So Ive been meaning to post this for quite some time now. There were a number of things I meant to post about, but theres one that stands above the rest in importance.

During the Homecoming game, Dalton Divine texted me, asking me what my definition of a great artist was. I gave him a bit of a response, but a conversation of such depth simply cannot be carried out via texts. So Dalton, this is for you.

The question was simple. "What makes a great artist?". By no means are there any solid answers. And its this mystique about art that makes it so great. It is 100% subjective, and can be interpreted how you see fit.

But my definition? Have I ever even tried to define what a great artist is? It seemed like too big a topic for my mind to tackle.

Well, before I can define "great artist", I first need to define "artist", and the more subjective term "great".

Most people would say that an Artist is one who makes art. But what do most people consider to be art? Some see art in a more classical sense; paintings, drawings, sculpture. These are the more obvious forms of art. But what about Architecture, Bread-making, Garden design, even body-painting!? These are only a few of the more obscure arts. There is one thing they all have in common: They are used to express.

So, an Artist is one who expresses. But what about great? Thats tough.

We'll take, for example, one of my favorite "mainstream" artists, Salvador Dali. Why is he, in my mind, great? Look at some of his work.

It is thought-provoking, visually stimulating, and expertly executed. The word great, without a doubt, comes to mind. It makes you think "What is the emotion here?". Dali could have simply drawn a still-life of a tiger, or a nude woman. But instead he took the two images, put them together. Rather than working directly with objects, he works with the concepts that surround objects.

Every person's perceptions are different, but when I see a nude woman, particularly in that pose, I think "sex". I am but a man. When a see a tiger pouncing, I think "aggression", or "attack". To put the two in a painting together is revolutionary. Is Dali suggesting that man's pursuit for sex is fierce, or that the act of sex is itself fierce? See, it makes one think.

I have to think about this more. I will post more later.