Is art subjective?
People say that art is subjective. In most ways, it is. People have their own taste when it comes to liking or not liking art. My personal opinion is that art is everywhere in all forms. When you mention art, the first thing that comes to mind is a painting or drawing. However, art is so much more than that. It can take the form of sculptures made of wood, metal, clay, or marble, for example. Different mediums come into play for different artists. Art can be spoken or sung, written or woven, and imagined. It can also take the form of symbols or ideas, even in the patterns of nature such as leaves, flowers, and rocks.
I think Mark Twain once said, 'Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.' Believe me, I have worked some questionable jobs, and some of them have not been enjoyable at times. The thing that has always gotten me through was my attitude toward the task I was doing. An example of this is when I was younger and worked as a labourer for a bricklaying business. It was physically tiring and, at times, abusive. It was hot during the summer and cold in the early mornings to start. What made me admire this labour-intensive work was that at the end of the job, after all the sweat and negative feelings, I could see the end result. I had helped build something. I had touched every brick, made the cement and mortar to hold the structure together, and knew that people would soon gather to meet, laugh, study, and celebrate inside it. I also knew that it would be around for a long time, and maybe generations of people would repeat history in different ways. They could repaint it, add to it, tear some of it down, and remodel it to their particular taste, but I touched the first brick.
My point is, whether you are an artist, a teacher, a salesperson, an author, or applying your trade in any kind of work, you are creating SOMETHING that will affect SOMEONE. It is your attitude and how you apply your skills that will give you satisfaction.
That being said, maybe those are not your only skills. You might have a hobby that makes you smile, and perhaps your hobby makes other people happy too. If you have the time and the opportunity to generate a bit of happiness around you, nurture it and share it. We could all do with a bit more 'art.'
My other passion is motorcycles. I don't just like to draw and paint; I also enjoy building, tinkering, and riding them. So for those of you who are feeling low in spirit and discouraged, feed your passion; it's hungry.
