Drawing, 1996-7: Contemplating Venus
Using things we learn about art and about creating art doesn't make something art.
I'm flattered often by folks calling me an artist based on something I made or perhaps even a lot of what i made. It usually makes sort of snicker and feel uncomfortable. Not sure why exactly.
I believe I am an artist, not by what I've made but how i go about making it. Artists are among the hardest working people I know. They don't shut it off and they are always on the clock. I feel that about myself. I wake up and go to bed all with the thoughts of something I'm working on.
But folks only know of the products i make and I know i can do better and so I guess it feels funny hearing it.
We can use everything we know about composition, design, flow, color, form, structure, line, shape eye movement etc… to create what we do and all these things help us translate something into something else to look at and perhaps even marvel at. But it doesn't reach a level of art in my mind until it does something more, it moves someone in a way they didn't expect. We can be moved by a photograph of a family member because it carries all of our emotions with it, or a video of a cat because we happen to love cats.
Art, at least true art I believe has the power to move people who cannot see a direct connection right away to what they are looking at, but are moved enough t look again and again.
Now not everyone has the patience to have art experiences. I'd guess the majority of people need to have something obvious that they can relate to in order to begin to appreciate it. Not finding that, it becomes easy to dismiss and never think of it again.
Usually this 'type' of person needs to be slowed down in order to see something greater in a work of art. Either by having to wait for something and they have no choice but to wait, so they take a little time to look at something for a little longer than they ever would in their busy lives or by something that happened to them that lets them see their surroundings a little differently than they ever have before.
For some of us, we are more intrigued by what we do not know than we are comforted by what we already know.These folks seek out a deeper understanding of things and those who are inclined participate in creating works. Artists and art lovers (not art commodity lovers, but true art lovers who want to look at something and be moved by its depth) are hungry for what is next.
I have more ideas than I'll ever accomplish and am grateful when I get to accomplish the ones I do. I will always be hungry to make something new and build upon what I am making. Not everything I make is art, I know that, it may use art-like principles and have art qualities, but only a few pieces reach that next level of being art….. and…and this is a big and….. that may be debatable.
I'm flattered often by folks calling me an artist based on something I made or perhaps even a lot of what i made. It usually makes sort of snicker and feel uncomfortable. Not sure why exactly.
I believe I am an artist, not by what I've made but how i go about making it. Artists are among the hardest working people I know. They don't shut it off and they are always on the clock. I feel that about myself. I wake up and go to bed all with the thoughts of something I'm working on.
But folks only know of the products i make and I know i can do better and so I guess it feels funny hearing it.
We can use everything we know about composition, design, flow, color, form, structure, line, shape eye movement etc… to create what we do and all these things help us translate something into something else to look at and perhaps even marvel at. But it doesn't reach a level of art in my mind until it does something more, it moves someone in a way they didn't expect. We can be moved by a photograph of a family member because it carries all of our emotions with it, or a video of a cat because we happen to love cats.
Art, at least true art I believe has the power to move people who cannot see a direct connection right away to what they are looking at, but are moved enough t look again and again.
Now not everyone has the patience to have art experiences. I'd guess the majority of people need to have something obvious that they can relate to in order to begin to appreciate it. Not finding that, it becomes easy to dismiss and never think of it again.
Usually this 'type' of person needs to be slowed down in order to see something greater in a work of art. Either by having to wait for something and they have no choice but to wait, so they take a little time to look at something for a little longer than they ever would in their busy lives or by something that happened to them that lets them see their surroundings a little differently than they ever have before.
For some of us, we are more intrigued by what we do not know than we are comforted by what we already know.These folks seek out a deeper understanding of things and those who are inclined participate in creating works. Artists and art lovers (not art commodity lovers, but true art lovers who want to look at something and be moved by its depth) are hungry for what is next.
I have more ideas than I'll ever accomplish and am grateful when I get to accomplish the ones I do. I will always be hungry to make something new and build upon what I am making. Not everything I make is art, I know that, it may use art-like principles and have art qualities, but only a few pieces reach that next level of being art….. and…and this is a big and….. that may be debatable.
Photograph, 2014: Darcie
Photograph, 2014: Curious death