Why We Make Art Essay

Art: It’s more than just a pretty picture “What is art?” is a question that constantly lingers in the back of my mind. Jeremy Adam Smith, author of the article “Why We Make Art”, explains his definition as “anything anyone calls art is art. [...] Calling something ‘art’ is really just a subjective way of indicating value” (par. 4). Entering art foundations my freshmen year I had no prior knowledge of the talent I had for art. Now as I continue down the path of art, not only has my skill been presented to me, but so has its purpose and worth. I have found that art has much more dimension than what lies along the surface. The deeper into art I go, the more I struggle with defining it because as I try to simplify and categorize it into a specific

Emotion and life are intertwined within the creations, unlocking another layer of humanity, bringing art its value and use. Despite the fact that art is a visual form meant to be looked at, there is much more usefulness to it than what meets the eye or that is taken into consideration. Art is used to make one’s thoughts, ideas, and feelings come to life through the form of expression which in turn can trigger reactions from the eye of the public. From an artist’s standpoint, when one is to express themselves with art, they completely immerse themselves within their work. Ray Mark Rinaldi, the author of an article in the Denver Post, says that Christo Javacheff, a well known environmental artist who is known by his first name only, insists that with the creation of his latest project, “[he] is now part of the art” (par. 22). As Christo pours his entire being into it, the product reflects the same energy, heart, and focus he put into the piece. When art is used to self express, fragments of the artist shines throughout their work as a result. Often the creator will purposely shape their piece to spark specific feelings within the viewer. Rinaldi says that Christo explains how “every plane ride, every meeting with the engineers, every