Defining Art

At what point does art become craft? (Craft as in something you can do in your sleep such as painting a wall or using caligraphy on an envelope)

Warhol is considered one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century yet I have to wonder if he were to create the Cambell's soup can today if they would laugh him out of the art world. Let's face it, he didn't design the label - all he did was copy something that already existed and he didn't add any of himself to it. There are no changes, no interpretation of what he saw when he looked at a can - it is no different than a photograph.

So is it art because he painted it?

IMO, very little of Warhol's 'art' was something of his creation. He took images of the day and painted them - sometimes in colors different from the original but sometimes they were the like this soup can. He would also do custom colors - such as the soup can in blue - which someone would request because their living room was blue.

Where does art end...and craft begin?

In my mind, art is something you pour yourself into. Your art could be baking, gardening, decorating, writing, raising children, painting - whatever it is that turns you on. It's what gets you up in the morning and it burns bright in your body. It is the one thing you are willing to sacrifice everything else for.

So was Andy Warhol an artist? Yes...but I still think it's just a soup can. :)