The Totality of Socially Transmitted Behavior Patterns, Arts, Beliefs, Institutions, and All Other Products of Human Work and Thought

Culture is "the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought". "Culture is human behavior, what is being passed down from generation to generation". (Dictionary.com, n.d.). Culture is not just learned but experienced. There are thousands of cultures around the world that span over the centuries. These people preserve their culture by teaching their beliefs, art, religion, and values to their children hoping to carry it on to the next generation.

"Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, sculpture, and paintings" (Wikipedia.com, n.d.). Art has different meanings to many people around the world. To one, art is a painting, a sculpture that an artist has created with inspiration. To another, art is creating a symphony or a song. To me, art is also created through inspiration and is learned through culture as well. Art is in the eye of the beholder. One art may be just a painting of a sunset, but to that artist it is their inspiration to create something beautiful and meaningful to them. Art is created out of love, hate, anger, despair, and probably out of desperation of money.

The visual arts is "art forms that focus on the creation of works which are primarily visual in nature, such as traditional plastic arts (drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, and printmaking), modern visual arts (photography, video, and filmmaking), and design and crafts" (Wikipedia.com, n.d.) Music is an art form of sound. Architecture is "the art and science of designing and constructing buildings and other physical structures for human shelter or use" (Wikipedia.com,n.d.).

The role of the artist has changed over the centuries. It is different in every culture, in every part of the world throughout history. Many artists today create art for profit rather than for art for art's sake. Some artists of the past did not consider what they were creating to be art, it is simply part of their everyday life like creating statues and images of idols so they could pray to their gods. Today those are works of art and are collectibles. Artists are song writers, singers, painters, photographers, architects, musicians, sculptures, to models. Basically anyone can be an artist who has the passion and the love.

Artists influence culture by the art they create. Artists throughout the centuries have influenced culture by making everyone see what they have envisioned like the Egyptians, how their artists painted, created, and decorated the pyramids. Their work created their culture and influenced how the world perceived their culture and lifestyle. Culture influences art while art influences culture. They