Northwest Florida Arts Association
Editorial
The State of Art
Nov 28th
Art is in a very odd state right now. There are more artists than ever; websites like DeviantArt.com have thousands of members with hundreds of new prints available every day. Yet if you asked a random person off the street to name a living artist: they can’t.
Every now and then you will find someone who can name someone; Damien Hirst for example: but most people don’t pay attention to art, or even more importantly, artists.
So why do more people enter this field? Why do more people want the frustration of being ignored? The pain of being another face in the crowd? The reality of being “normal” in a field that prides itself on uniqueness, when actually being involved in it at all seems to be the norm these days.
For me, I make a living in the commercial side of art. I have worked for franchising companies, sports magazines and I currently work for a design firm in Fort Walton Beach, Florida called Revive Media Services. However some artists consider this “selling out.” These are artists I’ve met in college classes who have never made a dime off of their art and are usually house wives or teenagers but consider me a sell out for working for “the man.”
They hold on to the belief that they will be the next Da Vinci. That their photo of their cat ran through a filter in Photoshop will be loved by many. But love doesn’t pay the bills and I can tell you, I have never been in an empty college art class, nor have I seen the same people twice.
Can there really be a demand for this many artists? Does the world need so many artists? Where is all of this art going?!
To find out, we went to the streets! (Not really, I just always wanted to say that. Those news reporters sound so official saying that right before interviewing some homeless guy about what he thinks of a bridge…)
My tattoo artist (Maverick of Maverick’s Tattoos, check him out) told me in April of last year that probably 70% of the people he inks claim to be some kind of artist. When he found out what I did, he remarked “Oh, you’re a real artist. You actually pay the bills with your art, not some c@#! of a house wife with a hobby.”
More importantly, why don’t people pay attention to art anymore? Is art seen as a lost art (pardon the pun)? A relic of the past?
Some people believe iPods are to blame. While I don’t think that is true; an iPod is just a marketing term for a hard drive with software on it to play MP3’s it is an interesting perspective.
Society has almost adapted the Pokemon “collect ‘em all” philosophy for everything. Get the fastest car, the biggest house, the most music on your iPod and phone, the biggest iPod, the newest phone, the newest cell phone, and in collecting all of these multiple devices that all do multiple things, can one really appreciate something like art that just… sits there?
Some people on DeviantArt.com charge as much for a simple print when for the same amount of money you could buy an Xbox 360.
Kill space marines online with people from around the world, or look at the same thing every day, all day, that never changes? Art can’t really compete with that (unless it is Starry Night… I have a soft spot for that…)
So what do we do? Do we devalue ourselves? Sell ourselves for less than we are worth? Can an artist be expected to make a living if his work is being sold for the price of a Pepsi?
Of course not, and I don’t have all of the answers nor will I ever claim to. But this is written for everyone; artists and you boring people:
The next time you have the opportunity to buy art, think about how far the art world has fallen. Think about how you can contribute to it by just supporting any of your local artists (sorry DeviantArt.com but I would always support a local, struggling artist than a faceless artist on a website who gets 400,000 page views a day along with 30 virtual blow jobs per hour.).
And the next time you artists try to sell your art online for insane prices: …come on. If someone can buy a next-generation gaming system instead of your painting, albeit a beautiful painting of a vampire, they probably will. You have to think of other people before greed and even necessity. A $20 print is likely to sell more with the logic of “Wow, a great print for only $20!” than selling 1 painting for $400.
Greed is the downfall of all beasts.
What is an Artist?
Nov 24th
What is an artist?
What is an artist? Can a person just decide they are an artist? Do you have to go to school to be qualified as an artist? Is everyone really an artist? Is no one really an artist? Let’s explore some of the definitions that are found for this term, and try to come to a real definition… if there is one.
Dictionary.com
1. A person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.
2. A person who practices one of the fine arts, esp. a painter or sculptor.
3. A person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.
4. A person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer; a public performer: a mime artist; an artist of the dance.
5. A person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.
6. A person who is expert at trickery or deceit: He’s an artist with cards.
7. Obsolete. An artisan.
All seem reasonable to a degree, except #6. A person that is an expert at trickery or deceit. See when I read that it furthers my belief that the word is completely superfluous. It’s nothing but a grammatical cock stroke. You’re telling me when an executive posts a “now hiring” ad online for artists that they could be looking for con-men?
American Heritage Dictionary
1. One, such as a painter, sculptor, or writer, who is able by virtue of imagination and talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the fine arts.
2. A person whose work shows exceptional creative ability or skill: You are an artist in the kitchen.
3. One, such as an actor or singer, who works in the performing arts.
4. One who is adept at an activity, especially one involving trickery or deceit: a con artist.
These are all okay, but let’s continue pointing out #4.
Digital American Heritage Dictionary
1. One who practices any of the fine arts, esp. painting, sculpture, or music.
2. One whose work shows skill.
Here’s the big one: #2; one whose work shows skill. This is where the veritable shit hits the fan for me.
A receptionists work shows skill; a taxi drivers work shows skill, a janitors work shows skill. However none of these people are deemed artists by society or by themselves.
Why? Because “artists” have warped the term into such a meaningless lump of bile. However let’s not jump to a conclusion yet. Let’s continue looking at more definitions.
Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary [10th Edition]
1. One skilled or versed in learned arts.
2. One who professes and practices imaginative art.
3. A person skilled in one of the fine arts.
4. A skilled performer.
5. One who is adept at something.
Okay. Let’s continue where we left off. One skilled in learned arts? Aren’t learned arts a synonym for a learned craft, which is a fancy word for a job? So you’re skilled at your job. Hopefully everyone is skilled at their job otherwise they will be fired.
This differs from #3; which is fine arts.
But another big one is #5. One is who adept at something. Merriam Webster never let me down. Isn’t everyone adept at something? Sleeping, eating, playing video games, masturbation, arm farts, brushing ones teeth, etc? Surely everyone out there is adept at one thing at least. If anyone out there is depressed enough where you claim you aren’t adept at anything; I would bet money that someone could spend 2 hours with you (or less) and find something you are good at.
Online Etymology Dictionary
1581, “one who cultivates one of the fine arts,” from M.Fr. artiste, from It. artista, from M.L. artista, from L. ars (see art). Originally used especially of the arts presided over by the Muses (history, poetry, comedy, tragedy, music, dancing, astronomy), but also used 17c. for “one skilled in any art or craft” (including professors, surgeons, craftsmen, cooks). Now especially of “one who practices the arts of design or visual arts” (a sense first attested 1747). Artistic first recorded 1753; artistry 1868.
This is one fair enough, but I guess it is worth pointing out that “one skilled in any art or craft.” This reckons back to the fact that every one is skilled at some craft.
WordNet
1. A person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
Fair enough.
Kernerman English Multilangual Dictionary
1. A person who paints pictures or is a sculptor or is skilled at one of the other arts
2. A singer, dancer, actor etc; an artiste
Good enough as well.
In conclusion, there is more than one printed source stating that an artist is nothing more than someone who is good at SOMETHING or any craft.
Everyone walking this planet is good at something or some craft. From bus drivers, janitors and McDonalds employees to painters, digital artists and actors.
An artist isn’t someone who is tortured by their creativity, has to wear black nail polish, drinks Starbucks, and listens to My Chemical Romance. An artist is everyone; the teacher you hate; the parents you rebel against, the boss you loathe.
Walk down a crowded street and everyone around you is an artist.
(Note: This was originally written for my first website, I HATE ARTISTS. Upon re-reading it, I actually still hold on to these same beliefs. This posting is almost 3 years old and every word still rings true to me as the day I wrote it. I hope you enjoy it.)
What is an artist?
What is an artist? Can a person just decide they are an artist? Do you have to go to school to be qualified as an artist? Is everyone really an artist? Is no one really an artist? Let’s explore some of the definitions that are found for this term, and try to come to a real definition… if there is one.
Dictionary.com
1. A person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.
2. A person who practices one of the fine arts, esp. a painter or sculptor.
3. A person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.
4. A person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer; a public performer: a mime artist; an artist of the dance.
5. A person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.
6. A person who is expert at trickery or deceit: He’s an artist with cards.
7. Obsolete. An artisan.
All seem reasonable to a degree, except #6. A person that is an expert at trickery or deceit. See when I read that it furthers my belief that the word is completely superfluous. It’s nothing but a grammatical cock stroke. You’re telling me when an executive posts a “now hiring” ad online for artists that they could be looking for con-men?
American Heritage Dictionary
1. One, such as a painter, sculptor, or writer, who is able by virtue of imagination and talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the fine arts.
2. A person whose work shows exceptional creative ability or skill: You are an artist in the kitchen.
3. One, such as an actor or singer, who works in the performing arts.
4. One who is adept at an activity, especially one involving trickery or deceit: a con artist.
These are all okay, but let’s continue pointing out #4.
Digital American Heritage Dictionary
1. One who practices any of the fine arts, esp. painting, sculpture, or music.
2. One whose work shows skill.
Here’s the big one: #2; one whose work shows skill. This is where the veritable shit hits the fan for me.
A receptionists work shows skill; a taxi drivers work shows skill, a janitors work shows skill. However none of these people are deemed artists by society or by themselves.
Why? Because “artists” have warped the term into such a meaningless lump of bile. However let’s not jump to a conclusion yet. Let’s continue looking at more definitions.
Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary [10th Edition]
1. One skilled or versed in learned arts.
2. One who professes and practices imaginative art.
3. A person skilled in one of the fine arts.
4. A skilled performer.
5. One who is adept at something.
Okay. Let’s continue where we left off. One skilled in learned arts? Aren’t learned arts a synonym for a learned craft, which is a fancy word for a job? So you’re skilled at your job. Hopefully everyone is skilled at their job otherwise they will be fired.
This differs from #3; which is fine arts.
But another big one is #5. One is who adept at something. Merriam Webster never let me down. Isn’t everyone adept at something? Sleeping, eating, playing video games, masturbation, arm farts, brushing ones teeth, etc? Surely everyone out there is adept at one thing at least. If anyone out there is depressed enough where you claim you aren’t adept at anything; I would bet money that someone could spend 2 hours with you (or less) and find something you are good at.
Online Etymology Dictionary
1581, “one who cultivates one of the fine arts,” from M.Fr. artiste, from It. artista, from M.L. artista, from L. ars (see art). Originally used especially of the arts presided over by the Muses (history, poetry, comedy, tragedy, music, dancing, astronomy), but also used 17c. for “one skilled in any art or craft” (including professors, surgeons, craftsmen, cooks). Now especially of “one who practices the arts of design or visual arts” (a sense first attested 1747). Artistic first recorded 1753; artistry 1868.
This is one fair enough, but I guess it is worth pointing out that “one skilled in any art or craft.” This reckons back to the fact that every one is skilled at some craft.
WordNet
1. A person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
Fair enough.
Kernerman English Multilangual Dictionary
1. A person who paints pictures or is a sculptor or is skilled at one of the other arts
2. A singer, dancer, actor etc; an artiste
Good enough as well.
In conclusion, there is more than one printed source stating that an artist is nothing more than someone who is good at SOMETHING or any craft.
Everyone walking this planet is good at something or some craft. From bus drivers, janitors and McDonalds employees to painters, digital artists and actors.
An artist isn’t someone who is tortured by their creativity, has to wear black nail polish, drinks Starbucks, and listens to My Chemical Romance. An artist is everyone; the teacher you hate; the parents you rebel against, the boss you loathe.
Walk down a crowded street and everyone around you is an artist.
