"Perhaps you could list some of the things make a soundman an artist?"
In no particular order:
Interacting directly with the performance, and by so doing meet the needs of the performers, all the while doing whatever is necessary to make that performance enjoyable by the widest cross section possible of the audience. (This is even more of an artform when the musicians participate as little as possible in the attempt - usually by all being as loud as they please.)
Carefully choosing what goes (or does not go) into the cramped phone booth (thank you, Slipperman) commonly called a "mix bus," so that the above is achieved without going beyond the design limits of any and all tools at the engineer's disposal.
Having a working knowledge of music and the instruments being reinforced so as to do the above as successfully as possible.
Wielding (or not wielding) a channel's parametric (or whatever) EQ with style and appropriateness.
Doing the above with a system EQ of any kind.
Being an engineer, diplomat, businessman, and psychologist at any time as needed. Add psychic to the list when the band is very loud, playing complex material, and seems entirely intent that the engineer must know exactly what is going to happen without ever having heard a note of the band's music.
Maintaining a personable attitude when the show totally stinks and is paying worse than flipping burgers. (That IS showbusiness, that is, acting, and acting is still considered an artform in most of the western world.)
Packing x lbs of PA into .9x lbs of cargo space. (MC Escher was an artist, right?)
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