Bromley Art Society Bringing Artists Together since 1947

Two to three nano-seconds after our first meeting Allan Davies asked me
if I would write an article for this edition of ‘The Easel’.

“O.K.,” said I, “What about?” “What is Art?”

“Oh, that old chestnut. Eezy Peezy lemon squeezy - I know THAT!” So
here it is - the definitive, complete and utter answer to the question
What is Art?.

Art is:-

Looking at a portrait in the current Holbein exhibition and realising that you’ve just seen that person on the tube.

Sitting in the Rothko room at Tate Modern and feeling totally awestruck without knowing why.

Anything by Rembrandt.

“My Mum and a Carrot” by Jade, aged 5. (Collection of the artist).

John Singer Sargent’s watercolours.

A Thierry Henry goal. (This was my teenage son’s suggestion and is included under the umbrella term of Performance Art.)

The Sistine Chapel ceiling.

Finding something to like among the 2006 Turner Prize contenders. Honest! Check out Tomma Abts.

Rolf Harris. Anyone who can get seven million plus people to watch a programme on Rodin has to be a bit special.

That moment when you’re painting/drawing/sculpting or whatever it is
you do when something just HAPPENS. Just for one fleeting moment you
have an insight into how every artist in history has felt. MAGIC.

So there it is. Art. Sorted.

Now - the Meaning of Life....

Dianne Gilmour (New BAS member)

Note: This was submitted well before the winner of the Turner Prize was announced. Ed.