Art is a Verb, Not a Noun

Most people don’t realize how much courage it takes for an artist to show their work to people. Courage, as defined by Mark Twain, is not the lack of fear, but rather being able to move forward in spite of it. In my previous article, If You Are Addicted, I introduce the notion that there is a difference between making art and making a painting (sculpture, photography, or whatever your medium is). Expression of your unique form of creativity is an addiction that very few artists have any choice about. It’s the need that drives you, identifies who you are as a person to yourself as well as others and keeps you centered. But, creating ART, takes more than just making the object. After years of talking to artists too timid or too scared to show their work, I’ve heard just about every excuse in the book… fear of rejection, lack of time, not interested in exposure, not ready, the list goes on and on. But for some, there comes a point at which they can no longer ignore the need for their artwork to be seen. It’s as if the artwork itself is demanding exposure. It is here, that the distinction between an object that sits on the wall begins the transition into becoming art.

As I define it, art is the activity that occurs in the space that exists between my eyeballs and that object you have created. It is the interaction between the collective experiences in my brain, as I process the way you have chosen to express the collective experiences in your brain. It is only when this exchange takes place, that your work becomes art. It is when you share your creation with the outside world that you truly become an artist. Sadly, for many artists, this is an experience they will never have. My goal, therefore, is to help prepare you to take the leap from being an object maker, to being an artist. By understanding the responsibility you have to get your work seen, you can begin to take the important first steps in becoming an artist.

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