I wonder, sometimes, what it means to make good art.
I wonder what good art really is.
Josh’s grandma paints beautiful landscapes, and when I see them I am almost there – hiking those mountains, crossing those streams. That is good art.
A relative gave me a set of handmade coasters, and her thoughtfulness reminded me I am loved. That is good art.
I take photos of dogs and send them to owners who are away. That, maybe, is good art.
My mom writes about grief and cancer and shares it with those who need hope. That is good art.
I try to write what is real, what hasn’t been done before, what – at the very least – might cause someone to think. That, I hope, is good art.
Sometimes art is so real we don’t even notice it as art.
A mother decorates a room. A dog walks at a tight heel. A neighbor’s maples line the street.
If we don’t look, we might miss it.
A friend’s expression. Crayons stacked in jars. A black dog on a sunny afternoon.
Jen S
Tuesday 29th of May 2012
As a kid, my dad always said "Art intentionally invokes an emotion." So... if it invokes an emotion, it can be art. Granted, that's a pretty broad statement and if you analyzed it can be proved wrong or faulty in many situations... BUT!!! ... I tend to really like it...
A picture of a dog on a sunny day brings joy and calm to me... that is definitely art. :)
Dawn
Tuesday 29th of May 2012
Jan, as an artist it is difficult to draw a black dog for the same reason. Highlights sometimes make it look like a drawing of a black & white dog.
Jan
Tuesday 29th of May 2012
Lovely picture. It's hard to take a great photo of a black dog. Without the highlights it often just looks like a blob.
Dawn
Tuesday 29th of May 2012
I agree, art is all around us if we are just willing to see it. That is a very nice photograph of Ace. It makes me want to draw it! He is so handsome!!!