The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of activities to do with creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The word art, derived from the Latin "ars", means "skill method", "technique" or "craft" but is understood not in the functional aspect of the object created but in its beauty. During the Middle Ages the idea of the artist already existed in some European countries, but the meaning was something resembling craftsman for both the utility of the objects and their attractiveness. An artist was someone able to do a work better than others, so the skill at the activity was underlined, rather than the activity itself.

 

Nowadays, Artist is a descriptive term applied to a person who engages in an activity deemed to be an art, such as sculpture. An artist also can be defined as, "a person who expresses themselves through a medium", such as bronze. The word is used in a qualitative sense of, people who use imagination, talent, or skill to create works that may be judged to have an aesthetic value. Art historians and critics define artists as those who produce art within a recognized or recognizable discipline; these disciplines can include dance, painting, or even bronze sculpture.

 

 

 

Artists are often associated with particular societies and their cultures. In our culture, artists are often used to enhance the value of the country or state they live in and are held as national symbols of greatness often helping to define that same culture. The presence of the works of "great masters" in museums all over the world helps nations to further their influence. In this sense, all the works of these artists will become "public" within their nationality. To be recognised as a Canadian artist is to uphold a certain status and to be recognised as important to one's society. Artists then become ambassadors of their country of origin. Examples of famous modern Canadian artists include: AA Bronson (mixed media), Ken Danby (painter), Nina Raginsky (photographer), and Brett Davis (sculptor). These are but a few examples of artists that Canada is proud to call their own, who will join more traditional Canadian artists such as Franklin Carmichael and J.E.H. MacDonald of the Group of Seven, or Tom Thomson and Emily Carr

 

 

 

 

In the case of Brett Davis, his uniqueness comes from his understanding and his mastery of the bronze medium. He understands the importance of art within the community and has worked into integrating site specific bronze sculptures and bronze water features into the landscape designs. His art is also displayed as public monuments to immortalize a significant person, family or historic event that have become landmarks in the community and have been key in the promotion of culture and tourism. He is a Canadian artist whom you can further explore on his main website at www.ageofbronze.ca.