What strikes me most about my visit is that following my part of the program, Krasl Art Fair Director Sara Shambarger showed an interesting short film called, "What is art?" The film asks various artists the question. What surprised me is the fact that many of the artists couldn't answer the question. Hmm. If we want more people to appreciate art, shouldn't we (especially artists) be able to define it? With that in mind, here's my definition: Art is the physical evidence of creative vision and expression that comes beautifully close to perfection. Art at its best should remind us of man's limitless potential. It should move us intellectually, emotionally, socially, spiritually and perhaps even physically. Once complete, art should be able to stand on its own as a testament to its creator as well as to the humanity of all who see it. "60 Minutes" Commentator Andy Rooney recently said that (paraphrasing here) art, music and literature are the only real things that are holding us together as a society. Indeed. What else is there? It certainly isn't money or politics. It's art. Unfortunately, money, politics and other things have sullied art. That's the way of the world.

I can understand why it was difficult for those artists to define art. First off, they had a camera in their face, lights blinding their eyes and a hungry microphone demanding a profound statement. Pressure. Plus, thanks to money, politics, race, sex and whatever else, art has become so many things today. That's the way of the world. Hmm, maybe that's it! Art is the way of the world. It's a reflection of the world and a reflection of life. Anyway, if we want art to thrive, we better be able to define it. My definition may do. Maybe not. Fortunately, I didn't have a camera stuck in my face.