Thoughts about Art
What is “Art”? Why is it important? Why do humans feel the need to create it? Why must we have it in our lives?
Art is defined as “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” Humans have been creating art since the ice age, painting incredible images on the walls of caves 14,000 to 40,000 years ago. We still grace our homes with various forms of art. Some might hang a piece on the wall just because it goes with the decor. Others might find a piece that they just love looking at. Someone else might chose a work because it creates an emotional response. Even others wish to use art to make a social or political statement. Some collectors gather investment pieces. These are all valid reasons.
Art reflects the world around us. It creates feelings and inspires thoughts and actions. So it will always have a place. Some artists have expressed concern about the development of artificial intelligence and its impact on the creative world. I believe humans will always have an urge to create and express themselves through the various mediums of art. I also believe that “handmade” will always hold value.
As I start to delve into the world of marketing my art, I have found a disconnect between general society and what some consider “the art set”. I love to see the works of The Masters, the groundbreaking talent and skill that can be found in these works is always educational, even as they are admired for their sheer beauty or impact. But what about artists of today?
For this discussion, I will take a page from Tim Packer, successful artist and teacher, who describes it as two “villages”. In one village, art is created for the purpose of creating a strong reaction, it must have meaning and purpose. Sometimes that purpose may not be obvious but it doesn’t matter, as long as the artist has feelings while creating it, even if it’s sarcasm, like hanging a urinal on a wall and calling it a masterpiece. Now I’m going to stir the pot, skill is not required to be successful in this arena and is sometimes even frowned upon. These artists are often funded by grants, receive accolades and have the museum exhibits but are very often the “starving artists”. Sadly, in my opinion, many art schools encourage young artists to embrace this thinking and I’m very glad I did not follow that path!
The “Commercial Village” might be considered as “sell outs” by some but I can attest, these artists would be creating art for art’s sake whether they sell or not. Skill becomes very important, where composition, use of values and colors, as well as the skill of brushstrokes and drawing line, are used with intent to draw the viewer’s eye to the piece. To sell a piece, these artists must create something their collectors want to look at. Of course, there is some investment in acquiring a work of art but, when all is said and done, a person will buy a piece of art because they want it. It’s that simple.
Where these two Villages meet is that artists always put a part of themselves in their work. I can say when I am struck by some idea or reference, I have my thoughts and ideas behind it that influence my decisions while creating that piece. There is always a story behind every painting as drawing. However, one of the interesting things about art is that the artist’s plan doesn’t really matter in the long run. How it strikes the viewer is what really matters. How the individual is affected is the final word.
I feel the most noble goal for an artist is to have their work grace a home or business. To create something that an individual or family wishes to not just invest their dollar on but also their eyes as they look at that piece every day. To be struck by it time and again. So if you decide to invest in art for some space in your life, remember that yours is the most important opinion. You are the ultimate art critic!