Thursday, November 5, 2009

I am a hypocrite.


I am a woman of strong opinions and convictions. I cannot do something that I deem as wrong. I can justify the little stuff, but the big stuff, I simply cannot do. I have never gotten "so drunk I didn't know what I was doing." I've never lost control of my actions. And yet, I don't always practice what I preach.

Exhibit A : I love animals. I hate that people wear fur. I will not eat veil. And yet I love my burgers. I love meat. I eat a lot of chicken. I have eaten lamb once, and I felt SO terrible about it, but it tasted SO GOOD! I don't even really have a problem with people wearing leather or carrying leather handbags. I think that hunting is ridiculous. If you need food and use every part of the animal, then I don't have a problem with it. But I still think it's pretty sad. Nothing makes me more depressed than mistreated/sick/hurt animals and I would give anything to help out a little creature. I think cows are wonderful. And I eat them. I can't quite work this out in my head. Because animals rock, I'm including a picture of my kitty when he was a baby (who I would DEFINITELY not eat) :

Exhibit B : I don't know how I feel about art and design. Fine art is great. Anything goes and it starts with an idea and a talent and craft. Design is functional, but it definitely requires creativity and artistic thinking. However, I have trouble marrying the two. I don't know if its just because I'm a painter that I think that painting/drawing/sculpting is a higher art form? Photography has its place too, but I have trouble saying that digital photography is ART. It can definitely be artistic and beautiful, but is it fine high art? The art of film photography is in the technique of capturing, the science of developing, manipulating an image. If it's just point and shoot, it's too easy. But then again, the same could be said of digital, with all the doctoring we can do to manipulate the image. I think that in order for it to be a real piece of ART it must not be easy. And it must be original. I feel the same way about Thomas Kinkade like paintings as I do about dime a dozen photos. Digital art also conflicts with me. Putting a bunch of images together in a computer program to create an image well is challenging. It can be powerful and beautiful. I have trouble with the fact that there is no original workmanship in the pieces. I feel the same way when people use stencils and overhead projectors to aid in their paintings and drawings. Am I babbling? I guess I'm trying to work through my thoughts and in an effort to not be judgmental, I am trying to keep an open mind about my perspectives. Any thoughts?

7 comments:

  1. I know...I go back and forth with all of this as well. Is Pollock not an artist because he just dribbled paint? What about your 3d sculptures you've done for shows? You didn't carve the pieces out of plastic or make the carboard. Drawing comes easy for John and hard for me, is he less of an artist?

    I agree with you that some things are just too easy. I used to love Wyland then HATED him when I found out he mass produced his work. But then I thought, why am I hating someone for being able to make a living with his art? Isn't that what we all want to do?

    Definately a tough thing to think about.

    And, I'm glad you don't eat viel. The way the animal is killed is terrible. And skinning little chinchillas for a coat is horrible. But I, too, eat meat. Sigh.

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  2. Interesting thoughts! Good to keep them coming (and going). I'm struck by the thought that if we weren't at least a little bit hypocritical, we'd all be dead! That being said,it's ALWA
    YS good to be aware of one's good thoughts and actions and try to meld them into one. I disagree about the photography, though. To have an amazing photograph, one needs to have the skill and the eye, even if it is digital. PS You LIKED lamb? I can't even stand to smell it being cooked. I guess you're more Scottish than I am......

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  3. As somewhat of a designer, I think design is more about problem-solving than expression. It's like art with a real purpose. This is why I prefer it to fine art. There is usually more personality and expression in "art" but I think we're seeing the 2 begin to meld in a lot of areas.
    Also, some of the pretense surrounding the "high" art scene really frustrates me.

    Those are my 2 cents.

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  4. LIIIIIIISA! Don't EEEEEEEAT me!

    =)

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  5. I also get very frustrated with the high art pretention. I don't think it should be elitist, but I don't appreciate when it's half-assed. Like if you're making a digital piece with a background that has handwriting and some visual elements that could be drawn, wouldn't it be better if it was actually drawn and not just taken from someone else who drew it to add it to your image? I love design done well with creativity and expression and purpose, but then its not solely for expression and communication, those things must be put on the backburner because there is a higher purpose. Art is limitless, but design has parameters, yes?

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  6. Yeah, I think that makes sense.

    I gain a lot of pleasure out of putting my own hand-drawn elements into my designs. I agree with you about the digital art craze of just digitally mod-podging a bunch of crap together to make a picture. I think this is somewhat of an elementary approach, one that most people use to learn the software, but then move on to using their own stuff for the images.

    As far as the half-assed thing, Alonso has accused me of such, but I think it's just a different approach. I'm not meticulous, but I'm more or less creating a physical idea, and once that idea is out, I don't care if it's perfect anymore, it's done.

    I have a lot of respect for the kind of art you do, and the hours you put in, but I honestly don't have the patience for that kind of thing. I wouldn't argue though if you said that that made me less of an artist ;)

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