artimater on wed 28 mar 01
Ivor wrote:
=20
Dear Philosopher,
The questions you ask seem to open a can of fat bait worms. Your problem =
seems to be one of describing aims and objectives before evaluations can =
be made.
Asking the question, "What is Good Form" is like asking what is a good =
cup of tea. "Good" gives satisfaction. "Not Good" denies satisfaction =
though it may quench thirst.
I suspect you are asking an unanswerable question. Even to define form =
is a difficult task without resorting to metaphors.
I asked the question because it is a major concern to anyone who =
makes art, and I don't have the answer...I guess no one does, although =
your answer above is about as close as I've seen....One has to describe =
aims and objectives before an evaluation can be made....You have to =
say,"I'm going to make the next form better" before you can say "I =
succeeded in making the form better as that was the objective"
I think "good form" can only be defined on a personal level, like =
the "Motorcycle Maintenance" koan that truth only exists as the leading =
edge of a huge freight train, loaded with personal experience, speeding =
down the track of time.....As such it would seem to deflate the value of =
any sort of critique or judgment....Only "I" can decide and describe =
good form......
To be my own devil's advocate....We all know that if a hundred =
people chose one of ten bowls one would be picked more often than the =
others. It follows that the "good form" must exist as that one which =
attracts the most attention for the longest span....That is an idea I =
find repugnant because I have always made art for my own muse....Is that =
wrong?....should I pander to the public?
Perhaps the value of critique is tied to the value of the =
source.....Then I would not care what Joe Walmart has to say but would =
value very highly the input of mel, or you or any of many on this =
list...Then "good form" would be a composite of the opinion of those who =
have obtained mentor status and myself....Or maybe good form is the =
absence of discernible imperfection.....Since one man's pie is another =
man's pooh the only "good form" would have to be a perfect square or =
circle, cube or sphere....
I am more of a grasshopper than I am a philosopher...I'm almost =
ready to delete this post before I send it....If I'm just baiting you =
guys I'm caught on my own hook....hoisted on my own petard...I =
appreciate the patience of everyone that I unload my insecurities =
on.....Maybe I should work more and think less
-artimator
"I only indulge when I've seen a snake, so I keep a supply of =
indulgences and snakes handy"
http://www.geocities.com/artimator/index.html
Les Crimp on wed 28 mar 01
Dear Arti -
Please do not even consider "not posting" your thoughts. You, along with
Ivor, Mel, Tony, et al, keep me going very often.
As one who falls into the "senior citizen" category and made his lifes work
as a sales and marketing person, one very often did not get to do anything
anywhere near what his muse was pushing for. The credo of pleasing "Joe
Walmart" seemed to be uppermost at most times. If not Joe -- the boss!
Now that I am "a potter" which I have been, inside, all my life, I find it
so incredibly liberating and at the same time restricting, the posts from
"my mentor group", as above, help immeasurably to help me sort out the
thoughts I have about "form" and what I like for me and not the market.
I read all you write as a group. I am sure I speak for many like me who
unfortunately did not follow their dreams. There was the time when you did
as your father said and went out and got a man's job and a mortgage and
subjugated the inner person. And isn't it great, I find it is not too late.
Les Crimp on that Island in the Pacific.
lcrimp@home.com
| |
|
