On the night of Jan. 22, 2016, a bustle of artists, students, teachers and more crowded the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art to see the latest exhibits featuring three correspondence artists and a wood engraver. Postcards were displayed in every corner, as well as prints and people taking pictures of it all. The scene really had me wondering, "How do all these different people interpret and define the art they are seeing?" So I asked them. Here are 15 responses to the simple question, "What is art?"

“Art with a capital 'A' is something that moves the observer in some way. In almost any way, by beauty or harshness, you know anything. And the stuff’s that’s made by hand as decorative objects that doesn’t move you in some way is really not art. That’s the little 'a.'” -- David Boatwright

“Something that conveys the wholeness and joy and pain of life.” -- Ellen Solomon

Solomon is a long-time supporter of the Halsey. Her father served on the board and she knows teachers and administrators. She is currently working on her own art project: a historical fiction piece about her Jewish grandma moving from Poland (and persecution) to the United States (where she was now considered white).

“The analysis of things created by humans.” -- Dustin Martin

“My definition of art is anything that you make with the purpose of discovering yourself or discovering something about life. Anything done with a creative purpose in mind.” -- Jillian Dowdy

Dowdy is a senior intern for the Halsey. She snapped photos throughout the event as memorabilia for the institute.

“I feel like art can really be anything as long as it’s showing some part of society.” -- Kaley Cournoyer

“Art that is at least genuinely important to me has made me feel something. Like I feel a sort of attachment to Picasso because we had a Picasso print in my house when I was younger. Every time I look at a Picasso drawing of any sort, like a sketch, it makes me feel warm inside. I love it, I appreciate it.” -- Sydnee Millison

“I used to teach art in high school, and so I asked that question to my students. So one of my student’s answers is now my answer. We ask the students, ‘What is art?’ and he just responded on a piece of paper, right in the middle, ‘What isn’t?’ And he got an A.” -- Chris Hanson

“Anything that moves you. It doesn’t really have to be visual. Any sort of media that has an impact on another person.” -- Trevor Stubbs

“Anything that can be used to express emotions.” -- Anna Newell

“It can be abstract or it can be realism, but at the end of the day it makes someone walk away thinking that they can or may change after what they’ve seen.” -- Clyde Moser

“To take what’s in you and make it visible in some form to the outside world.” -- Mary Ellen Millhouse

Millhouse is a four year member of the Halsey Institute and has a special relationship with art herself -- and baskets. Nine years ago she began drawing as she attended various art shows. The result of each drawing is a basket, and depending on the medium, the design varies, because, as she says, they come from the heart and not from the head.

“My definition of art is anything that inspires people or that can make people look further than the surface of what is actually there.” -- Sydney Zazzaro

“It’s almost something I can’t define. It’s a feeling that I get when I make it or when I see something that is beautiful, and so it can be all manner of things as long as it’s intentional and meant to evoke some sort of beautiful emotion from people.” -- Hirona Matsuda

“Art is something that someone creates or displays in a way to get a reaction or some type of feeling from an audience, some type of connection maybe.” -- Bria Graham

And finally...from one of the featured artists himself, said simply and straightforward:

“It is how you live your life.” -- John McWilliams

McWilliams' Prophecies will be on display until March 5. Inspired by Lowcountry life, the artist uses woodcarving and engraving to create his work. The pieces capture attention from all who pass, many of which could soon be popular in the tattoo world.

How do you define art? Feel free to comment your own definition.