"A New Way of Seeing" is overrated.

I keep hearing that it is very important to demonstrate a “New Way of Seeing” in one’s art to be relevant. I would take that issue to task. That is simply NOT how historically movements in art have been written. Yes, somebody does create an important break from the status quo, but then, other artists must recognize that value and subscribe to that vision, and create the “movement.” For example, Cezanne was considered the “Father of Modern Art” (and a few other things) so that means that HE was the one credited with breaking away from the status quo, and everyone else (his cronies) went along with the idea. THEY did not create the new way of seeing....only HE did. And they followed in tow. I think, for the bulk of us artists, if we attach ourselves to a contemporary movement - that would be sufficient. And if you do something entirely renegade? Chances are you will be considered just that - renegade - and lost in time.

A Conversation with my Son...

I'm a painter...so I should know when something looks good or doesn't. But, sometimes I am the worst judge of my own work because I fall in love with the act of painting, and the work itself is not very good.

I asked my son if he thought I was a talented artist. He said I was, but if I really wanted to find out what people thought I should put my work on the web to strangers...because people that are close to me won't tell me the truth. This contradicts how I behave. I can tell the truth to the people to whom I am closest, and I would not be able to tell the truth to strangers. I am concerned about alienation. It was very interesting how our views differ (and our insecurities) on what we perceive hurts another person, and under what circumstance we withhold the truth.

My son indicated that there are a culture of people on the computer whose mission it is to judge (criticize) what other people construct. I thought about whether a "consensus" of opinion could be important....maybe not...once people agreed that the earth was flat and woman were witches. Why ask people who don't paint? ...and even the one's that do, may have different opinions.

And you know what is said about opinions....

I guess it is best to learn to paint for oneself and be happy in that form of self expression for nothing more than personal reasons that don't need justification from any external source. This is a new concept for me.

Like Eve Taking the Apple...

No wonder it was a sin to eat the fruit of Web 2.0 knowledge. God knew that it would keep me from cleaning my house and moving from my computer. Is this a sin? And am I going to digest the apple? That little devil in the tree knew what he was doing by offering me the temptation of knowledge. I have to tell you it is a dangerous thing! The danger of losing focus. The danger of getting lost in distraction. The danger of deconstructing.

Is there a place where deconstruction eventually meets up with construction? Am I falling down a hole that has an eventual bottom? OR, am I simply, entering a new dimension of possibilities? Have I left the garden of Eden for a land of all possibilities? It was nice: Eden was a nice place. But, I am here now. I ate the Apple of Web 2.0 and I’ve left Eden. And it’s a little scary!

(The painting is “Eve” after Titian/ Rubens and is available for purchase.)

Paradigm Shift 2.0

Yep. That’s me on the surfboard... NOT. But it’s a great iconoclastic image to represent my thrust forward and this Blog’s orientation. The image is elemental.

I just attended a life altering “Internet for Artists” program sponsored by Creative Capital and The City of San Diego Art Commission. The point is...(I know you are short on time) is our paradigm of web “usefulness” has changed. I’ve been a web user since the mid 1990’s when everything went one way - UP. And, then it went “back and forth.” The Y coordinate birthed the X Y coordinates and now we are finding ourselves in an XY and Z, dimensional, Cartesian system. Gone are the days when I store my isolated life in seclusion on my hard drive. Now the purview is an interactive, always “on,” always changing, always in motion, energized system of creativity, rushing towards our evolution. I am so excited to think that you and I can join forces, and in turn create something larger than our individual selves, and in turn reach out exponentially over the repository of human consciousness empowering ourselves to effect change. Change that will span social welfare (yes, SOCIAL welfare), art, health, environment and spirit.

Tell me....are you IN for the journey?