reality, moulding it into something richer, deeper, and more vibrant.