If I Asked You to Define Art Right Now, Could You Do It?

Go ahead, take a moment. I’ll wait.

It’s harder than you think, isn’t it?

We all believe we know what art is. We see it, we feel it, we buy it. But when someone asks us to put it into words, most of us stumble.

My first answer was simple: art is a form of human expression. We express our sense of beauty, our emotions, the messages we want to share with the world.

But is that all there is to it?

Definition of Art Worth Exploring

Sheldon Cheney was an American art critic in the early 1900s. He advocated for modern art when it was still controversial and confusing to most people.

His definition of art goes like this:

Art is the formal expression of a conceived image or an imagined conception in terms of a given medium.

There is a lot to unpack here, so let’s break it down.

What Are We Expressing?

First, we agree on something: art is expression. But expression of what?

Cheney says it’s either a “conceived image” or an “imagined conception”.

A conceived image is a representation of something that exists in reality. A woman’s face. A vase of flowers. A sunset over water.

An imagined conception is creation of something entirely new. Something the artist brings into being from pure imagination. This is where abstraction lives.

I love the play of words here. Image and conception. Reality and imagination. Both given equal weight in what we call art.

Why the “Formal” Part in “Formal Expression” Matters

Cheney lived during a time when abstract art and expressionist art was shocking people. Many didn’t consider it “real” art at all.

By calling art, including abstract art, a “formal expression”, he was making an argument. He was saying: even abstract art has structure. It has intention. It follows principles, even if those principles aren’t just copying reality.

This wasn’t just a definition. It was a defense of modern art itself.

When Medium Is Part of the Message

When Cheney says “in terms of a given medium”, he simply means the form art takes.

Visual. Auditory. Performance and movement.

The medium is a way for us to experience art.

What’s Missing in this Definition of Art?

The definition tells us what art is, but not why it exists.

Why do we create art? Why do we seek it out, bring it into our homes, live with it daily?

I think the answer lives somewhere between beauty and connection. Between self-expression and being understood. Between creating meaning and finding it.

Art isn’t just formal expression. It’s also communion.

How This Shows Up in My Work

In my own practice, I don’t choose between conceived images and imagined conceptions – I combine them.

I paint florals and natural forms you can recognize and connect to. But I layer them with abstract elements, loose brushwork, unexpected color.

This gives me freedom to express what can’t be captured realistically. This feeling of morning light. The quiet strength in a flower stem. The way beauty makes us feel held.

The realistic elements give you something familiar to hold onto. The abstract parts invite you into the feeling, the mood, the moment.

That combination is where the magic happens for me.

And the purpose? I create to celebrate the beauty I see in the world. To share moments of peace and light. To remind us all of our connection to nature and to something greater than ourselves.

A Question for You

Next time you’re looking at a piece of art, ask yourself:

What is this expressing? Is it a conceived image, an imagined conception, or both?

And more importantly: Why does it speak to me? What does it offer that I’m seeking?

Because at the end of the day, art isn’t just about what the artist expresses.

It’s also about what you receive. What you need to see, feel, or remember in this moment of your life.

That’s the beautiful mystery of it all.

What’s your definition of art?

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The artwork featured in this post is my newest painting Closer to Forever: