"Artsy"

I have a confession to make: I do not like the word "artsy." While not an actual word to begin with, the connotations of this word are particularly troubling to me. Dictionary.com defines the word (though it admits that it is in face not a real word from a linguistic perspective) as "characterized by a showy, pretentious, and often spurious display of artistic interest, manner or mannerism." Before moving on, let's define these SAT vocabulary words used in the definition.

• pretentious: characterized by assumption of dignity or importance
• spurious: not genuine, authentic, or true
• showy: making an imposing display

This meaning of artsy, therefore, obviously carries some fairly loaded connotations. It seems to say that artsy relates to being a braggart, not being genuine, and resulting in large and ostentatious work. You can hear people using the word in this way already, "That's just the way it is with artsy people; they can't put their ego aside for one minute." Artsy people= loud, highly emotional (bordering on bipolar), impulsive, attention-seekers."

I would argue that "artsy" carries with it other connotations, however, not mentioned by dictionary.com. If anyone watches thirty minutes of HGTV, I bet you'll hear the word "artsy." Usually designers/clients use this word to describe something abstract that symbolically represents something else (or nothing itself). Artsy means confusing, beyond the understanding of the ordinary person. In many ways, these individuals use the word "artsy" in an elitist way. It means they can understand this thing (or at least enjoy trying to understand it), while you have no idea what it means.

(Below: images I found when I googled artsy)I believe that these two connotations of the word "artsy" prevent many people from admitting that they are indeed artistic. We have confused these terms. Artsy (apart from a pure defining of the word) connotes elitism, emotionalism, and confusion. This is different, very different, from being artistic. Artistic people express themselves through various media to share something with their world. They do not do it in order to be recognized (though this is a helpful result) or to appear more elite or to exclude someone. Instead, these folks wish to add something to the conversation about what it means to be human and to live on this place called earth.

Therefore, anyone who feels the need to express and share with their world, who marvels at the life around them, who desires to experience life more fully, is artistic. We can neglect this side of ourselves when we believe that "artsy" is the only way to be artistic. This is a lie. So go out into the world and make art, make life.