Don’t bother with art, or do – TAO LP 1

You know, many of us wonder if the work we do is considered art or not. I tell you this, it doesn’t matter, and this question is in the way. The light painters are here light painting, and that’s what counts.

You know, many of us wonder if the work we do is considered art or not. I tell you this, it doesn’t matter, and this question is in the way of things. The light painters are here light painting, and that’s what counts.

If you think of the word ART, what comes to your mind?
In my case and very honestly, not much. The word itself has been used, abused, and stretched in so many ways that it lost its essence and meaning. So how to define what is art and what is not?

If you observe carefully, behind every light painters, there is a different intention, a unique purpose or process for doing light painting. For some of us, it’s a hobby, for others, an exploration. Some people light paint socially with friends or with groups going out at night. Some people want to connect and share with others on social media. Some love it for the tools, the gear, the toys, and the effects they get. There are some of us that want to escape our realities or express emotions that need to come out. Light painting for therapy? Yes, of course. Light painting to discover the magic of the imagination? Certainly. How about light painting to make money and built a career? Why not? Light painting on the edge to get the adrenalin rush in a dark and dangerous location? We’ve seen it, right?

So is it art? I say this; does it matter? Does art need to define or does art need to be approved by ourselves and others?

Let’s look at how the dictionary defines Art.

1- The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.

2- The various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, and dance.

3- The conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects.

4- Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory, or performing artifacts (artworks), expressing the author’s imaginative or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power. In their most general form, these activities include the production of works of art, the criticism of art, the study of the history of art, and the aesthetic dissemination of art.

So basically, from the definition here, the answer is this; it’s all Art, no matter what you do. So let’s stop thinking of this question; Art or Not. It’s in the way of our process, regardless of where it leads us. The important is that you, we, are exploring a creative part of ourselves.

If you are interested, here is a photographer that found an explanation of what is art according to him. (If you are not afraid of this dark character).

For the ones who feel the call and need their work to be Art, then get into deep processes, dedication, innovations, meditation, revelations, discoveries, personal growth, transformation. Push yourself further and deeper outside your comfort zone. Find the meaning of life and your purpose here on this planet. Get into the Art world, get into the exhibitions, share your point of view, your philosophy, your take on reality, and what it means to be alive. Get into the selling of your pieces, get into the Art business, the Art mindset, and the Arts side of the light painting.

Or, if you don’t need this label, if you don’t need the seriousness and challenges of it all, find your own way, be satisfied and fulfilled by your creative process and discovery, then be free from this idea and this questioning. Get away from the judgments of yourself and the others, Art or Not. At the core, we are humans, creating, every day, the reality we believe in, and together we make our common reality, our community filled with interactions, motion, colors, contrast, darkness, and light.

Choose what kind of trace you will leave behind and let it be what it is. Be at peace with your journey. Life is your canvas after all.

Model: Genevieve Borne: http://genevieveborne.com

TAO LP  (The Art Of Light Painting).