It is not solely the province of painters, sculptors, musicians and dancers, although public perception seems to accord it. Think of architecture - perhaps it is the addition of science - physics, engineering - that makes it suspect, but while we can appreciate a great church, building, as "art", we seldom credit the Architect as an artist. Or writers - writer, in this, instance, seems to include that element of art, implicit, but we imagine the writer and the artist differently, kindred spirits, perhaps, but - something is different...
Perhaps it is because of language, that we all are - to greater and lesser degrees - fluent in it, and so a writer then is someone who does little more than speak to paper. Not, say, like a painter, or sculptor, behind whom there may be years of formal training and apprenticeships. Everyone has tried to draw, then given up when it didn't meet their expectations. Or to dance, or sculpt, play an instrument - our failure is our acknowledgement of the craft, the labour, the talent and skill that goes into it.
We reserve the term "Artist" for those pursuits that ornament our lives, for the superflous, for that which brings us joy or sorrow but is in the end dispensible - we don't need it. Thus a cook is differentiated from a Chef, or "Culinary Artist", in that a cook merely feeds us, while a chef, properly, is meant to entertain our palates. We think of actors as artists, because the one entertain us, whereas the news anchors and weathermen are merely personages that fill the television. They are necessities, not luxuries.
This is a lie.
Art is essential. Art is the degree to which we successfully resolve harmony between our emotional, spiritual and intellectual lives. It nourishes our hearts, minds and spirits.
What about science, which to many is the opposite of Art? The laws of which are discovered? Or are they invented? Concepts build upon ideas, numbers give rise to algebra, calculus, physics, a single point to geometry, biology to evolution, and no sooner is an idea accepted than it is built upon and elaborated. Science soon begins to look as much like as fantastical a creation as any painting by Heirmonious Bosch, and we should be careful to recognize and understand that we may be "Inventing" as much as "Discovering".
And - as everyone is the creator and architect of their own existence - I the author, you the reader, and should you glance around and see another ... realize that they, too, created their existence, and the measure of artistry they achieve is determined by their ability to rise above reacting to external influences, forces, by their ability to tap into that which we all have if only we can find the luxury of solitude, quiet and our own thoughts.
The Phrase "Con Artist" refers disparagingly to someone who can make us believe in lies, an artist nonetheless, but implicitly we understand a great artist will always strive towards truth - a con artist towards deception.
We are all con-artists, we decieve ourselves that we are good at (...), that we are bad at (...) - and we build our lives upon the small lies we tell ourselves, tell our employers, tell our children, upon the lies we have been told since birth and thoughtlessly impart to others...
Undeniable artistry, in the way we shape the existence of others, our children, families, friends, communities, the beliefs we inculcate them with, the degree to which we empower them, the joy and sorrow we bring them.
If only we knew the truth.
That all of life is creation, of which we all are part.