When Is Someone an Artist, and What Is Art?

This topic has been discussed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. The phrase, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” could easily be applied to art. And without a doubt, one person’s art is another person’s junk or folly. Even worse, a piece of art could have no impact on someone—which is likely the most disheartening outcome for the artist. Love it, or hate it is fine, but please say it made an impression on you.

I have been reflecting on this question about art and artists since my early days in art school. At its core, I believe being an artist isn’t about the tools or the medium—it’s about the desire to say something, to communicate an experience, emotion, or idea. Today, this question feels even more relevant with the explosion of artificial intelligence (A.I.) tools on the internet. We now have AI tools for writing, visual arts, film, and music. I suspect AI-driven sculpture tools and robots are either already here or soon will be.

With these tools in play, the question of what art is—and who or what qualifies as an artist—has resurfaced. I’ve written about technology and art in the past. Each time a new technology emerges that can create something resembling what we call art, the question of its legitimacy arises. Photography is a good example of a technology that was initially dismissed as not being an art form. Early photographers were not considered artists because they didn’t have a “hand” in the creation of the image. This perception, of course, has changed over time.

This brings me back to our dilemma: What is art, and what makes someone—or something—an artist? I wrote a short piece about this a long time ago while in art school. Recently, I pulled it off the shelf and revisited what I had written. It got me thinking, and I decided to adapt it into a spoken-word song. I use the words “I” and “create,” but the fact is, I used an AI tool to produce the song after reworking the text into lyrics suitable for a song and then used an AI tool to create the music.

I’m sharing both the written piece and the song in this post. While we can debate the quality of a 20-year-old’s perspective on this topic and whether the song resonates with you personally, I contend that both are forms of art. Neither would exist without the thoughts of the writer and the desire to express something—whether through writing or song.

So, when is someone an artist? When they have the desire to communicate something meaningful. And what is art? Well, it’s the manifestation of that desire, regardless of the medium—whether it’s paint, words, music, or an AI tool used by an artist.

Of course, some might argue that art requires technical mastery or originality. While these elements can enhance art, I believe it’s the intention behind the creation that truly defines it.

So, to close out this post, I am sharing the original short piece on this topic. Keep in mind these are the musings of a young 20-year-old. I am also including the lyrics I recently crafted for the song and the recording. I will say that I still feel the same way as that 20-year-old even though I am much older. And the A.I. tool I used made it possible to communicate these ideas in a medium I would never have been able to do with that digital computing tool.

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What Is an Artist?    (Original 1977 version by CJ Kazilek and spoken by Sara)                        

What is an artist, a writer, or a musician?  An artist may have their brushes and paint, the musician their piano or guitar, a writer can have a typewriter or possibly just a pen and paper.  But what is it that makes these individuals “artists?”  Take for example the writer: they have at their command letters that form words.  However, what are words if they are “simply” placed on paper at random?  They are nothing, but given the writer, the words become a thought, a feeling, a hope, a desire, a love… Yes, with the writer words can communicate any emotion, or thought.

Ah, so now we have hit on the main catalyst of all these creators: the artist, the musician, the writer, it’s their ability to communicate.  For one, strokes of obscure pigments laid on a bleak canvas become her interpretation, her feelings, her thoughts about life.  For another, a note, no not a note, but a combination of notes are created to give the world one man’s reaction to a moment of a person, or any one of a thousand other things.  For still another, pen, paper, Smith-Corona, and twenty-six letters become their tool for telling a tale of the wonders about them.

Yes, it is communication that makes these individuals the creators they are.  No, better yet, it is their desire to say something that makes them the “artist.”  That is why we have always had artists- because there has always been something to say; something of hope, of praise, yes even of disgust…  It is as I have said, the individual’s “desire” to communicate their interpretation of life that makes that individual the “artist.”

 The song …

Music intro – (10 15 seconds)

Verse 1 (Spoken Word)

What is an artist, a writer, or a musician?

An artist may have his brushes and paint,

the musician his piano or guitar,

a writer can have a typewriter or possibly just a pen and paper.

But what is it that makes these individuals “artists?”

Take for example the writer…

“It’s the desire to say something,

To give voice to hope, love, and pain.

It’s the desire to say something,

That sets the artist’s soul aflame.”

Verse 2 (Spoken Word)

Ah, so now we have hit on the main catalyst of all these creators:

the artist, the musician, the writer—

their ability to communicate.

For one, strokes of obscure pigments laid on a bleak canvas

become his interpretation of the world’s chaos—

a swirl of colors that may seem random,

but upon closer look, is the artist’s silent scream,

his rage at the injustices he sees,

his love for the moments of peace he clings to.

For another, a note—

no, not just a note, but a combination of notes—

is created to capture the stillness of dawn,

the sound of a mother’s lullaby,

or the storm of emotions that accompany heartbreak.

These notes, they resonate,

they echo in the hearts of those who listen,

and in those fleeting moments,

the musician’s feelings become theirs.

And for the writer, it’s pen and paper,

the clacking typewriter, or a laptop’s glow in the dead of night.

Their words become a bridge—

a connection to a stranger’s mind,

telling stories of love found and lost,

or the quiet despair of a man staring out at a rainy street.

Each letter, each phrase, becomes an invitation:

‘Come see the world through my eyes.’

Refrain (Spoken or Lightly Sung)

“It’s the desire to say something,

To give voice to hope, love, and pain.

It’s the desire to say something,

That sets the artist’s soul aflame.”

Bridge

Yes, it is communication that makes these individuals the creators they are.

No, better yet, it is their desire to say something…

because there has always been something to say—

something of hope, of praise, yes even of (pause) disgust…

Final Refrain

“It’s the desire to say something,

To give voice to hope, love, and pain.

It’s the desire to say something,

That sets the artist’s soul aflame.”

Outro

(Spoken Word & Instrumental Fade)

In the end, I guess, (pause) speaking as an artist, (pause) it’s

the individual’s desire to communicate their interpretation of life

that makes that individual the “artist” and feeds their flame.

In the end, I guess, (pause) speaking as an artist, (pause) it’s

the individual’s desire to communicate their interpretation of life

that makes that individual the “artist” and feeds their flame.

In the end, I guess, (pause) speaking as an artist, (pause) it’s

the individual’s desire to communicate their interpretation of life

that makes that individual the “artist” and feeds their flame.

That makes that individual the “artist” and feeds their flame.

(Music fades out gently, mirroring the opening.)