Vincent von Frese 13 Apr 2013

Everyone can be an artist is only a beginning. One fact is not everyone who is an artist will achieve fame and fortune for themselves and their work. The elements needed for this are unknown since this happens unpredictably.

I feel it might be true that thoughtful artists have available lots of choices as to the direction they will pursue which is the most satisfying for them.

Von

Dan Ault 22 Apr 2013

"Everyone is an artist, and no one is better than anyone else."

This is the same as saying that nothing is art. If everything that anyone makes is art then the term "art" is meaningless.

We may use the term art to describe something as being special, beautiful, creative, or sophisticated. But the term is used to designate something as being separate from the ordinary.

Art is not just an adjective. Art has an objective existence. Art is a term that is used to describe something that has been created for presentation to an audience for evaluation.

Lois Penrod 22 Apr 2013

I have to disagree a bit with Dan,art is an expression of yourself you can not go wrong with that. If you respect yourself enough as well with anything else in life with definately shows through art, your true feelings at the time however you get it across. If you want to get your art out there you should be atleast be some what reasonable,now that may be stick figures or what not it is still a part of you that brings thoughts of your younger days who knows to get off in the right direction you could have a story to it. All that really matters is you had to draw it and its your feelings. Unless you may think while drawing this is not for me what I'am doing this is for everyone,yes for everyone to see but what you do with it is your choice. So to me it is freedom of expressing yourself.That is the way probably with almost any kind of arts.

Cole McLester 22 Apr 2013

Since everything we do is presented and evaluated, then I guess everything is art. Once someone sees anything, evaluation takes place wether it is admitted or not.

My to cents, for what they are worth.

Vincent von Frese 22 Apr 2013

Talent is essential but education of your own self is also. If you can get to Europe and see some art like in Rome then you will be the better for it. America is a bit too commercialized when it comes to art.

Von

Lois Penrod 22 Apr 2013

As everyone will probably know this,ever since there was intelligence everything you ever did was either one way or another but with the right and left brain(the right more creative) (the left more logical)there will be more arguments and disagreements to balance them out may be tough.

Art is just there to keep you balanced with being creative.I guess right or wrong.

Lois Penrod 22 Apr 2013

Yes it is wise to be logical and careful with what you do but art is the fun part where you can be free from everything and just flow with it.

Logic comes into play also that tells you who you are if you are the type that can be taught but still finds there talent in it.

Cole McLester 22 Apr 2013

Yes education is a key. There so many resources available out there, all you have to do is be inquisitive. One line of inquiry will lead you to another if you are paying attention.

Vincent von Frese 23 Apr 2013

What always has inspired me was the work of other artists who I feel have really performed greatly in painting and sculpture and other arts. Never has the monetary value of their work had any affect on my learning as an artist. What an art work is selling for has nothing to do with the artist's expression. The business end of art is only that, business. Business is in an opposite plane from creative art and the two never get along without a fight leading to a divorce.

marlene burns 01 May 2013

everyone can be an artist. perhaps. the real question to follow is "but, will they be?" and that answer is a resounding no.

Vincent von Frese 02 May 2013

When I think of comparing different artists and seeing some of their best work in competition I look at the ArtWanted contest thread. This is brilliant work by the first three winers in each contest. Imagine being even nearly as accomplished as any of these winners are. Makes me want to give it up!

Cole McLester 02 May 2013

Vincent you said "give it up". I think you meant try harder.

Lois Penrod 02 May 2013

Vincent, Its sad that if you give up.Remember to believe in yourself and what you want what your gut wants if you are listening to your gut if its for the best you will choose some other path in your life but to keep coming back to something has to mean that you really love it.Your artwork is great I do not even think I could do as good as you.I think all artists at some point get in this situation where they think their art is no good.Yes there are or may be artists who are better or who you may think are, art is however you look at it.Everything every one looks at anymore its judged just take the rules out of art which I do not think there should be any be free.

Recently I posted stupid me,I regret it and through me writing this message to you it has been said that I wanted to challenge in my art which is alright for certain people but a big mistake.

My reason for putting the post up the other day was to say that mainly the art I do for along while now has opened doors for to see the beauty in things in life because life is art all around us.When I compare or better yet say better than someone it hurts my art I went through that already so be who you truly are. Challenge should not be in (drawing)art it is alright to be in other things.

I feel bad about my art because they say automatic drawing is not done by you it is done by medium or some unknown force controlling your hand but I still move on and know that what is hidden is you,why stay lost if it is something you love.

Vincent von Frese 05 May 2013

"Give it up" was meant to say "wow' to the success of these artists in AW contests.

I'm always in awe of many the works of others I'm exposed to but equally inspired by what I can learn from studying the work. I think art arrives in us at best when we drift into a state of psychic being in which everything in the world feels right. One should never be very self satisfied in their art as this is the the point at which one is stopped from progress(at their own self destruction). I know sometimes when what I have done "is enough" and then move on to starting or finishing a new work.

Being one's self is much more than simply not trying to be something one is not...like being a good painter( if one is not a good painter) and if one is really a bad painter. So one must improve by stepping outside their self satisfied and comfortable selfs and reach for new heights and levels of performance right?

Lois Penrod 05 May 2013

You are right in a sense but for artists who are not going to agree always like everything else almost in life there is nothing wrong with your own art beliefs.Others may disagree and cause yourself a chaos in your mind.Art is something that I guess might have to do with your attitude where then attitude should be put into art not saying you are not a good artist.It is like telling a child there art is horrible,art is born in everybody.

Sometimes I think it seems as if it might be mature to challenge yourself in art but the freedom of expression is a whole lot better with art than to force yourself if you think if you think to much you can screw up So if maturity has to do with art than I really would of never got into it. Thinking logical gets you places but art can take you places you never been and that is why it can be expressed in any way just free yourself.If you can paint that is good if you cant it may not be for you or finding your talent is better than going about it wrong.

It is all about if you like your art.I know if I start looking at art with someone who is in a contest I start comparing myself which makes me feel bad,but to just look at art is fine with me it gets me motivated.

When you do art it is like you never know what may become of it with about any artist it has to make form somehow and that is through your mind and the creation that the way you see it I do not believe it is wrong your viewpoint does not have to be exact or perfect it is how you view it.

Confusing me is when art has to be like everything else in life your mind is your own mind why even make it worse by someone putting there thoughts in your art it is your artpiece unless you want their thoughts in on how wrong your art is.It is made by you,unless you want someone elses soul in it which is what comes out is their thoughts not yours.

Marty Yokawonis 05 May 2013

If being an artist was mostly a degree of education or class taking or method learning then the more educated or trained a person was the better artist he would be right? I mean we expect singers, dancers, actors and musicians who must perform for others and to other people's standards to discipline themselves in their craft. If these creative disciplines must be performed to the critical standards set by others then why do we balk at having disciplines as creative visual artists? The idea of being talented is wonderful but the best art is generally not based just on raw talent alone but has to be mixed with a personal growth or education in one's personal vision. I do not mean we need to be unduly hard on ourselves if we are not meeting personal goals as artists. We all experience plateaus where it isn't easy to come up with new ideas or we just keep doing images the same way and maybe it gets old not being able to have a fresh approach. I find that when things get stale it's better to try something else entirely. I have spent most of the last 12 months learning to art journal, using markers and paint daubers and my fingers - working on thin pages made to write on so I have to glue and collage on the pages. I am taking various kinds of paper and stitching them together into books too. I am also looking at things like ex votos and retablos which are a kind of mexican prayer artform. I am doing this because I needed to unhook my head and engage my heart into art once again. I'm still going to make watercolors, still going to do oils and encaustics but I needed a shot of something more immediate more stream of consciousness more unplanned. I'm in an online workshop with women who want desperately to be artist and I am trying to bury artist and find self.......it's funny in a way. they think I'm nuts because I want to make art without having to draw or design anything. I'm perfectly happy using stamps and glue/collaging found stuff rather than drawing faces.

Lois Penrod 06 May 2013

I think all who are visual artists and are satisfyed with the stuff they draw in life or tried so many other forms of art they did are trying to find themselves when you feel comfort in things in which it completely clicks with you.I like to draw automatically or what is called surrealism art I like to draw that way which if you think about it thats how you draw.So using creative discipline atleast the way I draw does not make sense to me there is the point,being free to me is a form of art in which being done automatically without to much of a vision.It is hard to see other ways.

I talk through my own experience with art in how I do it but I may not be speaking for everyone just those who do art the way I end up doing it. It is done automatically(surreal) in which past experiences trying other art views did not get me anywhere at being very comfortable. So to draw surreal is a fast paced drawing which to me should be respected like all other visual art because there really is no wrong way with it if it is created it can make you feel great as with any other art.You can not force your hand like regular drawings in which a lot of people think you should have control which I do understand.

I know some out there try to put surrealism down because it does not necessarly meet to correct standard way of drawing and that is having control. Sure it is said if someone else can do something so can you.art is not like being as everyone else it is your own unique piece which makes it different.

Vincent von Frese 07 May 2013

Lois; I agree too that the stuff we come up with is less ours if and when it's got some other person's idea or thought in it. So if this is true we can assume that naive "outsider art" is more original hence the big deal of that genre. This outsider art lacks sophistication but appeals to the folk art crowd.

I suppose that in one's mind is stored everything we have experienced which comes to light when making our art. A mixture of other artists teachings are always in us top some degree depending on how much we have learned from them.

But my art and the art of those I've studied and admired in history are what they are because they tapped into the minds, hearts and souls of other artists they admired. And like musicians they have extrapolated styles and ended up with their own originality of expression. When seeing art made by others we should have enough sense to not comment on it like you said since our opinion means nothing to the one who made the art. On the other hand when you show work to the non-art public I guarantee some will make snap statements which can be cruel and ignorant. Best to handle it with a smile and pretend to agree instead of argue with these types.

Marty; I think searching for the self often is a never ending waste of time because it's something right there in you if you just relax and do what feels right. Psychologically everyone is a big ball of twine which when unraveled another one appears.

There is no reason or explanation needed for who we are or what our art work is.

The attachment is an image(Movement in Squares) of a great painting by London artist Bridget Louise Riley who was inspired to do art after seeing an exhibition of Jackson Pollack.

Lois Penrod 07 May 2013

Vince, Having a look at Bridget Louise Rileys optical painting made me almost forget about how just the shapes in a piece of abstract has caused a sense of amazement to it. I just I will look at more done by her and others.

Marty Yokawonis 07 May 2013

I hear you Vincent. Thank you. I reread what I said and felt that maybe I didn't take it far enough. Lois when I was talking about discipline I meant that the training is really just that - training. Art happens maybe in another part of our being. When we listen to someone singing or watch someone dancing or listen to someone playing an instrument we are seeing (hopefully) or hearing both the art and the discipline. Training doesn't make you an artist. period. At best I guess it helps to make you more focused or tuned in or sensitive to nuances that help hone your art. For most of us the training is mostly a mental conditioning. Unlike a dancer or singer or musician we don't need to develop a muscle memory. Our discipline is more of a tuning our eyes and hands to follow the lead of inner intuitions. Bad art seems to come out of the marriage of head and hands leaving eyes and intuition blinded. Bad art is where I have been finding myself the last few years. All methodology and technique but blinded to the inner voices. I think I gave in to the ambition to be a player in art societies, competing for attention and stupid ribbons. That's not a focus any longer.