What is Art?

There was a post on an ATC group that I belong to this morning that really irked me. A new member posted the photo below with this comment…’I am not a real artist but I love to recycle and am enjoying making things with my many vintage playing cards.’

I came right back with my own comment…’ Excuse me for disagreeing with you, but you ARE an artist! If you create art (ARTIST Trading Cards) you are an artist. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.’

She came back with, ‘So sweet! You just made my day.’

To which I replied, ‘Art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Keep up the good work!’

It upsets me imagining how many people around her have tried to discourage her and have told her that what she does, and enjoys doing, is not ‘real art’. I agree with the old saying, ‘If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all’.

It got me to thinking about what the meaning of ‘art’ is. What I found was that there's no universal definition of art, though a consensus has emerged that art is the conscious creation of something beautiful or meaningful using skill and imagination.

Yes, this lovely lady certainly accomplished that in my opinion. She used materials that may otherwise have gone to the trash or recycling bin and created art. That is not something that everyone can or will do. I applaud her for her efforts and for the courage to post about it on that group page in spite of what others were saying to her.

NOTE: The last two images are ATCs that I have made in the last year.