Wow! Fantastic post. I had to stop reading several times to think. I truly enjoy the Tolstoy quote. He struggled with the same 3 questions you have throughout his life and I think his answers changed as he grew. I know my answers now would differ considerably to when I was an adolescent and young adult.

What do you think art is? I think my answer is a bit simplistic, but I think it is a manifestation of our view on the world, at least what we see of it, expressed in a way that isn't traditional such as typical speech or writing. It then gives us a chance to stretch the boundaries of how we feel/understand things outside of language. It also allows our dreams to take form, which can be extremely difficult to do with the limitations of language.

What role do you see art playing in our world? Tough question. I think my answer to the first covers this partially, but there are certainly some limitations on how art can play a role today. Not impossible, but certainly limited.

What do you think makes a piece of art GREAT? Greatness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. I personally define "greatness" as providing value to the individual and to those affected by their actions. I think art works in this same way. Unfortunately, "value" is nearly as ambiguous as "great" or even "art".

Thanks again for the post and for making my brain work a little harder today. Looking forward to more posts from you.