Art As A Whole

Oh my gosh...as far as I know a real artist makes art...out of what ever they choose. We probably all have at one time or the other experimented with other mediums...but to say art forms...what music? dance? Don't most artists specialize in whatever they choose or am I missing something? Following that train of thought then Clapton in no musician because he doesn't play the violin. My OB GYN is no doctor because she doesn't do brain surgery. And surely we better not go to the dentist again because all they know about are teeth. LOL

I like that, I will keep that in mind. I'm a photographer, and the image I uploaded, was a shot I took about 2months ago. I have only been playing around with art literally, less than 4 years, and after picking up a camera I instantly felt like I had something there.. Until that discussion with my professor. I was finally gaining some confidence as an artist, and that left me very confused.

Shawn your work is very good and doesn't look confused at all...keep your confidence and forget what he said. Might make you feel better to go to rate my professor and see what they say about him. If photography is your thing go for it and pay him no mind.

I definitely will do that.. I guess being new to the art world I figured this would be the place to get answers..

Val, great post!

Your professor is, as we say here, talking out of his bottom, Shawn. You are no joke.

Thank you very much Isabella. I will continue to make art in the way that I feel most inspired and he can have his opinion and I'll just overlook him

Well, me thinks thats kinda baloney. It's very good to touch as many tools and materials as you can (in all practicality). But, and it's a Big but if you ask me, when you find the right one push ahead with that and forget all the opinions - you'll find your own way and it will be worth it

I love your images and absolutely consider you an artist and a very good one at that. :)

Well thank you everyone I needed a boost I was struggling a bit before hand, So from here on I will not be listening to those who have derogatory opinions. I will continue to do what I enjoy and will continue to what I love!!

Your prof. was talking about ME - I've dabbled in dancing, acting, country song writing, drawing, painting, photography, digital editing, wedding cake designing, wood carving, .... let's see, have I missed anything?, ... well, yes, ... if we broaden the definition of "art", then we can include mathematics, astronomy, forestry, computer science, social sciences, cooking, bartending, .... oh, hell, my whole life is art, so your prof is talking about EVERYBODY doing everything.

You do not have to dabble. You just have to have the disposition, and whatever comes along, you apply that disposition to it. Art is the particular mode of action, NOT the medium upon which action is performed. Oh, I left out philosophy too.

I like the way you guys think!!

Being a prof takes talking people into signing up for more classes.

He is feeding himself students.

Nothing more nothing less.

Dave

The only thing I can think of is that your prof was saying that you might be selling yourself short staying in a comfort zone. I think artists tend to be much more versatile than they are willing to work for.
-- mary ellen anderson

I would say your "professor" needs to go to the loo - 'cause the professor is full of it.

Since he knows your getting more into photography, he might not think that is good enough. A lot of traditional painters do not feel photography is an art in the least. A lot of them take photos to use for their paintings, but thats as far as it goes. I wonder if deep down he is just pissed because you prefer photography.

The word that jumps out at me in your post is 'dabbling'. That says it all. You can be familiar with many art forms. I paint in oils but have a background in graphic design for my day job. It takes time and energy and years to develop marketable skills in one area. So for me, dabbling was not an option. I do think it is wise to keep up with trends and have some knowledge of other art forms but not necessary to dabble into them unless you feel compelled.

Ah, those that can do and those that can't teach.... I think that is how the old cliché goes.

Anyway, I have tried painting. I have tried drawing. I do make a pretty mean fighting/walking stick which I think is art. All that said, IF my mother was still alive then I might, just might get one of my paintings or drawings on her refrigerator. There is most certainly not a living person among the 7.3 billion currently around that would pay me money for my hand crafted beauties.

Now, photography is a whole different ball of twine for me. (Did you know there are twine artists out there that create amazing images with twine???? Does your prof dabble in that?) Anyway, people actually pay me for my photographs and yes I dare say, some are even truly art.

On a side note, you look really P'Oed in your avatar. Smiles sell art. Just some food for thought.

On a side side note, is the uniform yours or your fathers? Regardless they are powerful images and thanks for serving your country to whomever that Johnson is.

@ Robert, my LIFE is a country song.

first question is - what does he do?

paint, photography, sculpt, dance, sing? there are a lot of things that cover the term artist.

i personally can do stained glass, photography, digital art, colorizations - but i don't dabble. if you only dabble your not really an artist, your either confused, bored, or finding yourself. what you specialize in, that's what makes you an artist, what you devote yourself into. also being an artist is not about doing anything in particular, but being creative and ORIGINAL over all.

as long as your making something from yourself - shapes, ideas, colors, etc then your an artist. davinci did a lot of things, but he didn't do it all, its impossible to do it all.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

I strongly believe that:

A firm ability to draw is necessary first, when one embarks in any other visual discipline.

It compels you too SEE

And the EYE is what ART is all about.

you can also tell him that dabbling only means you do many things, but not very well. or not at a level that you can be considered an expert or a pro at it. like i do a lot of handyman stuff, but i wouldn't want to plumb a house, i know about it, but not to the level of an expert. its the same with art, focus until you can teach it to someone else, then learn another thing and repeat. that's how i learn to do everything.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

A joke in the art world? That a bit harsh. The only thing I could think of that would remotely justify this would be that artist today are almost required to do installations to get into museums. An installation requires several disciplines to create an experience.

Certainly studying various art forms helps one understand concepts such as composition. Many famous photographers came from other disciplines - Ansel Adams from music, Art Wolfe from painting, then there are many who are know for painting and photography - Man Ray for example. Chuck Close is another one.

Don't be blinded by his position as "instructor". Clearly it has gone to his head. lol What has he done that's so great anyway. Probably nothing. Do what you want in any medium you care to.

I'm going to put a different twist on it, since you are a student and still in academia mode.
If you don't take advantage of all that is available while you are in art school, then you are missing the opportunity of a lifetime.
All courses in various mediums will flesh you out as an artist...each discipline will offer something unique to your photography that you probably won't have otherwise.
I kicked and screamed through 5 years of weaving, silversmithing, stained glass, shop,sculpture, clay, architecture, photography and design classes, anatomy, physics, drafting (ugh) in addition to my beloved drawing, painting and art history classes, only to discover that they all played an important role in the evolution of my craft.
SO, no, I don't necessary think you'd be considered a joke..but you would be a fool not to explore when the opportunities are right at your doorstep.

Mike,

Da Vinci was well ahead of his time in almost everything.

He wrote many treaties, but was never published.

Besides the fact that there were few places to publish your works in 1500,
da Vinci was left handed. He found it easier to write right to left. His
writings take work to ascertain. It is like looking at an Italian ambulance
to read the letters mirrored backwards.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci

Dave

Everyone has an opinion and it seems your professor likes to use his position to sway his students to his side of thinking. But, in my experience that is what professors do. Just because he is a professor doesn't make him right. Art and the art world are highly subjective. I have dabbled in all sorts of artistic styles and mediums through the years, which hasn't helped my cause. Most people I have known (including professors) and excluding a couple friends, have not considered me an artist and have classified me as a hobbyist at best. That's just how people are. Although I do have to say the people here on FAA have been quite encouraging! Congrats that you have found a personal niche and are not scattered all over the place in your art that's a good thing.

I am with Marlene on this, I graduated from two art schools for the total of six years, I studied both fine and commercial art. I did sculpture, ceramic, print making, painting, drawing, type, metal works, illustrations, paper making, design, Even when I was in school I knew I had to learn as much as I could to have a full understanding what my talent is at. Many of these skills are interchangeable and helped for landing jobs later on. The only jobs I worked for are because of those skills I had earn at art school.

Alfred! I forgot about printmaking...those little rollers and oily inks and carving those linoleum blocks!!
My least favorite class was color matching...we had to match with paint about 400 color chips that were chemically produced...day in and day out....3 hours a day for a year. HATED the class....learned the most and have never wasted a smidgen of paint trying to produce a color I need.
.

Marlene, with my silk screen skill I got a commission to paint the costumes for a opera.

The Uniform is mine and I took a bit of time exploring it, utilizing the painting with light technique and placing emphsasis on the idividuallity and the ribbons on it to show the amount of sacrifices in a sum as well as the items placed to show what it took to make some of those sacrifices, and then the flag to show who the sacrifices where made for

Maybe the professor is concerned about the seduction of photography and its nearly instantaneous results. Other mediums teach patience and living with the work as its created. More of a time element in which the artist can make choices and explore options.

Great thread.

Anybody can dabble. It takes a lot of bravery and patience and curiosity and tenacity to become proficient at one thing. Ever heard the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none?" I think it's great to have a superficial knowledge of many things, but it's not in any way better than dedicating yourself to one course of study over all others.

Dear Shawn,

Every artist has to find their speciality, it's like a finger print. Everyones work is very particular and easily identified by their unique qualities, in my opinion. Honing is very good. Do what delights you.

Dear Shawn. How many priorities can one have ?

You have stood for our country, & I am sure in your years of service looked the enemy in the eye.

& you are going to let one line, one opinion from one person question your beliefs and abilities ?

As human nature goes we have ways of wanting to bring down another person to our level when we are a bit insecure or intimidated. Think that might be what happened ?

Go enjoy, you deserve it. Thank you for your service.

Marlene is right in that as a student it is your time and chance to explore and try a variety of things. That being said there are some artist who are able to function and produce work over a wide range of materials and techniques but most specialize to try to produce the best possible work in their chosen area. That is no joke just reality!

I agree with trying a number of other mediums, which I have done but none of them inspire and tug at my curiosity, and desire to learn more and push it further and to grow and be the best that I can be with that medium. I really hope and strive to one day be an award winning photographer

If I hadn't been required to take a course in Architecture, I would have never decided to spend all that viable adult life in that particular discipline.......Now at 80 looking back, I'm so glad I devoted so many years in that "Heady" experience.

Of course, I changed directions in life's mid-stream (mid life crisis) to a much simpler, more direct life-style, that being "sticking crab claws into mussel shells"

So be it

Now, here I am, trying to "Conquer" the cyber universe

Now when I say "dabble", I think that I do NOT mean what many of you here think "dabbling" is.

MY dabble is a momentary obsession. I have had numerous momentary obsessions in various domains, ALL focused, committed, and intense for their durations.

You all seem to think that "dabble" means something quite superficial. I tend to mean it as "temporary".

... just wanted to clarify that, so as not to be labelled a superficial, confused hobbyist, George Plimpton type.

J. C., ... I think the saying is "those who can DO and those who can TEACH". But you are probably closer in your version, because those who think that they can teach sometimes are sadly mistaken and cannot teach - they are just making a living trying to teach or to make a name for themselves, while subjecting their students to tortuous dysfunction. Professors, you would think, do not fall into this category, but, believe me, they very well can -- I lived through some of their antics in my academic days. Scary what the higher education system can allow to pass as "competent".

That's not to say the prof here is incompetent - he probably is quite competent, but perhaps motivated by the art installation outlook, as somebody suggested.

My attitude towards installation art is not so positive, I'm afraid. Please, do not do installations. I am so sick of this idea. Even twenty years ago, I was sick of it. It really seems passe' to me.

Come on, art students, learn to draw! Get back to basics. Develop skill. Rediscover the idea of beauty, balance, proportions, ... classic stuff that is classic for a reason. Can we not get past this rebellious child infantile mentality that still seems to grip academic art?

Ed, you hit the nail on the head. The value in the other disciplines is immeasurable..sometimes it takes YEARS to figure out their true value. To not expose yourself to them, is a damn shame.

I would take a look at the title of this thread...art as a whole.
The whole is the sum of its parts....how many parts will you have to your art, just photography?