Tony Ferguson on wed 11 dec 02
Chris,
I need to be a little humoress here, but maybe you need to get HEAVY,
sister. What I mean by this, Chris, is by telling us to lighten up you are
trying to make light of the issue which has to do with letting something
outside yourself (consumers) as an artist dictate your works' manifestation.
I, for one, said what I said in hopes that you would consider what it is
that you do with your work and why you do it: do you do it for others, for
their tastes and fancy? Are you catering to the crowd? We are talking
about the notion of prostitution here and dumming down the public when those
of us choose to make crap and sell it. To follow the trends makes us nothing
more than mini-industrialists, cheap demographers.
As artists we have the opportunity to educate the public about our work, the
creative process, and the inherent and exherent value of a culture that
supports the arts and so can reap the inventiveness, intelligence developing
properties of involving one's self in a creative process be it studio or
performance. Now, when we make crap, careless, poor craft, little infusion
of our creative energy, we are passing this energy on to the consumer and
they read this on a conscious or subconscious level and internalize this
into their value system and overall perception of the artist and the arts.
What are they to get excited about--if it matches, puke puke, puke. The
notion of security--a matching sense of false connectedness based purely on
color (surface) is a waste of anyone's talents or skills. Perhaps we can
take the consumer deeper into the myriad of the creative process--that
notion that a piece of artwork does not need to match anything in your
home--that it can in fact stand on its own, that it defines its own
qualities and aesthetic, inspires thought of introspection and connectedness
to other elements of one's life, of existence, ourselves and human beings
and our individual and connected paths in life. Now you may think the only
connection is money--but surely with your talents you can take the consumer
further into the pool of your creativity and present something perhaps
humble or profound?
Nothing is simple mathematics as mathematics true attempt is to capture,
define relationships, and talk about what lies beyond language--what
motivates forces, what causes this to happen and that to happen and why--in
other words, mathematics aims to describe what lies at the heart of
creation--and you as an artist already have some of the keys. To reduce
human behavior to mere predictability is fool hardy. What of romance, of
love, of burning desire to merge with another and become one? To lose
yourself and then discover yourself again, redefined, vibrant, exuberant,
burning with the creative energy force of your being and the need to
create--there is nothing predicable about these things. Love your work and
other people will too--even if its one person who makes a connection, you've
done something profound, even if that person is you.
Thank you.
Tony Ferguson
On Lake Superior, where the sky meets the Lake
Stoneware, Porcelain, Raku
www.aquariusartgallery.com
218-727-6339
315 N. Lake Ave
Apt 312
Duluth, MN 55806
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2002 5:24 PM
Subject: BLUE in the face
> I am truly at my wits end.
>
> I am not trying to debase the basic honesty of making art.
>
> I am not trying to subvert the beauty of tradition.
>
> I am not killing the honest purity of clay.
>
> I am not trashing your work.
>
> LIGHTEN UP FOLKS !!!!!!!
>
> As much as you may want to dig your heels into the dirt and scream
> 'I am the exception, I am the individual'.....
> in most meaningful situations we act in predictable ways.
> Sorry, but as a group we can be predicted. Simple math.
>
> And, I am not going to apologize for the real world where they can tell
> you what you will want next year, like it or not.
>
> Look around your house, in your fridge, in your closet. Stop pretending.
> Unless you are sitting in someone else's field, naked, you are a consumer.
> Just as prone to wants as the rest of us.
>
> If you don't want to make blue stuff ...DON'T.
> I did not say you had to.
> I don't have to make a living from your work.
> IT WAS A PIECE OF INFORMATON.
>
>
> Chris Campbell - in North Carolina - my last pouff on this topic
>
>
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vince pitelka on thu 12 dec 02
> I need to be a little humoress here, but maybe you need to get HEAVY,
> sister. What I mean by this, Chris, is by telling us to lighten up you
are
> trying to make light of the issue which has to do with letting something
> outside yourself (consumers) as an artist dictate your works'
manifestation.
> I, for one, said what I said in hopes that you would consider what it is
> that you do with your work and why you do it: do you do it for others,
for
> their tastes and fancy? Are you catering to the crowd? We are talking
> about the notion of prostitution here and dumming down the public when
those
> of us choose to make crap and sell it. To follow the trends makes us
nothing
> more than mini-industrialists, cheap demographers.
Jeese Tony, what arrogant posturing. Chris did not deserve this. Let me
state clearly that as an academic I certainly encourage my students to make
original work, and to educate the public about their work. But there is
absolutely nothing wrong with a studio artisan following market trends and
making the work that the public wants to buy. It represents sensible
survival instincts and a perfectly respectable way to make a living. Such
an artisan is still an independent craftsperson, working in his/her own
studio, being his/her own boss, making handmade items for sale to the
public. When such artisans making things that "fit" the current fashions,
there is more of a chance that people will buy fine handmade items instead
of the commercially-made schlock that fills every Target and Pottery Barn.
You said "Now, when we make crap, careless, poor craft, little infusion of
our creative energy . . . . "
Come on Tony, get off your pulpit. This is completely unjustified.
Certainly there are plenty of people out there who DO make crap, and who
need to put a lot more effort into making something innovative and original.
But we are not talking about people making crap. It IS possible for an
artist to make their own work and still respond to market trends.
There are plenty of people in the ceramics world who are fine artists,
originators, creators of new directions in clay. They are essential to the
ongoing evolution of style and direction in our field. But only a
relatively small percentage of us are capable of originating significant new
direction in our medium. You sound like you think everyone should be out
there doing this in noble martyrdom, but of course that is completely
unrealistic. For those of us who are committed to being fine artists in our
field, there is a real spark of originality in our work, and that can be
true of those who respond to market trends as well. Face it, most of the
people out there who think of themselves as fine artists in any medium are
following market trends. It doesn't preclude the possibility that they are
making beautiful, original work. It just means that they have a good eye
for what the public wants.
Tony, you write so beautifully, and you SHOULD be writing about this stuff,
but on Clayart you need to get off your high horse and be a little more
diplomatic.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
Your post was completely out of line, and you owe Chris an apology.
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