[TheForge] Pointless complaining

[Bruce Freeman]

Well, with all due respect to the great number of true artists (in any =
medium) out there, I have to submit that it's my impression that the "art =
world" is so full of BS-ers that they couldn't dig their way out with a =
coal-fields "steam" shovel.

A few years back, my mother sent me a subscription to an artsy metal arts =
(jewerly and related crafts) magazine, that shall remain nameless here.  A =
lot of the artwork portrayed in it was really excellent.  A lot was of =
excellent craftsmanship, but of questionable (by me) decorative value.  =
(Which means I thought it sucked, but maybe somebody out there liked it.)  =
Then there was the rest.

The extreme example of the rest was a few geometrical-shaped objects made =
of pre-painted sheet metal, and pop-riveted together.  A cylinder, a cube, =
that sort of thing.  The craftmanship was poor.  There was no attempt to =
blend in or disguise the pop rivets.  These things looked like rejects =
from appretice tinsmithing lesson.  However, there was a half-page of text =
which clarified why they were included in an otherwise halfway decent =
magazine.  The female "artist" went on and on about how these objects were =
parodies (or some such interpretation) of the masculine arts, blahdy, =
blahdy, blahdy....  Really sucked.  Women should have pilloried this =
"artist". =20

Anyway, it seems to me that if you want to make it with the artsy fartsy =
types, you'll have to learn the true art of artsy fartsy bullshitting!

Bruce
NJ

>>> revartsjr@juno.com 10/31/02 06:34PM >>>
Why is it that, when calling fine art galleries to make appointments to
show my work, if I say I am a blacksmith that does sculpture, I can't
even get an appointment most of the time.  If, however, I say I am a
sculptor who works in steel, I'm welcomed with open arms and told how
hard it is to find sculptors who work in metal these days.  I don't
really expect an answer, it just fries me that "blacksmithing" is still
considered a craft rather than an artform, yet if I change what I call
myself, then it's well recieved.  Just isn't right.

Bob Evarts
Forging a good life from the raw material of time