Written By Maura Curran

Photography By Abby Rowland

Modeled by Courtney Skornia, Annabella Diaz, Khristin Guardado, Cole Vest, & Giovanni Sanchez

What do you find beautiful about painting and drawing? Is it the delicate sketches, the vibrant colors? Is it the intricate details, the realism? While all these characteristics represent the beauty and dedication that goes hand in hand with art, it can still be something that anyone can pursue. Whether you are doing it for fun, trying to learn a new skill or just simply using it as an escape, these circumstances do not denounce the value of the art process. Time and time again, people are apprehensive about the idea of art. They say, “I’m not good at painting” or “I don’t know how to draw well.” But, they forget to explore art as not only a skill, but an experience, an escape or an outlet of expression. 

This is similar to the idea of beauty standards, a societal concept that emphasizes the idea that you must fit a certain standard to be considered beautiful. But this too is subjective, and not true. We are making progress towards derailing the standard of beauty, and maybe we could think of art in the same way. Just as we should see past the beauty standard, and find beauty in everyone no matter how they look, we could also see past the technicality of art, and see it for what it truly can be – more than just skill. A way for us to express feelings, ideas and thoughts.

So, what makes art beautiful? While the idea of what makes art beautiful is subjective, it does not always have to depend on experience or skill level. Art is a form of creative expression, an opportunity for creative liberty, and it is up to you as an artist to choose how you execute that creative liberty. It does not always have to be about the product or quality of the work. It can be about the artist creating something with passion — creating something that they want to create. You should be able to experience the process of creating something you love.

Take abstract art for example – art that does not attempt to represent external reality, but seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, forms, colors and textures. Abstract art has a limitless appearance. This often causes abstract pieces to be overlooked or underestimated, often misinterpreted as “easy to make.” Wassily Kandinsky is a successful Russian abstract artist and creator of the famous abstract piece, “Composition X.” The piece is composed of relatively common shapes, collaborated to create an intricately detailed image. He created the piece wanting to emphasize the purity of form and expression. Kandinsky created over 600 works in the span of his career and hit his record auction price of $41.6 million in 2017. Kandinsky believed that art, in its purest form, comes from the soul, influences the soul and cannot be achieved without letting go of the world’s expectations.

“There is no must in art, because art is free,” said Kandinsky.

Renowned Spanish artist, Pablo Picasso, is most famously known for his expressive cubist style. One of his most famous works, “Portrait of Dora Maar” (1937), looks intricate at first glance. Despite how much is going on in the piece, looking closer, you can see each of the characters and traits of the painting are made up of relatively simple shapes, some even being quite abstract or disproportionate. Throughout this “simplistic” arrangement of lines and shapes, he is able to convey a storyline through interpretation and meaning. While it still took Picasso a certain level of skill and understanding of artistic concepts to create his expressive cubist pieces, it is a great example of how creative expression is a way to experiment with art that even someone with little to no experience can try. After enrolling in the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid to study art, Picasso was not impressed by the teachings there, and ended up gaining most of his artistic knowledge through observing the world around him. His portrait, “Dora Maar,” located in Musee Picasso (The Picasso Museum) in Paris, France, is recognized as one of his best paintings.

These examples reflect the subjectivity of art. Anyone should be able to experience the creative process of art, whatever the motive may be, or however much or little experience they have. It does not have to be about how realistically you can paint a tree, but what the meaning of that tree holds for you as the artist. Why are you exploring the creative process? What story does it tell? Anyone of any background should be able to feel entitled to partake in the process of art of any style or form, whether it is as an emotional escape, a creative outlet or just for fun! Being a first-time artist does not devalue the art they create.