Blog: If art is something beyond words – then is it anything?

I have been having a conversation with a friend on Linked in – I will not use her name here – but she wrote me the following:

Dear Christine, what I meant is that art is indescribable like life- you cannot catch the essence of life with words bcs. It is something beyond words. The same ist true for what is art for me- it is a divine energy flowing through the painting of whatever art object it is and speaking to you in many ways. I think it is impossible to describe or define what art is- you look at it and just know it and that is enough. Definitions are just to calm the mind but art is far beyond the mind . When you look at art you simply know it is art.

My reply:

I am just wondering if art is something beyond words – then is it anything? And If it is indescribable then is it anything? I know how you feel. I used to say the same thing about my sprint and being and art. But I have changed – not that I don’t believe that I was called to do what I do -but because I think I have been conditioned historically to believe what I believe and do what I do. That gives art some sort of reality – rather than just a mystical thing hanging out there. That moves art away from it can be anything and everything and anyone can do art.

Let me switch gears. I don’t know if you have seen sporting events where both sides pray to a God that they will be guided by Him and have their team win. Do you think God plays sides, let's say there are more players on one team that pray and believe over the other team? I don’t. So moving back to art – there are so many artists art there who would like to create “art” and be “artists.” Not all of them are artists, nor do they create art. Many say like you do that their work is spiritual – and is beyond mind. I ask why then are some of them artists that create art and others aren’t. If you are of the thinking, with mind that is, that anyone can be an artist and create art then that works for you. But I don’t believe anyone can create art nor is everyone who is mystically enriched and believe that making art is their calling, an artist.

I believe that art is of mind – we construct, create, think, change things, move things. Artists, many of them think about what they want to say and how they want to say it. Art for me has a reality – a material reality. That we have choice and that my being wasn’t predetermined to be an artist. I have been historically conditioned to be what I am. And I choose to recognize my “self” as a thing in itself. Like art is a thing in itself and is conceptual. I also believe that there is a marvelous energy flowing through me and my work when I create. God has enabled me through choice to recognize this energy to enjoy it.