Sunday, July 5, 2009

my problem with "art".

i've always been a wary of* "art" and those who claim to be "artists" of any stripe. and while i've never quite been able to put my finger on just why that is, tonite i received great clarity on the matter.

i've been thinking about this lately and i think it's that most people with a gift, or "skills", as the case may be, seem to enjoy putting down, or simply pointing out the flaws of, those without the same gifts or "skills". i know i'm so guilty of doing this. if i happen across a knitted object where the purl stitch was done backwards and caused the stockinette stitch to be twisted, i giggle and smile a smug smile of knowing. knowing the difference in knit and purl. knowing what stockinette stitch is. knowing that i'm right, and this object is so wrong. the sad thing is, i don't know.

i don't know if this is the first item that this particular person has knitted. and if they saw my smug smile, or heard my careless comments, they could be discouraged and not pick up knitting again. or this person may know full well that their knitting is twisted and they like it that way! there are many things i don't know, but acting this way only shows that i do know critical judgment, cynicism and pride*.

and this is especially important for those of us that claim to follow the ways of Christ. Hebrews 3: 13 says "but encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." yes, i'm taking it out of context, but i think is so important that we encourage each other. and it's hard, i get it. it's way easier to make fun of something than it is to say "hey, that is awesome, you GO for making this!" (especially if someone is still in the learning phase, and their stuff sucks.) i mean, it's cheesy and oh so pollyanna to be nice, but it matters.

and guess what, instead of getting butthurt about my crappy n00b photography and giving up(which i really want to do. i admit, my panties are in a bit of a twist right now) i'm going to keep on snapping. and trying to get better. and i'm going to keep posting my pictures, because i'm proud of myself for doing something.

and hey! guess who else did something. my BFF vanessa. she did something i would never, ever do. because i'm scared of criticism and sharing my heart. but she's not! and we all get to experience something sweet and beautiful because of it. go check out nessa singing a lovely song and be blessed by her pretty voice and her sense of daring. i know i am.

so, let's all go make something beautiful and encourage someone attempting something new. and maybe soon we can all become artists and creators and reflections of the great creator we're supposed to be.

*1.
and, conflictingly, drawn towards, but that's for another day.
*2. yes, i'm aware that this whole post was spurred on by critical judgment and cynicism... to quote hank hill: "it's called a double standard, bobby, live with it."

lastly, i apologize for the insane amount of run-on sentences that i seem to be so fond of writing.

9 comments:

VanessaKim said...

Oh I'm so scared. But I swore I would stop living in the I wish I would've done that kind of existence.
I love your run on sentences, and I love your pictures. The thing is, there are no rules to photography. I've had people tell me my pictures are overexposed/underexposed, that my focus is off. Yea..so what? What's pleasing to me may not be pleasing to someone else & guess what..I don't care.
Keep shooting..you'll get the hang of it.

Anita Ann said...

Ya know, I never share my paintings because of harsh judgement. I paint because I love it and love how it relxes me. I used to be a poetry snob, I would laugh and crumby love poems because my stuff at the time was dark. If I had a camera again I would post a picture of my obly paintig not ruined in storage.

Blueprint Baby said...

Here's my encouragement: great blog, effie, i love it. I think that grammar rules be damned, there are lots of wonderful writers who use run on sentences and why is run on a negative thing? why can't we just create? I'm sorry someone was critical of your photography. i make it a point to only write positive reviews for ArtBeat. There's enough negativity out there.

effie said...

thank you guys :)

shar, it wasn't so much someone was directly critical to me, i just get so frustrated with the pervasive attitude and sense of elitism. then again, i get butthurt pretty easily :)

anita, i would like to see your painting!

Vinton J Bayne said...

I know this probably has to do with my tweet and I assure you, you took me wrong.

My view on art is, if it expresses whats inside, if it is something you made and beleive to be art... then it is.

my tweet was about someone who would buy a camera just because its expensive. without a care to be an artist, or even take good pictures. Just buying a expensive camera for the same reasons people by a disposable.

I in no way meant that I am a judge of good photography and am a full advocate on if you think your art sucks... well its probably amazing.

and if you think your art is amazing... you should probably quit making it and lose your ego.

I bet your shots are great. It's the heart that art comes out of.

Vinton J Bayne said...

And the truth is, ask anyone who knows me I thinkn im a horrible photographer. I was on the verge of getting rid of my camera last month.

If it wasn't for Vanessa, the hancocks, Chris, Christen and a few others, I wouldn't ever post my pictures online.

They encourage me, ask vanessa, I've had many discussions where i think im just not good, and she tells me otherwise.

effie said...

jeff, i get what you meant in your tweet, and that wasn't the only reason i posted this, at all. i'd been stewing on this thought for a few days and then you tweeted that, and i was like, okay i'm posting now :)

encouragement is where it's at! i'm glad that you are surrounded by such great friends who won't let you quit.

(and i agree with your tweet about wasting money on something you don't even use or appreciate.)

Anonymous said...

"i mean, it's cheesy and oh so pollyanna to be nice, but it matters."

my mantra..."because nice matters!"

it matters, it really does. love it!
great blog!
love you, sister
cara

leanna said...

if i ever start knitting, i will hide my projects from you forever. :) haha. jaykay.

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