Day 304 Question 304:

 What does it mean to be an artist?

 When people hear the word artist the image of a person holding a paintbrush usually floods their mind.  Obviously, this is not the only form of an artist there is out there…although it is a great one.  Like so many things in this world, an artist is something that can only truly be defined on a personal level.  There cannot be one definition for the whole because art is different for everyone.  We are all artists in some form or another whether or not we know it or acknowledge it.  Life is our canvas and how we paint on it or design it is our individual choice.

 I have known I was an artist since I was very young.  I have felt a creative energy running through my veins for as long as I can remember and although my art does not come from the tip of a paintbrush or the lead of a pencil….I paint with words every day.  My art is my written expression….it is the person inside of me that is the truest and most honest.  To me, being an artist means to show vulnerability….art can be found in a simple conversation if someone shows their true and genuine emotions.

 The reason that I chose this question is because a couple of weeks ago I randomly saw a music video made by Pink for her new song “Try”.  I don’t know how I stumbled upon it but I was immediately glad I did.  I see all musicians as being artists but after seeing this video (and other interviews and videos with her) I found her to be such a beautiful artist.  She not only writes her own music which comes from her life experiences (even the most painful and ugly experiences) but she paints a story for her audience.  She does not just conquer what she is good at but instead embraces other forms of art….even if she doesn’t perfect them she at least tries them.  She has put on shows where she not only sings but also performs circus high-ropes acts and in this latest video it is so obvious that she learned the art of dance and not only did she learn it but she felt it….when you watch the video (at least for me) you can feel her emotions through the words in her song and in her movement.  I believe that to be the most beautiful form of art….to be able to express yourself and have your audience feel that expression.

 A true artist (and I say this only in my opinion) does not only express through personal experiences but also expresses through the experiences of what is happening around them.  I express my opinions every day but I talk a great deal about the experiences of others….I try to feel and understand what they feel.  The musings of life that surround us make this world our canvas and it is how we choose to express ourselves on this canvas that make up what art really is.  Even in the most horrific experiences such as murder and war we can find art because we see the multitudes of expressions of the people affected.  Even in the worst there is beauty that can be found.