I have to put out there that the word "art" in itself is aesthetically one of my least favorite words. It sounds like a barking seal. It's up there with "moist," "ointment," "pudding" and anything with too many "s"s as things I'd rather avoid saying.
Besides a bad word, art to me is an act of creation. Any act that puts the actor into the stream of life and consciousness and which results in a product - a movement, a photograph, a stream of consciousness, an architectural drawing. What is "bad" art and "good" art is a different dissertation and involves formal schools of study and talent and all that objective stuff. In the b'hai faith, creative acts are considered prayer because the artist is connected directly to the same source of creation as god. So if I go out with my camera and just shoot some warm-up shots with no aim or without consciousness, I'm not sure the results are art - just happenstance, just a byproduct of the mechanics.
An artist then to me is anyone who taps into the source of creativity, who creates something by design and focus and intent.
Art and creativity could play a bigger role in my life - I try to keep the source flowing by at least writing nonsense each night, but it's a challenge. I crave being part of a creative community again, such as college, where the everyday language is assumed to be in a context of artistic acts. Because I absolutely adore art and creativity - for myself, in movement, photography, writing, motherhood, and working with children (yes, there's an art!) Which makes me a practitioner of several arts... and a consumer of any arts I can get my hands on. Photography to me is unquestionably art.
Am I am artist!? All of the above said, I would shy away from the term in public because it sets an expectation - but privately yes, I believe I am an artist.
5 comments:
I love your statement, "creative acts are considered prayer because the artist is connected directly to the same source of creation as god". This is so true, I believe, no matter the faith tradition.
I see a definite connection in my own spiritual growth with being more intentional about creating, whether it is writing, taking photos, or making a collage.
Your definition of art really resonates with me. Thank you for sharing this.
JJ,
I was laughing out loud at your list of "least favorite words" and have to completely agree with your choices. Thinking of seals barking deflates some of the over-inflated puffery that can surround "Art-with-a-capital A".
And it is most important that you claim artist internally, because it is from your heart that the creative process flows. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Such a beautiful approach to this topic, JJ. I resonated with the same statement as Deborah. What a beautiful way to approach faith and creativity! I am glad that you claim yourself as an artist. Whether it's publicly or privately, internally is really all that matters on this journey.
I have to admit i tink I might have skewed my definition of "art" so that I could fit in as "artist"!
JJ, I'm never going to hear the word "art" in the same way again! But I do love your definition.
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