What is an Artist?

An artist is someone who expresses their creativity and emotions through various mediums such as painting, sculpture, music, literature, dance, or film. They often aim to evoke emotions, provoke thoughts, or communicate ideas through their work.

I think the statement “evoke emotions ” and “provoke thoughts” are the key. Appreciation of art, in its many iterations, is a personal experience. There are few people who can appreciate every style of music, similarly there are few people who appreciate every style of painting.

Take for instance how the public opinion of graffiti or tattoo art can be so polarizing. Does graffiti or tattoo art evoke emotions and provoke thoughts? Of course it does, yet its popularity has always struggled for general acceptance. That is of course unless, as a graffiti artist, you go by the name “Banksy”.

Publicly funded art sculptures are another hot topic where opinions are often divided. Reactions to completed work typically range somewhere between adoration and outrage.

Artists put their work out there with the expectation that it will be critiqued by the public. A scant few will gain some level of general acceptance, most will not. But as an artist failure only occurs when you quit trying.

Contact: Clarence Durocher

• albertamountainart@gmail.com