Replies: 20 Comments
on Monday, January 24th, jodi said
Thanks to everyone who is participating in the most intriguing exchange...
on Saturday, January 22nd, Katherine said
Dear Monique,
I viewed your artwork at www.moniqueveyt.be and found your work as calming as calligraphy and as thought provoking as a Rorschach blot.
There is a freshness to your work that is like the ripple of a stream.
Personally, I prefer Mucha, Michalangelo, VanGogh and Delacroix ( who seemed to find titles for their masterpieces), but I can see your work on a wall, in a room, provoking the very feeling it's title suggests.
on Friday, January 21st, Katie said
May I interrupt this internet interplay
To THANK you all for a very entertaining
laugh!! You inspired this poem. Do you like it?
( I also do art!)
Deep Beliefs worth fighting for
Visions no one else can see-
A worthy canvas idolized-
ART is like religion
Who is the Pope of ART
who ordered Michelanglo
to stoop from sculpting great
to paint?
The BUYER doth command!
The ARTIST prophet, ONE who sees
a face in just the bark of trees
skilled pencil drawing hand that frees
some idle inspiration.
on Friday, January 21st, Mark Brockman said
I bet Monique never though her words would cause so much ferver. Harsh critisism can be usfull but only if backed by explanation, otherwise its just words from a mindless, angry, frustrated, doen't-know-it-all. It takes a thick skin to be an artist, if you want to show your work to the public, and often harsh criticism comes with that and often with no expanation. But in a forum of this sort if one wishes to critisize then as an artist (assuming we are all artists here) you owe it to the artist you are critisizing and to yourself to explain why you think a work is "crap". Why do you owe to yourself? Because if you can't back up the "crap" then your words are just words, and we can only assume they are words from one who has desire but not the ability to achieve and hence has grow angry and lashes out. Actually all the fuss over what "JoeBlow" said isn't worth the time we have all spent responding.
If Monique likes what she does, if it makes her happy, if she is living in a dream world or not, it is her right and I say go for it. Listen not to those who speak harshly with nothing to say.
on Friday, January 21st, jose freitas cruz said
joe, bill,
could you possibly explain to us the requirements you feel are necessary for an artist to remain authentic. i presume this is at the core of your latest critiques - i didn't really want to join in on the first one (joe’s) because i felt it was a bit harsh myself, though i do agree that more is needed than self-confidence and a sweet sounding title. by requirements i actually mean within which parameters might a struggling artist have to keep, in your view, if faced with the need to supplement his income? does one remain authentic if the supplement comes from washing dishes in a restaurant or helping out as a message boy in a gallery; if i try to get some extra cash doing translations for some business people or even an editor is that still alright or will i be deviating too much from what it is i should be focusing on [or should i agonize and not deviate at all and die alone and of starvation just because i'm doing great art but nobody can understand and that is the more authentic stance to take?]
the point i’m trying to make is why is a person who is teaching art – or anything else for that matter – less authentic than somebody who is just doing art?
you can count yourselves fortunate if you are able to live off your art without having to resort to any other source of income to feed your family, educate your children and reinvest in your art. i’m not that fortunate, i guess walt isn’t either but that doesn’t make him less authentic in his life’s project. i know what you guys mean, i’ve never been to art school but i visited loads when i was in university and saw how some of my friends were treated and driven to despair or worse by teachers who had nothing to show for. but no need to generalise.
what i’m trying to say is all of us here are trying to get on our way as best we can. whether you guys like it or not, the choices most of us here have made sort of move us along a path that is taking each one of us individually towards what we foresee ourselves as being above any another labels that others would rather put upon us (drug dealer, message-boy, secretary, teacher, gallery director, millionaire). all of us here perceive ourselves as artists. whether we’ll get there in the end is not certain, but we’re working on it… all of us at different stages, with different lessons to learn, different set of hurdles to overcome, but just one big common finish line. some will get there, some not, but by lashing out at those you feel are less able than others you admire, and by doing it in such fashion you are only imitating those lesser teachers who had nothing more to share with their pupils than the frustrations they brought into that art room. anger is indeed energy but it only breeds more anger and fear. nothing positive comes of it, only shit – no pun intended: in the animal world animals when confronted with fear (the threat of death) release their bowls so as to run faster… we are no different.
harsh criticism is necessary, it can be very helpful and shake us out of the everydayness we tend to fall into regularly and inescapably. but we have to be very well equipped to dish it out or we’ll soon be held by those around us as nothing more than a fool.
on Friday, January 21st, john davis said
hey guys girls which ever we are suppose to be "artist" which means we are creative, from reading these comments you would never know that.
I go into my room where I paint and I can spend hours in there creating it might not be what everyone wants to see and know one may even like it, but it makes me fill good. I don't down other peoples art I don't try to say its art or its not . If if it comes from your mind to your hand to the canvas how can it be anything else.
Know teacher or critic can say you have know talent or your know artist just because you don't do what they like
on Friday, January 21st, bmm said
j b s b,
Your so vain - you probably think this blog is about you... You can abuse, misuse, & refuse, but, zero is what zero does. It's too bad when slovenliness is what becomes you most.
on Thursday, January 20th, Joe Slow said
Walter, you are probably a real nice guy, but I have to say, you teachers make me sick. You guys get all the shows at the galleries because you all do safe work. The galleries seldom fear you won't show up with your work or do something controversial because they know you won't jeapordize those cushy jobs.
I mean Bill Anonymous is right! Ask yourself, where would you be without riding the coattails of the school you teach at? I just get so sick of these almighty teachers proclaiming themselves and being proclamed great just because they teach.
Truthfully, what's wrong with someone saying something stinks and saying nothing more? After all. Buyers don't even say that! They just walk away if they don't like it.
on Thursday, January 20th, wow said
es e ex is a banned word here?
That's a title of a rock band...unbelievable!
on Thursday, January 20th, Bill Anonymous said
Yo Walt.... here are some of those anonymous pot shot's you dislike so much.
Those who can do, those who can't, teach!
If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
(can't stand anonymous comments...then don't post! It is the internet, you know!)
*** Pistols - "Anger is an energy"
Go get 'em Joe!
on Thursday, January 20th, Walter King said
I've been involved in teaching art for 20 years, have 8 years of college with requisit crit sessions, have given and sat through thousands of student critiques and been involved in local arts group crits. I've seen serious crits that left talented young artists debilitated, in tears, ready to quit making art but that, if they could have been heard, would have been the wiping away of a lot of misplaced enthusiasm and the beginning of serious research towards a direction with merit. These were very harsh but honest crits given by people who really cared about the students or the artists being critiqued. I would never give a crit like this over the internet as it requires that both parties actually know each other for fear of misunderstanding.
The most inane, meritless, waste of time crits were those that had no constructive aspect and simply stated the work was crap with little if any explaination. Not only are these crits the easiest to ignor but they usually show the critic to be nothing but bitter and often no talent twits themselves.
I will say it again. It is quite easy to take anonymous pot shots at anyone you like. But it is quite a worthless exercise. You are welcome to have any opinion you like. But have some common courtesy please. And if you want any credibility you'll have to show us that you know what you are talking about by showing us your work. Otherwise go blow Joe.
on Thursday, January 20th, Mark Brockman said
Joe you sound angry. Is there more here then you are letting out? Do you create art? If so where can I see it? You can see mine here at Absolute Arts. Art is a luxury, no question about it. I take my art seriously but I do not take myself seriously, some artists do. Definitions of art, like it or not it is all up to the individual. As far as doing some thing better with ones money, art can be used to help raise money for needy causes, I donate paintings regularly. So Joe all ends can be served, the artist's, the public's and those in need. try not to be angry, if you don't create art maybe you should, it might help you feel better. Have a good day.
on Thursday, January 20th, john davis said
I never tell the names of my art to other people
as you can read about in my profile. I put the name or what i precieve it to be on a profile card on the back of the piece. you can make your own conection the the art then if you buy it you can read what i think of the piece and maybe view it in a whole new way
on Wednesday, January 19th, happy@ohyeahthisisarealemailaddress.com">Oh, just another person who wishes to remain unknown because what I write may be thrown in my face someday by a mime carrying big pies with letters on them similar to alphabet soup that a lot of enjoyed when we were kids, not that the mime could hit me with enough pies to spell an actual word, but then again, it could be one of those four letter words which really does bring me back to why I wish to be unkown. said
Monique...tried to access your site but could only find a bunch of writing about new age...uh...stuff.
1. Visual art is ...uh...visual !!!!!
Words are....hmm...are what....? uh...not ...
Anyways, many artists are not writers.
2. The person who buys a painting may actually be more important than the artist. After all, they are the ones to give the art sustaining life. So, why force what you see onto the buyer? The buyer provides life, what the buyer sees may be more important. Words so often destroy a piece of art.
Quite frankly, if you have to use words to convey an idea intrinisic to the art object, then maybe you did not succeed with that work.
Then again, would we ever know it was Henry the eight if the portraiture was not titled?
on Wednesday, January 19th, M.E. Whitehill said
I agree that titles can add to a persons reaction to art work. Many artists are also poets and can create an additional effect with the words. My friends and I often search the poems of others for beautiful phrases that describe or fit a certain painting.
on Wednesday, January 19th, Senecal said
"Anyone can call one self and artist but that doesn;t really make one an artist and certainly not an accomplished artist with anythig worthwile to say and contribute. "
------------------------------
Joe, you seem to have insight into what is legitimate art and what is, as you say, "crap".
Feel free to define "good" art. I am sure the world would welcome the enlightenment to be gained by your vast experience.
on Wednesday, January 19th, joe blow said
Mark its easy to say art is all subjective and my judgements are harsh. Yes it is harsh to say the most art is nonsense. Monique's art is more of what many people do a little shape here and there that one can call sensitive. Actually its all luxury and the world has enough of this crap, its a bit of pollution and many artist are kidding themself with this disfunctional activity. It is not holy because you sit in a room and feel good and it is doing nothing for people especially needy people. Monique is quite indulgent and its perhaps hars to say that but pehaps she may learn from my comments and insted of polluting the world with more crap sshe can spend her money and efforts on helping people that really need help. So far in the past few days we have seen the art of a husband with a sick wife and a few other idiots its really a world wide problem bad art and indulgent people that think they are artist. Anyone can call one self and artist but that doesn;t really make one an artist and certainly not an accomplished artist with anythig worthwile to say and contribute.
on Wednesday, January 19th, Senecal said
Actually, Monique's art is quite nice.
It is more a recording of the act of honest expression, and certainly more honest than some pseudonymous mouth-breathing comment.
I agree that titles can inhance or detract from the work. Still, the conscious choice to label a work "Untitled" is just as valid if the intent dictates.
on Wednesday, January 19th, Mark Brockman said
Joe's comments are a bit harsh. Yes Monique might seem to be a bit to deep, but that is what art (creating) is about, finding ones self even if it seems a bit on the edge for others. As a profesional artist I too have meaning to my work, my aprouch to art has helped me in my daily life. I think too, titles for paintings are important, though mine I not always creative, I try. As for the quality of Monique's work? I though it quite interesting. Art is to subjective to make such a harsh judgement, maybe Joe, it just isn't your cup of tea, thats OK. Whats your work like? I'll look for it.
I think creativity is a wonderful thing, and more people should do some thing creative, deep feelings or not.
on Wednesday, January 19th, joe blow said
Monique you are taking yourself a bit too seriously, yes you can make you own reality to a certain extent but unfortunatly good art requires some talent not just self confidence and a some titles. i suggest you give up art entirely! Your art is miserable. Perhaps you can donate some time and money to a worthy cause. Good luck!
Often painters and sculptures don’t give a real title to their work.
