“Beam Dance” by Don Sottile
We began 2025 asking the question “What is ART anyway?” Throughout this past year, we offered up various answers including the ideas of a few famous artists, the opinions of some philosophers and suggestions from other people. And while we may not have provided you with an absolute, definitive answer, we can say it appears that art encompasses many things and can be found almost everywhere.
Yes, art includes those things that we typically think of as “Art with a capital A”: painting, sculpture, music, poetry, writing, drama, dance and architecture. We enjoy it and are inspired by it. Art also includes the decorative arts, applied arts and design, which produce objects that are both beautiful and functional. But art is actually more than either of those — more than what we see in galleries and museums, more than what we see and hear in theaters and more than what we read in libraries.
Art is the process of creation as well as the product that is created. It is spark of inspiration and the implementation of that idea. Which of our ancestors was inspired to add that unnecessary, nonfunctional element to a tool or item of clothing? Who was the first to think to paint images on a wall of rock or to carve patterns into a stone? We will never know who those individuals were, but we know they existed because we can still see what they created.
Art is also a reflection of both the artist and the society within which that artist resides. An artist’s own values and ideas are often apparent in his or her finished works. At the same time, society’s shared values and social mores are often evident as well. How much have we learned about ancient cultures from scenes carved in rock or displayed in painted frescoes? Even over centuries, art utilizes our shared histories, experiences and values to tell stories we can understand.
Art allows artists to express themselves and communicate with others thru various means. Art can be used tell a story, to share information, to promote an idea or to evoke emotions like joy, fear, anger and sadness – all with or without words. Today art is actually an integral part our life experience. And we humans are apparently designed to be creative. Creative expression is a natural function of the brain and a natural means of communication. As a result, art is now used by the medical establishment to treat various conditions and diseases.
So, when you’re out and about tomorrow or next week- stop, look around and listen. We’re pretty sure you’ll find at least a bit of “Art” or be inspired to create some.
— Pat Jackson
Pat Jackson is an artist, an instructor, a volunteer and a member of the Arts Center Board of Directors.