Art is:
1. “all creative human endeavors, excluding actions directly related to survival and reproduction”
2. “any product of the creative impulse, out of which sprang all other human pursuits”
3. “art requires a creative and unique perception of both the artist and audience”
The above definitions were taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art.
4. “skill acquired by experience, study, or observation”
5. “a branch of learning”
6. “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects”
The above definitions were taken from http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary.
Websites relating to dance, visual art, music, film, television, radio, folk art, and theater
1. Dance: http://www.itap2.com/ This website is dedicated to the teachings of Irish and Celtic dancing. Pat Dennis began teaching Irish dance in 1986. Her first group was called the “Lockwood Cloggers” out of Lockwood Missouri. Over the years Pat and her husband Kevin have continued to provide instruction in the art of Irish dancing to many people. Pat is also a judge at competitions and choreographs dance routines. The subject of this website, Irish dancing, is about art because definition 4 applies. Pat has acquired a skill by experience, study and observation. (To view most of the website you must click on the different links offered on the home page.)
2. Visual art: http://www.monarchrestaurant.com/ This website is the official website for the Monarch Restaurant in Maplewood Missouri. This restaurant combines international gourmet cuisine, fine wines and a “dynamic art gallery” for a visually pleasing dining experience. The subject of this website, the visual arts, is about art because definition 3, 4 and 6 all apply.
The restaurant uses visual art to draw their crowd in and make their dining experience more enjoyable while subjecting them to art. The cooks must have had some training to produce such wonderful cuisine! Just look at the menu. Finally, to put art and fine food together in one building is a very creative way to open other people’s minds. (I emailed this website to see if they could send me some pictures since it doesn’t display any pictures. I will post an addition if I get some.)
3. Music: http://www.reasontorock.com/ This website is dedicated to the evaluation of rock as an art form. In all, it is an online book written by an English major who wants to defend rock music as an art form for the ages. Herb Bowie’s book is an attempt to “focus on rock music as an independent art form”. The website offers his account of what “rock” music is and why it should be considered an art form all its own. The subject of this website, rock music, is about art because definition 2 and 3 apply. Rock music “requires a creative and unique perception of both the artist and audience”. It also is a product of creative impulse that inspires others to “create” their own pieces of art.
4. Film: http://www.paff.org/html/index.php This is the official website of the Pan African Film Festival or PAFF. Established in 1992, the PAFF is a non-profit organization dedicate to “the promotion of cultural and racial tolerance and understanding through the exhibition of film, art and creative expression.” The PAFF presents over 100 films from various African Americans every year.
They believe that art in the form of film and creative expression can bring together the hundreds of diverse cultures throughout the world. The subject of this website, film, is about art because definition 3 and 6 both apply. The PAFF uses creative expression to bring together the audience and the artist even if they are culturally diverse. They also put to use their imagination to reproduce African American films for everyone.
5. Television: http://www.pbs.org/ This is the official website of PBS. PBS was founded in 1969 and is a private, non-profit corporation ran by 349 public television stations. Its focus is on commercial-free educational television programming for all ages. It features “television’s best children’s, cultural, educational, history, nature, news, public affairs, science and skills programs” to enrich young children’s lives before, during and after their school years. The subject of this website, television, is about art because definition 4 applies. PBS has studied and observed millions of television viewers and used their opinions to create a television station for people of all cultures and origins.
6. Radio: http://www.fm99.com/ This is the official website for my favorite radio station here in Norfolk Virginia. FM99 is a venue with a lot of talent as well as a broad selection of music. Their website depicts their radio personalities as well as their current promotions, song lists, contests, concerts and show recaps. FM99 also streams their radio station via the internet which is a first time thing for them. The subject of this website, radio, is about art because definition 3 applies. Tommy and Rumble, a pair of personalities on FM99, are a very creative pair as depicted here in this link http://www.fm99.com/TommyRumble.asp . They are the core of FM99 promoting comedy, another art form, music and diversity. FM99 takes the audiences input and makes their radio station a place for the people.
7. Folk art: http://www.folk-art-center.com/ This is a website strictly dedicated to Romanian folk art. It offers many insights to the different types of folk art including pottery, wood carving, embroidery, costumes, music and more. As the website states “Transylvania remains one of the few places in Europe where one can still see centuries-old traditional community life and understand a different connection to the environment and among people”. Each link provides an explanation of each type of Romanian folk art and pictures of each. The subject of this website, Romanian folk art, is about art because definition 6 applies. Romanian folk art uses the people’s skill and imagination to create an artistically pleasing representation of their time in life.
8. Theater: http://www.guthrietheater.org/ This website is the official website of Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis Minnesota. Opening in 1963 with a production of Hamlet, the theater’s founder Sir Tyrone Guthrie started a new revolution in theater. When Guthrie and two of his colleagues, Oliver Rea and Peter Zeisler, got together they decided that the traditional “Broadway” was too commercialized.
Thus began the Guthrie Theater. The theater serves as a “vital artistic resource for the people of Minnesota and the region”. It uses a resident acting company to perform various works throughout the year. The subject of this website, theater is about art because definition 3 applies. The theater creates a venue for creative perception by the audience by allowing the actors and actresses to express themselves through their creativity.
