Hello, I'm Holly Cavanaugh and this is my first post in my Fall 2011 Anthropology of Art Blog! Allow me to briefly introduce myself, I'm a junior here at Humboldt State, majoring in Anthropology with Art and French minors, planning to graduate in Spring 2013. I'm pretty sure I'm focusing in cultural anthropology (although I do like archaeology, too), with specific research about international and domestic adoption affairs, orphanages, multi-cultural families, etc.
What is Art? Art to me is essentially expressing creativity. I don't feel like I can really nail down exactly what art really is, because I don't think art has a real “definition.” Art is extremely personal. Most art is born from inspiration and creativity, rather than from necessity or force. Although I did say most art is born of those things, but I do think that art can be a side effect of other elements. Just because a piece of art didn't come from a grand demonstration of inspiration, doesn't mean it isn't artistic to someone. Like I said before, art can't be nailed down, and is hard to describe, but I know when I see, read, hear, or experience art, I can appreciate it.
I’m beginning to realize even more, how hard it is to really define art. In class, we discussed the characteristics of art and tried to distinguish what is art and what is not art. Because art is so subjective, it’s nearly impossible to label anything as art or not as art. Art evokes emotion, shows personal expression, can be beautiful or revolting, it even can be edible, and so much more; so to try to define it seems almost wrong.
I'm hoping to build up my knowledge about art and to learn about human's journey through artistic experiences. I find it fascinating that art is one element of human life that has stayed constant and will keep affecting our society. In the most dire times in our past, art has never stopped and I don't think it ever will. It plays an important part of our well-being and I'm excited to study such an influential subject.
-Holly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Claude_Monet_037.jpg
