Fred Parker on fri 6 nov 09
I get flak because I have basically dropped out of my local "arts scene".=
=3D
=3D20
Maybe I could sell a few more bowls if I remained in the thick of it as I=
=3D
once was. I am positive I could donate lots more to the endless silent
auctions etc.
I moved away from all of it because I tired of being a "trained seal" who=
=3D
se
mission was entertaining in exchange for verbal praise and admiration --
rarely purchases. I have met few who regard what I do as a serious
endeavor. Most think it's a fun hobby. Some hope I will volunteer to of=
=3D
fer
free lessons someday.
Never mind that my forms come from a lifetime of studying architecture an=
=3D
d
sculpture, or that huge amounts of time and technical discipline are
essential to making my pots -- probably more than some of the people with=
=3D
"real jobs." To many of these clowns it is simply an adult version of
fingerpainting -- a nice, if unessential, diversion.
Now a real estate speculator who bought up a bunch of distressed local
property before the bust has sparkplugged a new "arts alliance" which
recently had its first arts/crafts fair. Everyone involved (at least tho=
=3D
se
I know) is either in it to increase tourism or to shore up real estate.=3D2=
0=3D
Genius ideas that have surfaced include one building already remodeled in=
=3D
to
a "gallery" with individual cubicles behind the "gallery" lined up like
accounts receivables clerks in any office building in Atlanta, except wit=
=3D
h
walls that are only four feet high. This provides good visibility from t=
=3D
he
central hallway. Cluelessly, the owner wants to rent these little "artis=
=3D
ts'
cubicles" at exorbitant monthly rates to "artists" who would then be visi=
=3D
ble
to currently nonexistent tourists who would theoretically stop in to "wat=
=3D
ch
artists work." The real estate speculator told me the reason I would wan=
=3D
t
to do this is to have a place to sell my work and a place where I could
"work with other artists" -- at a hefty commission of course. It would b=
=3D
e
like keeping the seals together in one area of the zoo, separate from the=
=3D
tigers.
Another brilliant idea is to renovate a neighborhood of dilapidated shack=
=3D
s
that once served as housing for employees of a local factory -- long gone=
=3D
and forgotten. Again, according to the speculator these can become
"artists' cottages" with working artists and mini-galleries that will
attract throngs of tourists eager to part with lots of money. These
buildings are half-rotted already. It was what is known as a "mill
village," the primary target of the urban renewal efforts of the 1950's t=
=3D
hat
went about eradicating blighted slums and building public housing.
Architecturally there is absolutely no reason to preserve the buildings.=3D=
20=3D
Given their condition renovation would probably cost about as much as
building new buildings. On top of this, my town is not a "tourist
destination" and has no real tourism magnet like some small mountain
communities, beachfront communities etc. Further, in the rural Deep Sout=
=3D
h
droves of "tourists" flooding the town in search of art or craft is an
imaginary construct. Atlanta has an arts scene. We have bow season, gun=
=3D
season, turkey season and high school football.
Again, all of this shores up Mel's point -- that for many the visual arts=
=3D
and crafts are little more than playtime and entertainment. Sad, but
reality. Even sadder is the cluelessness of those behind this idiocy --
arts-ignorant do-gooders who, in some cases have noble goals, but more of=
=3D
ten
simply have a narcissistic need to appear in newspaper photographs standi=
=3D
ng
next to elected officials, and a caption that includes the phrase, "the a=
=3D
rts."
So, if anyone reading this is interested in becoming a trained seal willi=
=3D
ng
to shell out monthly bucks to help a scared, overinvested fat cat realize=
=3D
his investment dream let me know. I can put you in touch with the right =
=3D
man.
Fred Parker=3D20
=3D20=3D20
On Thu, 5 Nov 2009 08:41:27 -0600, mel jacobson wrote=
=3D
:
>the reason i have argued with nils about `art and play` is the
>public perception that we as artists are children, and we play, never
>work. no difficult problem solving in art, it is just play.
>
SNIP
paul gerhold on sat 7 nov 09
Fred,
Speaking personally I wouldn't mind at all being the trained art seal if I
could approach the pay the trained sports seals get.
Paul
On Fri, Nov 6, 2009 at 10:10 AM, Fred Parker wrote:
> I get flak because I have basically dropped out of my local "arts scene".
> Maybe I could sell a few more bowls if I remained in the thick of it as I
> once was. I am positive I could donate lots more to the endless silent
> auctions etc.
>
> I moved away from all of it because I tired of being a "trained seal" who=
se
> mission was entertaining in exchange for verbal praise and admiration --
> rarely purchases. I have met few who regard what I do as a serious
> endeavor. Most think it's a fun hobby. Some hope I will volunteer to
> offer
> free lessons someday.
>
> Never mind that my forms come from a lifetime of studying architecture an=
d
> sculpture, or that huge amounts of time and technical discipline are
> essential to making my pots -- probably more than some of the people with
> "real jobs." To many of these clowns it is simply an adult version of
> fingerpainting -- a nice, if unessential, diversion.
>
> Now a real estate speculator who bought up a bunch of distressed local
> property before the bust has sparkplugged a new "arts alliance" which
> recently had its first arts/crafts fair. Everyone involved (at least tho=
se
> I know) is either in it to increase tourism or to shore up real estate.
> Genius ideas that have surfaced include one building already remodeled in=
to
> a "gallery" with individual cubicles behind the "gallery" lined up like
> accounts receivables clerks in any office building in Atlanta, except wit=
h
> walls that are only four feet high. This provides good visibility from t=
he
> central hallway. Cluelessly, the owner wants to rent these little
> "artists'
> cubicles" at exorbitant monthly rates to "artists" who would then be
> visible
> to currently nonexistent tourists who would theoretically stop in to "wat=
ch
> artists work." The real estate speculator told me the reason I would wan=
t
> to do this is to have a place to sell my work and a place where I could
> "work with other artists" -- at a hefty commission of course. It would b=
e
> like keeping the seals together in one area of the zoo, separate from the
> tigers.
>
> Another brilliant idea is to renovate a neighborhood of dilapidated shack=
s
> that once served as housing for employees of a local factory -- long gone
> and forgotten. Again, according to the speculator these can become
> "artists' cottages" with working artists and mini-galleries that will
> attract throngs of tourists eager to part with lots of money. These
> buildings are half-rotted already. It was what is known as a "mill
> village," the primary target of the urban renewal efforts of the 1950's
> that
> went about eradicating blighted slums and building public housing.
>
> Architecturally there is absolutely no reason to preserve the buildings.
> Given their condition renovation would probably cost about as much as
> building new buildings. On top of this, my town is not a "tourist
> destination" and has no real tourism magnet like some small mountain
> communities, beachfront communities etc. Further, in the rural Deep Sout=
h
> droves of "tourists" flooding the town in search of art or craft is an
> imaginary construct. Atlanta has an arts scene. We have bow season, gun
> season, turkey season and high school football.
>
> Again, all of this shores up Mel's point -- that for many the visual arts
> and crafts are little more than playtime and entertainment. Sad, but
> reality. Even sadder is the cluelessness of those behind this idiocy --
> arts-ignorant do-gooders who, in some cases have noble goals, but more
> often
> simply have a narcissistic need to appear in newspaper photographs standi=
ng
> next to elected officials, and a caption that includes the phrase, "the
> arts."
>
> So, if anyone reading this is interested in becoming a trained seal willi=
ng
> to shell out monthly bucks to help a scared, overinvested fat cat realize
> his investment dream let me know. I can put you in touch with the right
> man.
>
> Fred Parker
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, 5 Nov 2009 08:41:27 -0600, mel jacobson wrote=
:
>
> >the reason i have argued with nils about `art and play` is the
> >public perception that we as artists are children, and we play, never
> >work. no difficult problem solving in art, it is just play.
> >
> SNIP
>
steve graber on sat 7 nov 09
you mean the free sea food pay?=3DA0 that might be possible......=3D0A=3D0A=
=3D0A=3DA0=3D
Steve Graber, Graber's Pottery, Inc=3D0AClaremont, California USA=3D0AThe S=
teve=3D
Tool - for awesome texture on pots! =3D0Awww.graberspottery.com steve@grab=
er=3D
spottery.com =3D0A=3D0A=3D0AOn Laguna Clay's website=3D0Ahttp://www.lagunac=
lay.com/=3D
blogs/ =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A----- Original Message ----=3D0A> From: paul ger=
hold oldclay@DISHMAIL.NET>=3D0A> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D0A> Sent: Sat, N=
ovem=3D
ber 7, 2009 6:03:35 AM=3D0A> Subject: Re: art the A and public perception/s=
to=3D
ry - long tirade=3D0A> =3D0A> Fred,=3D0A> Speaking personally I wouldn't mi=
nd at =3D
all being the trained art seal if I=3D0A> could approach the pay the traine=
d =3D
sports seals get.=3D0A> Paul=3D0A> =3D0A> On Fri, Nov 6, 2009 at 10:10 AM, =
Fred P=3D
arker wrote:=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A
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