Baren Digest              Sunday, 14 January 2001      Volume 14 : Number 1286


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From: Cucamongie@aol.com
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 16:27:06 EST
Subject: [Baren 12974] cows, etc 

Well, don't have a cow !?? :)
I think these critics must be nuts or something.  As for cows, Lynita did a 
great print of cows which she probably has up on her website (I haven't 
visited it in a while, but I think it's up there), check it out folks!  It's 
not the subject that matters, it's how it's done!  I have seen some lovely 
work of what could be considered very mundane subject matter.  Personally, I 
think you could do a print of a pencil sharpener or a paper clip or anything 
really and make it interesting if it's interesting to you!
As for me, I made a new dog print today, and am trying to decide on which 
endangered species to print for the next exchange, of course trying to decide 
among about 20 ideas.
Happy printing, MOOOO!
Sarah 

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From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon@mlyon.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 16:14:25 -0600
Subject: [Baren 12975] Re: Baren Digest v14 #1285 


Yes, Jeanne, that's correct -- it's not good art.  Wegman's "Dogs", 
Lautrecs "La Chat", Kuniyoshi's cats, and your critter art are not really 
good art, and are "common".  What?  You couldn't understand your local art 
critic's message?  End of discussion.  There is already enough elitism, 
ignorance, and tunnel vision in the world.  I can't imagine any sentient 
being dissenting on this one.  Dogs, Cats, and Cows -- definitely 'out' as 
far as art is concerned.  Giraffe's, hippopotomi, frogs, fishes, endangered 
species, and fat women -- OK, I think they are PC.

Mike :-)



mikelyon@mlyon.com
http://www.mlyon.com

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From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon@mlyon.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 16:21:18 -0600
Subject: [Baren 12976] Re: Baren Digest v14 #1285 

At 04:51 AM 01/14/2001 +0900, Dan Dew wrote:
>Sorry to stray from the current subject  (not), but made a wood run
>yesterday to my local supplier.  He had a piece of Baltic Birch 3/4"
>plywood.  It was only $2.00 for a 8" x 20" board, so I picked it up along
>with some beautiful cherry wood.

Here in KC 3/4" Russian baltic birch runs between $26 and $32 for a 5 x 5 
foot sheet, or about $1 to $1.25 per square foot.  Not as easy to carve as 
shina.  And its plies are assembled using a water soluble glue, so it tends 
to bubble when wet.  I'm not crazy about the stuff for hanga.  OK for 
cabinet work and some furniture though.

Mike

mikelyon@mlyon.com
http://www.mlyon.com

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From: ArtfulCarol@aol.com
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 18:10:22 EST
Subject: [Baren 12977] Re: Baren Digest v14 #1285 

I spoke up for cows a while ago.
NY had  life -sized plastic cows, hundreds of them ,decorated and painted and 
put all over the city. When I  heard about that I thought it was ridiculous,. 
There were going to be many artists painting them for a Benefit Auction after 
the exhibit was over.   It was the most inventive project you can imagine!!  
As I walked around the city I was impressed with the creativity that brought 
out a smile again and again.

I dont know whether I can do 31 prints, but will try . So my vote goes for 
the cows, nothing personal!
Carol Lyons
Irvington, NY

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From: Vollmer/Yamaguchi <jy6@columbia.edu>
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 19:43:03 -0400
Subject: [Baren 12978] Oops! 

Oops!

Sorry I sent twice! The second one is the edited version, sent the first
one by accident, one of those slips of the finger. And I havn't had a drop
to drink!

April Vollmer
174 Eldridge St, NYC 10002, 212-677-5691
http://www.aprilvollmer.com



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From: Lawrence <vurt1@optushome.com.au>
Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 13:36:11 +1100
Subject: [Baren 12979] Re: Subject Matter 

Have to say that in the context of french salon art, Monets waterlillies 
were a radical departure from the norm and as such quite radical from an 
aesthetic point of view. Monets waterlillies had very deep meaning in the 
context of french art at the time. Art has to be judged in context normally 
to get the best from it. And art is best when it speaks, either 
aesthetically, intellectually or politically. Arts primary function is 
communication, it's limited by the aesthetics but it's intellectual 
boundaries are infinite.To create for the sake of  creation with no other 
consideration than the doing is the realm of the technician (we all have 
opinions on the value of work that is only about technique so I won't go 
there). Art that transcends a boundary because of its aesthetics, or intent 
merits a different class of consideration. The point I'm trying to make is 
that art if it is to have value must communicate, for it to do less means 
that it has failed in its fundamental ambition, failed in its fundamental 
material.

I note every now and then a belief that art is sufficient if the technique 
is sufficient. The same preponderance is echoed in relation to slightly off 
topic communications in this list, I disagree with that philosophy, 
communication on all the subjects that flow through this list stimulates 
thought, we return to our prints with new knowledge, broader than it was 
previously, to quote Jocho Yamamoto; Hagakure "A man who earns a reputation 
for being skilled at a technical art is idiotic. Because of his foolishness 
in concentrating his energies on only one thing, he has become good at it 
by neglecting all else. Such a person is of no use".

As for the cows and the critic, Books have their fates depending on the 
perception of the reader, art has its life dependent on the perception of 
the viewer. I cannot say if the cow show was good or bad, I never saw it 
but if your comment that he lambasted a show because of the theme is true, 
then it is fair to say that his intellect must fight him a lot, he suffers 
from self censure and is probably quite pleased with himself, ignorance 
being bliss and all that.

Regards


Lawrence (it's been a bad week)

P.S I hate Wegmans dogs, they seem trite to me and overly reliant on the 
cute factor ;-P.


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From: barebonesart <barebonesart@home.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 19:38:43 -0800
Subject: [Baren 12980] Re: Baren Digest v14 #1285 

Jeanne,
I think your critic was afflicted with bird brain.

To the other snake exchangers:  I am giving birth to these snakes and it is
not easy. Do not expect them soon, but be confident that they will be coming
- - someday.

Sharri



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From: "Jeanne Norman Chase" <studiojnc@prodigy.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 23:08:10 -0500
Subject: [Baren 12981] Re: Subject Matter charset="iso-8859-1" 

Lawrence

Great commentary on the "Subject Matter".
I see art that is so technical and says nothing. Then I see art that is
badly done (art?) but it conveys a feeling.
I guess we will never answer that question; "What is art?"

If you can put your emotions, your being into a subject, because you have a
certain empathy, love, whatever for that subject, even if it is a cat, a cow
or whatever. Then it has meaning for you. Perhaps the viewer does not like
cats. Right away he is biased. But that does not mean that it is not "art".
 Methinks I ramble too much, it is late.

Here's to feelings!!! You said it much better than I could.


Jeanne N.




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From: B Mason <bemason@concentric.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 20:03:48 -0800
Subject: [Baren 12982] My order is here 

I got my first order from the mall, all the way from Japan! It was so
exciting, I can't wait to try everything. I even got sumi ink, in a
little jar, carefully wrapped in cardboard. Everything was packed so
tidily, and bubble wrapped. I am shocked at how fast it arrived. Less
than a week???? That is pretty fast. So I am now the proud owner of one
of those paper dampening brushes I coveted so at Boot camp last year.
HA. We tool junkies strike again!!!! Guess I will have to keep doing
hanga, I keep buying more and more tools. Got another knife  so I am
ready to go. Also an new baren.  Wheeeeee!
Excited about the order and Full of enthusiasm,
Best to all,
Barbara

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From: Carolyn Pflederer <pfledere@northnet.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 23:59:40 -0600
Subject: [Baren 12983] Re: Subject Matter 

Lawrence wrote:
"Art is at its best when it speaks."

Bravo, Lawrence, Bravo!!!   In fact, we should  try to make it get up and DANCE
while we're at it!

Excellsior Baren!

Carolyn...(it's late, but that  message really fired me up!)




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End of Baren Digest v14 #1286
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