Lately I've retreated into my studio more than plein air painting because I've been thinking about, in paint as well as in my head, about some of my notes posted around my studio. One thing milling about is what makes art good. There are so many many different ideas on this subject I would love to hear your thoughts.
I find still life's a great opportunity to pursue some of these qualities which define art for me in undisturbed solitude. For this set up, I was really trying to push creating form from shadow and light but also some of the impressionists ideas of color patches. (6"x12" oil on linen)
12 comments:
Oh - you've asked the million-dollar question: "what makes good art?" I once attended a three-day seminar just on that topic and found that there was little agreement. According to Arthur Danto (art critic) there are two necessary criteria for something to be deemed a work of "art": 1) it has meaning and, 2) it embodies the meaning. In other words, art needs conceptual weight. Whether or not it's "good" depends upon the time and culture/society that evaluates it. And then, there's the opinion of Clement Greenberg (modernist art critic) who said "There does seem to have been more or less of a general agreement over the ages as to what is good art and what is bad. This agreement rests, I believe, on a fairly constant distinction made between those values only to be found in art and the values which can be found elsewhere." And then there's the opinion of John Weber, who said "No great work of art is laissez-faire." I could go on and on (and already did!). This is a real can of worms, but thanks for asking the question :)
Three days wow, you have patience. But I guess we all think about "what is good art." And I'm sure you've seen art that makes you scratch your head, I know I have, and wonder okay and why is this art?
I met Greenberg in grad. school. He allowed us to pick his brain a bit at an "artzy" party. I went away thinking what a nice man. But I didn't agree with all he said.
Love the hazy lemons in back...how they are part of the comp. but do not detract from the main point. Just what we talked about all weekend while out plein air painting. But it's so true that these types of things can be felt and crystallized more in the quiet studio, away from the distractions.
We need both, right?
Hello Karen, so nice to read your thoughts regarding my "lemeons." It think I painted them more "impressionistic" than chiaroscouro. So I'm thinking it's find to mixed different "isms" together, right?
hey karen, sorry about my typos. I should really proof read
Susan, I love the way you have created a pure focus with your use of edge and fuzziness. Beautiful moody color too.
You say, what makes good art..that's really a "more than the comment box" question. One dividing factors is good art evokes emotion...that deep down ahhhhhhhhhhh feeling....but that's not really an answer is it? What are your thoughts?
Hi Loriann, I think your absolutely right, I forgot about the "ahhhhhhhhhh" factor. If a painting or a piece of art is techinically perfect but lacks the "ahhhhh" what's the point? At least that's how I feel too.
With this piece I was thinking about the chiaroscouro painters and a impressionistic feel vs. Impressionism. Sometimes this latter term gets used about so freely I'm not sure what it means anymore.
Today's brooding snowfall makes me wish for that lovely cup o' (with lotsa lemon please). As for "notes posted around my studio", mine are scrawled on stickies as they occur to me. Read alone or together, they remind me of what matters to me. They say... creative--not correct, rub the lamp, don't push the river, make a place, foam the runway, hide pride, fall off the edge, truth->intuition->creativity, and, I dare you!
Hi Sam, I think I'm a bit envious about your personal notes. My seem to dry in comparison. I'll be re-reading your bits of wisdom often if you don't mind. Love the "fall off the runway" but what does foam the runway mean???
Hi Susan! Love the light in this one.
What makes art good? It's a matter of opinion, I say! ;)
I love the feeling of "notice/glance/moment/passing" (can you tell I don't have words quite to describe this....it is a difficult thing to capture in a still LIFE...emphasis life...as opposed to 'stiff/dead'..there is a wonderful sense of life, seeing it in passing/moments in a day...some of those wonderful qualities in a painting, that can be so doggone elusive!!
Hi Roxanne, Thank you for your powerful comment. Looking forward to seeing more of your Ireland paintings.
Post a Comment