mel jacobson on thu 5 aug 10
here is an idea to put in all of our minds.
clayart is made up of many, many crafts-people.
they love craft, making things and appreciate well
made objects. many appreciate beauty. and, many are very
well trained artists.
clayart is made up of many folks over 40, the genders are
split rather evenly.
clayart is fundamentally an adult craft relative site.
we have seen a lot of crap come and go.
we have seen many `movements` come and go.
we have a hard time buying into bullshit, for bullshit sake.
we have seen picasso's story of the bombing of a spanish
city. we more than appreciate it. but, we don't want to see 4,901
replications of that
story by lesser artists, giving their political opinion about war.
it may be very serious to them, but we just don't care.
and, i can't hang that painting in my home. it is just another crap, sad
painting with a big `MESSAGE`.
`I HATE WAR TOO, BUT I DON'T WANT THAT PAINTING IN MY
HOME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE...`
it is the most commonly asked question of me. `why do so many artists
think we want to share their crappy opinions of their life?` i don't
know.
i have never felt shame is seeking some sort of beauty in my
pots and my paintings...it never occurs to me to thrust my pathos
on my customers. i want to uplift my customers. make them happy.
and, then they want to buy my work. (as i have said, i actually make
pots for people to buy.)
people/artists that shock for shock sake, are really no better than
jerry springer. in fact, in my opinion, the easiest thing to do in the
world is shock other people. anyone can do it. and, if you have no
social value...you can do anything. but it always comes back to the
same story...`who cares?`
it takes a tremendous amount of knowledge, skill, determination
and vision to be a fine `CRAFTS PERSON`. IT TAKES NOTHING
TO BE A sHOCK JOCK.
mel
i go to galleries and museums to be emotionally moved by art.
i don't want feces* thrown in my face.
*feces is a metaphor.
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
alternate: melpots7575@gmail.com
Larry Kruzan on thu 5 aug 10
I'm smiling inside and out. I chringe when I'm called an artist. Had the tr=
aining, choose another path. Call me a "craftsman" and I can sleep at night=
. Peacefully. Have not assulted anybodies senses, "G" rated, I just might h=
ave made sombody happy. It's good to be a craftsman.
I'll soon be shipping a wedding present for a customer. The recipicant almo=
st begged for one of my platters when she visited last year. I'm putting a =
creamer, sugar bowl, and a couple small cups in the box too. The buyer is a=
good customer but I'd do it anyway. The bride refered to the fine craftsma=
nship she saw in my work. Only called me an artist in the way I crafted my =
ware. She understood what I was about. Want to bet she will be happy as she=
opens the box?
I know some artists, some are very, very good. Funny how the best are not s=
hock jocks. Seems like those who are the loudest, are like small kids yelli=
ng to be noticed. The best don't need to be obnoxious to be noticed.
Right now I'm enjoying the forrest as we camp. Soon it's back to work. I ho=
pe to make people happy.
Larry Kruzan
phil on sat 7 aug 10
Hi Patty,
Lol...
"YES!!!"
I keep wishing they will build a white trash themed Casino...
...sigh...
Oh, wait a minute - They already did! many times in many ways!!!
Oye...
Ohhhhhhhhh whactahagunnuhdo...
Oh, and then too....there's -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D23u0OflZ7gU
I love that scene...
Just the first 40 odd seconds is enough...
Phil
Lv
----- Original Message -----
From: "Patty"
> The first time I saw hollow fiberglass "Greek columns" at a Hawaiian
> resort,
> I felt sick and angry. If you want to see Greek architecture, go to
> Greece
> or at least the British Museum. Please come to Hawaii to see Hawaii.
>
> This is why Vegas is so ugly. Make-believe pyramids, Eiffel towers,
> Venetian canals.....Sick!!!
>
> Patty Kaliher
>
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23:28:00
Clyde Tullis on sat 7 aug 10
Bob Newhart, Johnathan Winters and Bill Cosby are/were some of the funnie=
=3D
st
men around. Put the comedy business in the recording industry and sold al=
=3D
ot
of records. All 3 made it a point NOT to use profanity to shock the audie=
=3D
nce
into paying attention. They used the knowledge of their art/craft and hum=
=3D
an
nature to sell out show after show. Why alienate part of your audience?
.....unless that is your goal.
jeanette harris on sat 7 aug 10
One of my early memories as a child is actually feeling angry at
really bad architecture. Or going to the 5 and dime and almost
getting physically ill at cheap, ugly stuff for sale. It confused me
because no one else seemed to feel or understand it. I pondered that
for years wondering what was wrong with me.
Even today there are places I won't go because they're palaces of
total crap. Dollar stores, catalog rejects stores, Gimmick and
"craft" stores---Uggeh.
One restaurant in particular has such a hideous facade, I will never
cross it's threshold.
Seek out and feast your eyes only on those things that feed your
artistic soul. Don't waste your time with the rest.
--
Jeanette Harris in Poulsbo WA
http://www.jeanetteharrisblog.blogspot.com
http://fiberneedlethread.blogspot.com/
http://www.washingtonpotters.org/WPA_Gallery.htm
phil on sat 7 aug 10
Hi Janeanette,
Below, amid...
----- Original Message -----
From: "jeanette harris"
> One of my early memories as a child is actually feeling angry at
> really bad architecture. Or going to the 5 and dime and almost
> getting physically ill at cheap, ugly stuff for sale. It confused me
> because no one else seemed to feel or understand it. I pondered that
> for years wondering what was wrong with me.
You are such a Joy!!
> Even today there are places I won't go because they're palaces of
> total crap. Dollar stores, catalog rejects stores, Gimmick and
> "craft" stores---Uggeh.
I feel this way about Telivision program content, advertising, media,
education, and or all of these as the continuous whole they have becoome,
the FDA, DEA, FBI, CIA, Congress, etc, etc, etc, on and on and on to a list
longer than all one's arms and legs and then some.
I felt entirely that way about 'school'.
As you might imagine, no one ( and I do mean "no one" ) understood.
Even now, it is very dicey if I wish to review memories and experiences of
that time.
Almost instantly, my chest tightens up, it becomes very hard to breathe...m=
y
vision contracts, adrenaline is dribbled into my Bloodstream...my system in
effect goes into a mode of literally being in a condition of mortal combat
or fighting to preserve my Life.
It can be many hours or a day before I can even eat anything.
I would not get as bad a reaction if I were being robbed at Gunpoint.
I have infinitely more respect for the average Armed Robber, who at least
must actualise some personal risk and daring and gamble, which have real
stakes, than I ever will for so called 'teachers' who merely shoot Fish in =
a
Barrel, gathered into the Barrel for them, by others, for the 'Fish' to the=
n
be made into Hamburger anyway.
Hey! It's-a-Paycheck!!
> One restaurant in particular has such a hideous facade, I will never
> cross it's threshold.
This gets tricky of course...
Like 'Book Covers'...
Like the facades of people...
Most Cars on the Road...
Like so many things, where, there is a very serious question as to whether
what lay past the facade, is not merely what gave rise to it or insinuates
itself behind it, or what uses it, however so.
Camoflauge is one thing...and can conceal happier and charming content.
Facades which beguile or are intrinsically disingenuous or contrived...migh=
t
just cover something even less appealing.
> Seek out and feast your eyes only on those things that feed your
> artistic soul. Don't waste your time with the rest.
I did what I could...or, I did what I did anyway...way back
when...and...since...
Yesterday evening, here in the so-called 'Arts District', was their
so-called 'First Friday' event.
Some thousand people or more filled the Streets, and languidly wandered
through the many 'Art Galleries' and other related Businesses.
A friend of mine, who I had ran into earlier in the week, had asked me to
stop by to a Gallery which his girlfriend is part of, so, I did.
Her 'Artwork' consists of spilling puddles of thinned metal flake and or
'Pearl' Automotive Paints, onto squares of Sheet Metal, and letting them dr=
y
over however many days or weeks. she then attaches a price tag.
They really looked like 'nothing' as far as I could say, and I really did
try and find or 'see' something in them.
Her pardner in the Gallery does 'stained, Leaded Glass' Windows...all
smallish, all the same size, all being about 20 inches square, and all a
square shape.
She uses the so called 'Tiffany' Method - thin adhesive backed Brass Foil
strips, bent over the edges of the Glass pieces, then Solder applied to the
seams...with the 'Window' held in a very simple sort of three inch deep
'Light Box' affair so it is illuminated from behind when hanging on a Wall.
Her 'windows' were entirely lacking in composition, and, relied on the ( I
suppose ) 'novelty' of existing at all for their manner of offering light
and color...different colors of Glass, merely put together fairly badly.
The 'windows' were priced from $4,500.00 to $6,500.00 each.
I know how to cut and make various methods of Stained Leaded Glass Windows.
Good Work, good composition, well done smooth tidy minimal seams and
Soldering, curves, etc...and making the 'Light Box' elements to mount them,
I could be doing such Windows very easily to the tune of three or four or
five a week, without a strain, with a cost, I suppose, of around ten,
fifteen or twenty dollars a Window for the Glass, and, about the medium
range of that I s'pose at very most, for the other materials.
All of her Windows appeared to me to have been indifferent gatherings of
someone else's scrap Glass, anyway...what few curved cuts there were, had
bad wide Seams, and or the inside curve was filled in with small ill fittin=
g
pieces, etc...
My first blush in seeing these, was to expect prices of about $45.00 or so,
since they were so not-very-good, with the word 'beginner' as a pejorative
term, indicating the sort of indifference to or contempt of composition and
execution...but no, they were a hundred to a hundred and thirty times that
much.
This is pretty much how it all is, one way or another.
I disliked the 'Arts District' and their 'First Fridays' from the beginning=
.
I dislike everything about it.
I dislike that these hundreds of 'artists' all in their own way, are all cu=
t
from the same cloth.
The only 'Art' there, are the cloying and soppy gestures of fatuous or self
satisfied pretenders, trying to proffer a least effort or least skill
clumsy gimmick or schtick, in one way or another, while trying to have
people believe, their work is all about a 'unique vision' and the
penatrating and profound emotion or epiphany or transcending poise which
embues their experience as 'Artsts' kind enough to offer us their testimony
of such exhaulted experience as highly to be valued 'expression'..
These things do not bother me in a physical way...for which I am grateful.
I notice them though, and they bother me in other ways.
> Jeanette Harris in Poulsbo WA
Love,
Phil
Lv
Patty on sat 7 aug 10
The first time I saw hollow fiberglass "Greek columns" at a Hawaiian resort=
,
I felt sick and angry. If you want to see Greek architecture, go to Greece
or at least the British Museum. Please come to Hawaii to see Hawaii.
This is why Vegas is so ugly. Make-believe pyramids, Eiffel towers,
Venetian canals.....Sick!!!
Patty Kaliher
Lee Love on sat 7 aug 10
Who has time to worry about "Bad Art"? Life is entirely too short!
--
=3DA0Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
=3D93Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3D94 --Rumi
Clyde Tullis on sun 8 aug 10
Yes Lee, .....and the perception of what is bad can change with time. Dy=
=3D
lan
was booed off the stage when he went electric. I had a gallery owner
criticize a large vessel back in the 80's because the rim was "a little
uneven". Van Gogh never sold a painting. Boy was his art bad. The times t=
=3D
hey
are a changin'.
Lee Love on sun 8 aug 10
On Sun, Aug 8, 2010 at 10:35 AM, Clyde Tullis wrote:
> Yes Lee, =3DA0.....and the perception of what is bad can change with time=
. =3D
Dylan
> was booed off the stage when he went electric.
Maybe it simply coincided with his car accident and related loss of tal=
=3D
ent.
>I had a gallery owner > criticize a large vessel back in the 80's because
> the rim was "a little uneven".
When folks have no aesthetic sense, they fall back on technical
criteria: Too thick, too heavy, ununiformed, etc.
It is the same related to people primarily criticizing work that
won't go in the microwave and dishwasher. Or that is crazed, etc.
It is not that these criteria are unimportant, but they cannot
substitute for higher criteria. You need to view the whole package.
--=3D20
--
=3DA0Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
=3D93Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3D94 --Rumi
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