Art Lovers discussion

Speaking with a coworker of mine who isn't as educated in art per se...the history, the biographies, the dramas in the art world, she made the profound statement that we all ask, 'What is Art'? It is relative I think we all agree.

So, when you wake up in the morning and step out the door. Is anything around you different? When you take a walk downtown, what do you observe? Is this art to you? The colors of the leaves in spring, summer, fall, winter. The architecture of the state capital building or the local law offices. How observant are we? What makes these observations different in that they could be considered 'art' in the sense that they move our heart and soul. Or do they?

My mother just returned from a month-long trip to Germany. When showing me the pictures of the trip, I saw many contained buildings. Castles, of course, but others, also. My first thought came from my studies in architecture a million years ago. Then I noticed the statues on most of the offices and churches. The art syles went from the 1400's or earlier to modern apartment complexes. Of course, looking at these photos induced thoughts of my own studies in art.

On the other hand, when I take a nature walk and squint my eyes a bit, making my surroundings slightly out of focus, the colors seem to blend and it is slmost impressionistic.

When I see a bench in the park, the feet of the bench are of a curious shape. To me and for me, this is art.

I look up at the white clouds forming and reforming above me against a Cerulean blue sky. What do I see?

Well, I don't have great vision, so in order to view impressionistic artwork I just take out my contacts and with my blurred vision the impressionist artwork reveals its image for me. (If I squint)! It's all how you squint!

I Like art since I'm knowing myself..I like most the impressionism..

A few years ago I got a temporary impulse to learn how to sketch. I have never been an artist in any sense of the word. So I attempted to copy off of some Leonardo da Vinci's drawings. During that time of imitating his shading, I noticed something. Everything around me had a shadow. Those shadows had different shapes and forms. Of course, everything would have a shadow at some time or another but it was just something of which I never took note.

Even if I didn't perfect my sketches, I believe this little impulsive exercise heightened my observations of inanimate objects and the light around me.

Heather wrote: "A few years ago I got a temporary impulse to learn how to sketch. I have never been an artist in any sense of the word. So I attempted to copy off of some Leonardo da Vinci's drawings. During that ..."

Interesting comment, Heather. When I was teaching drawing I knew many of my students were only there because they thought it would be an easy 3 credits (they were wrong.) They would probably never draw again, or certainly not seriously, but their lives would change because learning to draw is learning to SEE. And that you carry with you for the rest of your life.

Ruth wrote: Interesting comment, Heather. When I was teaching drawing I knew many of my students were only there because they thought it would be an easy 3 credits (they were wrong.) They would probably never draw again, or certainly not seriously, but their lives would change because learning to draw is learning to SEE. And that you carry with you for the rest of your life

You are right, Ruth! That's exactly what it did. I also appreciated even more those artists with perspectives, colors, and subjects that are rather 'out-of-the-ordinary'.