Definition Essay on Art

Introduction

Art is the product of an artist's desire to convey a concept, an idea or a feeling to a visual form. At different situations, the resulting works of the artists vary due to the variations in artists' feelings, thoughts, and experiences. However, having an exact definition of what art might be or what it is not, proves elusive due to its ambiguity. The general idea is that art is a painting or drawing, but there is more to that. An artist is shaped or defined by their ability to imagine and express these imaginations and feelings in a language that can be easily understood by the viewers. This paper examines the contemporary definition of art and how the definition of an artist has changed over time in different cultures.

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Art has progressively developed due to the varying perspectives that people hold concerning the subject. It can be presented as images or sculptures that artist create to express their feelings and imaginations which cannot be expressed physically. Art communicates an individual's feelings. It can also be defined as a representation of ancient history. For example, William-Adolphe Bouguereau painted, "Blind Homer and His Guide" as a symbol of history, culture and civilization (Sachant, LeMieux and Tekippe 2). The guide protects Blind Homer, who represents refined ancient wisdom and the establishment of western culture. Bouguereau uses the painting to express his thoughts on the critical issue protecting and integrating ancient culture in the modern world (Sachant, LeMieux and Tekippe 2).

Art requires a certain level of imagination for one to create a given piece. It can also be seen as the act of moving and expressing a person's ideas from their mind. According to Sachant, LeMieux and Tekippe, art is a replication of what happens in real life; art pieces symbolize a certain activity depicts a given story. For example, Zeuxis' painted a bowl of grapes which seemed so real that it attracted birds (Sachant, LeMieux and Tekippe 4). With his painting, he tells the story of his rival painter, Parhassios, from ancient Greece.

Art has grown throughout history, and so has the definition of artists. In the ancient period, individuals who undertook the activities of painting would not be considered as artists, but rather they were seen as artisans or craftsmen. Artisans would build structures and make objects according to a particular design, which was not always their creation or an expression of their thoughts and desires. Clay objects and pottery mostly characterized art in the ancient world. In Jiangxi Province, for example, utilitarian vessels made of clay became common since c. 18,000 BCE, while in ancient Greek, pottery advanced to the level of art (Sachant, LeMieux and Tekippe 10). Although the potters' works are recognized, they are still not considered as artists. The shapes of decorative subjects, however, changed with time. For instance, in China, art like painting started being associated with the artist's identity (Sachant, LeMieux and Tekippe 12).

Conclusion

An artist can be defined as a talented and skillful individual who has the ability to be creative (Sachant, LeMieux and Tekippe 8). The artist creates works which take different forms and fits in various categories, including, paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, and photograps. They have the ability and desire to design images and objects that have a more profound meaning; they have the target audience in mind before conveying their thoughts (Sachant, LeMieux and Tekippe 14). Artists also consider how art will impact the audience who has little information about them. Others believe that artists portray happiness and beauty; they enable the audience to see from their perspective. Artists fluently tell stories they have encountered throughout their lives.

Works Cited

Sachant, Pamela J., Jeffrey LeMieux and Rita Tekippe. Introduction to Art: Design, Context, and Meaning. North Georgia: University of North Georgia, 2016.