> I'd go farther than "not necessarily exclusive" and say that
> mastering technical competence is a pre-requisite to becoming an
> artist.
To me, a work of art is the result of conscious choices made by the
artist. A frost pattern on a window may be beautiful, but because it is
essentially the result of a random process I would not call it art. A
person who lacks technical competence has no control over the medium,
and cannot be said to be making choices. (I have seen a distinction
made between "taking photographs" and "making photographs.")
I agree with people who say, "The choices I make consistently result in
photographs (or paintings, or ceramic vessels) that can truthfully be
called works of art, and therefore I am an artist".
I disagree with people who say, "I am an artist; therefore whatever I do
and however it turns out is art."
I also believe, along with others on the list, that art can be found in
media other than those traditionally associated with "the arts," such as
software. I have written a haiku; it displays a menu.
-- Dennis M. Southwood dms1@home.com