Don't give up your day job ... What makes something a work of art?

No truer words 'Don't give up your day job' or as in my case, retire, until... Well, I retired anyway. In my retirement I bit the bullet! I finally confronted my fears and decided to make use of a gift certificate from a friend. It was no ordinary gift certificate for it required that I undertake two art lessons. My immediate thought that my friend was obviously just as crazy as me. What was she thinking? I had no artistic skill of which I was aware. Hence, the many months between the gifting and the redeeming. What an experience! My first introduction to the lesson was a gathering of fellow art students over coffee and morning tea. No issues with the experience at that point. However, this was followed by a group movement session where music played and we danced. Next, the donning of aprons, a selection of materials and a tall easel stood before me. Charcoal was not a medium of choice for I knew of its dusty qualities. My teacher started me with charcoal. I was confronted by an A1 sized, sheet of chart paper. I dearly desired to create something that would make both my friend and I proud. Within minutes I had filled the sheet with black lines, swirls and circles. A second and third sheet soon followed and I was surely on my way to becoming a 5 minute wonder. 
The second lesson was much more adventurous where I opted to experiment with paint. I discovered that painting outside allows one to be in touch with the elements but soon realised that the wind dried the materials too quickly for me to build the textures that I sought to incorporate in to my work. Still unfinished I took it home where I added black, oil pastels to highlight the dominant features of the visual text. Then, I remembered an app on my Ipad! Lightbulb moment! PhotoBooth! So much fun capturing the originals and applying the Photo Booth functions to each. X-ray, light tunnel, stretch, twirl, thermal, kaleidoscope and squeeze provided whimsical images of the originals. This led me to the question what constitutes a work of art? Photo Booth images are they works of art or simply outcomes of a camera lens design function?
Is one justified in claiming each as an artwork in its own right or is it failing to acknowledge the camera as the master artist when applying Photo Booth? 
The additional dimensions provided by Photo Booth presented very different texts from the originals. In fact, I believe that the thermal images were perhaps my favourite. Since the two lessons I have created other works of art and seek to expand on my very limited skills.
I have a box of implements where I store a potato masher, brushes, charcoal, cardboard off cuts, pencils, paints, a roller, sponges, a screen of florist netting and much more. I may never be a real artist nor will I be able to answer the poignant questions about what constitutes art or if I should have retired. What I will achieve is satisfaction that I have framed my completed works and they are proudly displayed in my home and for the first time not on the back of the toilet door. Thank you to my 'crazy' friend and my husband for his patience.