Comments on: Proficient or good? which are you? http://99daz.com/the-greatest-masters-have-never-done-pictures-out-of-their-heads Inspire, be inspired and appreciate. Fine arts modern and from history for us to enjoy. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:21:10 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: <img class="monsterid" src="http://99daz.com/dazcox/wp-content/plugins/wp-monsterid/monsterid/3d72877e7d00fee.png" alt="Liz Beck MonsterID Icon" height="65" width="65"/> Liz Beck http://99daz.com/the-greatest-masters-have-never-done-pictures-out-of-their-heads/comment-page-1#comment-623 Liz Beck MonsterID Icon Liz Beck Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:48:47 +0000 http://99daz.com/?p=124#comment-623 I think this post ties in really well with one of your previous ones, re: most people not making art past the age of 11. When people are encouraged to be perfect first, expressive second, it can take the joy out of art making and creativity. And oh, how we are pressured to be perfect in our society...just like how one can learn techniques to render a perfect looking drawing from real life, which can serve to mask the underlying poet, one can learn how to render a perfect looking life through a series of steps (high paying job, big house, nice lawn, 2.4 children, dog...), which can serve to mask the spiritual, creative and existential aspects of oneself... No, not everyone who can render a "perfect" drawing from life squashes their creative vigor. No, not everyone who has a house with a white picket fence is denying underlying existential needs. Some people are able to balance both. However, unless people are encouraged to remain open to what seems to be a less respected aspect of human potential, one may resign him/herself into believing that they are not worthy unless they put forth what is considered perfection in our society. Thankfully the idea of rendering perfectly from reality is not the goal for many artists, art educators and art therapists. If one can learn to respect the poet inside first, and second learn the craftsmanship, hopefully this realization can be generalized to one's everyday life. I think this post ties in really well with one of your previous ones, re: most people not making art past the age of 11. When people are encouraged to be perfect first, expressive second, it can take the joy out of art making and creativity. And oh, how we are pressured to be perfect in our society…just like how one can learn techniques to render a perfect looking drawing from real life, which can serve to mask the underlying poet, one can learn how to render a perfect looking life through a series of steps (high paying job, big house, nice lawn, 2.4 children, dog…), which can serve to mask the spiritual, creative and existential aspects of oneself…

No, not everyone who can render a “perfect” drawing from life squashes their creative vigor. No, not everyone who has a house with a white picket fence is denying underlying existential needs. Some people are able to balance both. However, unless people are encouraged to remain open to what seems to be a less respected aspect of human potential, one may resign him/herself into believing that they are not worthy unless they put forth what is considered perfection in our society.

Thankfully the idea of rendering perfectly from reality is not the goal for many artists, art educators and art therapists. If one can learn to respect the poet inside first, and second learn the craftsmanship, hopefully this realization can be generalized to one’s everyday life.

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