peter

Art for the experts?

James sent me this quote this morning – and it struck a chord.

“We live in a society where difficult things are increasingly left to experts and specialists. So people take vacations to New York City to see the great art, buy CD’s to hear the great performances, subscribe (occasionally) to PBS to watch Masterpiece Theatre – and at a glance it all seems entirely positive, even virtuous. Yet that all-too-easy access to perfection comes at a steep price: the loss of individual participation in the arts. In an era where the media confer fame early, instantly, and fleetingly, the opportunity for the measured development of one’s art is the first casualty. And beyond that, how many artists have the reslience and personality to see their still-developing work placed in driect compettion with the legends in their field? Not many. The net result is that we have become a society composed almost entirely of audience.

This is unhealthy, both individually and collectively. Artists need to feel they have the support of the community in their artmaking efforts – if not for what they have already achieved, then for the potential they represent. Artmaking is too important to reduce to a spectator sport. We can’t afford to leave artmaking to a chosen few – the few are not enough.”

Ted Orland

Mel Brackstone, about 1 year ago

hear hear!
thickblackoutline, about 1 year ago

ah yes, all so true! art is for all, we all have the gifts!

art is never wrong
Elaine van Dyk, about 1 year ago

What brilliantly wise words you’ve quoted, Peter! Art should definitely be for everyone – creativity for all to do and be seen, for it’s development in individuals to be valued (in both creators and viewers).
Belinda Strodder, about 1 year ago

Well said and very encouraging for those who are maybe a little reluctant to call themselves an artist.
Grant Bissett - Minister of Kerosene, about 1 year ago

“Artmaking is too important to reduce to a spectator sport.”

...sums it up for me.
Robert Knapman, about 1 year ago

Yes yes. Art is everywhere – can I say in the way we walk and talk too. We exist in a living moving canvas. Yessiree. Sometimes its humbling.
Charlotte Morison, about 1 year ago

Exploration of the things around us, forces us to be present with what is, as opposed to what we believe should be.

The ability to create shouldn’t be dismissed as whimsey, it’s what makes us all tick.

Some people create consciously and others don’t even realise they are creating! But we are all creating, every minute of every day!
sjem, about 1 year ago

So true. The development of an artist is a long term investment in one’s self. You can’t expect an individual to produce work in an instant – behind every overnight success story are years of hard work.
Helene Kippert, about 1 year ago

This is so true. We are all born with a built in need to create. What a shame that our culture doesn’t support this basic need in each of us!
kseriphyn, about 1 year ago

Seems to be the case of Art on Demand.
Leith O'Malley, about 1 year ago

Life is serious – Art is Fun!
Michael Douglass, about 1 year ago

I’ve had many conversations on this, glad to see it brought up here. Yes I agree it is true in art peter but I believe it is just as true in life as well e.g. TV dinners. Is art as they say, life reflected?

From a business point of view I have heard it mentioned often that, since everything has been done to death, the only business that will succeed in this age is one that caters to a niche audience…which I believe will include 90% of all future endeavours…and those that frequent the internet will be especially susceptible given the incredible amount of choice available.

Following on from this huge variety of pleasures so readily available, it stands to reason that people will increasingly take their fill from whatever fountain they affinitise for at the time, before moving to the next.

I think going forward, in some respects artists as we know them now are going to be considered ‘traditional’ or even old fashioned. The self indulgent side, or the creative drive or whatever you want to call it, will not appeal so much, or so meaningfully to generations of people who know nothing more than window shopping their way through life.

Maybe that stands well for us on redbubble who are filling a window?
citizen "KHAN", about 1 year ago

this thing about society being ‘composed entirely of audience’. that’s not entirely true. who do you know who doesn’t doodle on a notepad. who do you know who doesn’t type the odd funny email, or who doesn’t try to tap out a funky beat on a railing whilst they’re waiting at the bus stop. there are millions, billions, zillions of creative acts happening every second- just because the people who perpertrate them simply enjoy them, but don’t bother to record them, market them, publicise them or attempt to bathe in their glory, doesn’t mean that they are not happening.

and if someone is making a racket knocking on a railing, is it really right to encourage them?

i don’t mean to be a pain in the arse, but i do not think “Artists NEED to feel they have the support of the community in their artmaking efforts”. as a statement it is frankly, patronising. the word NEED is uncompromising in its insinuation. There are a number of obvious alternatives. NEED suggests universal support is vital to the development of art- in other words, by definition, ‘Artists’ are a bunch of weak willed limp wristed nervous excitables who couldn’t tickle a monkey without a slap on the back, even if it’s a hollow slap on the back.

maybe there are people who “need to feel” things. I am not one of them. but then again, i am not an ‘artist’.

are you? is this true? is this true about you?

probably sounds a bit fascist in today’s ‘super-homogenised fully-pasteurised metrosexual, after-you-sir, thankyou-madame society’, but If artists DESERVE the support of their community, then certainly they will receive it, won’t they? there will always be those who succeed and those who, well, sort of don’t.

part of the recipe for that success has got to be the desire to create, ambition to prove others wrong, strength of character, and self belief, regardless of what anybody else thinks.
eponavisions, about 1 year ago

this is so very true. i live in colorado, a beautiful place to live, much lore and more:} i just got off phone with ex, he tells me he had went up to my youngest daughters house after watching youngest gran. 1 and a half. her brother soon to be 6 not yet back from trek venture with other grandparents. my eldest daughter and i have spoke of this so often. point being. my eldest still reads to her 3 and a half yr old daughter, takes her on outings, does all the stuff i did as old hippie with both of my daughters. did anyone know that there are actually 7 layers of ocean very visible even to a naked eye in colorado springs co. i could see long before they put up signs. i will get back to point. thinking jumping around today. yet, there was a student geology major that was taking photos, i told him of these 7 layers and more abouth the history of this beautiful tourist site, yes my favorite in colorado. he did not know any of the things i told him. so, what does this say about a country where we get over 1thousand tv stations, nothing on. gave mine up thank you, where people can not look another person in the eye and smile without them thinking, or so it seems “fear” and oh how i love to greet and meet. gives me ideas to keep brain thinking. to end this with my point. my youngest and her husband were on their laptops, yes my youngest is a techie making big bucks, you would think that she would be tired of being on computer as civilian at a.f.b. and her husband. yet there i am told by ex that my beautiful sweet youngest gran is totally being ignored because they were to busy to give her time. whats up. we got techno in 70s, cant blame it all, yet i was a dos babe in college, and must somehow find a possitive here for me. we came to fast to far and it is all about balance and proportion. hopefully before the next 20 year cycle of know it all mums like i was. i do make a point of getting out, sitting on a bench watching and occassionally speaking to someone. my camera scares folks, hmmmm…yet you can see in their faces they do not understand why 1.you are talking to them. 2. that it is just polite conversation. 3. they still look at you and wonder why you speak. scary. but so true. even in colorado janet pettersen. thanks for your help. my vista has shown it loaded correct pixexation, think i found away around it without asking techie daughter. hurray for you and your honesty. not even the news is honest here…..janet pettersen eponavisions
kseriphyn, about 1 year ago

You’ve changed your icon. You trying to hide from us eh? LOL! XD
Paul Tait, 12 months ago

Thank you for sharing this quote. Too true!
kathleen, 11 months ago

Hey Peter, I just found this by accident… didn’t catch it back in May… and I haven’t read the comments yet… a revolutionary at heart eh? I agree totally about the spectator sport of art… interesting to see RedBubble allowing an alternative to the big game!!! but how do we keep the balance and not lose our identity as all the diverse and beautifully creative people we are in the face of the populist and/or the mainstream ‘participartory audience’ which forms from mass media culture and the commercialist and economic pressures that are placed on the arts… are we a profession or are we hobbyists??? I personally think it has more to do with obsession but….

thanks for keeping me thinking again!
Thelma1, 11 months ago

This is so very true, I hadn’t thought of it like that before. Wise words.
sunset, 8 months ago

i agree, as I eat lunch in front of the computer ( for once)
D. AMO, 8 months ago

It is so sad when one doesn’t accept the art in oneself, or another. The Art of ART.
Paul Morley, 7 months ago

I disagree entirely with the original quote, especially where photography and image making is concerned. Some of the biggest limiting factors for producing art in these areas have been equipment and the skill to use it but by far the biggest limiting factor has been the ability to showcase your work.

With the advent of digital cameras, computers and in particular, the internet, there has never before been such a massive explosion of people becoming involved in and having a place to showcase their artistic endeavours. If the art for experts argument only held true, then this site and others like it would never have survived even the first few weeks of life if only a few experts were here submitting their images.

The growth of RB and other site like this are a complete contradiction to the ‘art for experts’ argument.