Of cabbages and critiques

[Steven Sweeney]

Asked whether the university stifles writers, Flannery O'Connor replied that, in her opinion, "they don't stifle enough of them."

That seems to be the thinking of the fellow with whom Robert Genn begins the latest installment of his newsletter. Genn's own perspective has evolved from the O'Connor/Oudendag take on the subject -- though he does not dismiss their approach. Critiques on this Forum partake of all these philosophies, over time.

I thought Genn's observations thought-provoking -- there is considerable merit and usefulness in articulating our practices and prejudices for closer scrutiny, and Genn does so perceptively and with surprising frequency -- and since he encourages in each letter the forwarding of it to friends, I'll take that as permission to reproduce part of this one, here, for whatever you wish to take from it. (If you're not familiar with Robert Genn and his newsletter, you can begin the search at www.painterskeys.com )

How to help other artists

November 7, 2006

My late friend Egbert Oudendag used to say, "The best way to
help artists is to hinder them." He had the idea that being
tough was the way to bring out their gumption. It was also the
key to finding voice, style, and the ego-force to get noticed.
"You need to struggle on your own," he used to say. "No one can
help you."

In many ways I've agreed with him. But over the years I've also
flirted with the idea that the only input an artist really
needs is approval. That concept has its disadvantages too. When
you are asked and when in your opinion someone's work is truly
lousy, it's dishonest to sit there and say, "Wow, go for it."
For those who might offer help to others, here are a few ideas
that sometimes produce results:

Think empathetically about where the artist is coming from and
try to identify no more than three needs. Predicate your input
with the caveat, "It's only an opinion." Sandwich these needs,
as you see them, between two genuine compliments, no matter how
minor. Don't be afraid to be straight up and honest. In some
ways Egbert had the "tough love" idea right--if they can't take
it, they're not on a growth path and need to be abandoned
anyway. If possible, give specific suggestions--take this
course, go to this school, join this group, go to your room,
phone the Guggenheim. Better still, phone the Guggenheim for
them. Offering up-and-coming artists a simple connection with a
public, commercial or educational venue is one of the best
things a helper can do. Then the rejection or acceptance is in
someone else's hands, and they begin to get a feel for the
sweet-and-sour nature of the real world.

Having said that, many artists need to drop, at least for the
time being, notions of commercial or fame-oriented exposure.
Premature articulation is a main cause of disappointment.
Artists often need to be gently told to get a daily life inside
their own processes. They need to know that in the long run
there is no silver bullet--no school, no club, no gallery.
Robert Henri, one of the greatest helpers of all time, used to
repeat to his students, "All education is self-education." We
owe it to everyone, including those who might eventually
support us, the thought that there's nothing more sacred and
beautiful than the private business of trying to get good on
our own terms.

Best regards,

Robert

PS: "Every artist ought to be an exhibitionist." (Egbert
Oudendag)

Esoterica: Just as the doctor says, "Take this and call me in
the morning," the artist-to-artist exchange can be similar:
"Paint a hundred paintings and tell me when you're done." Some
folks move right on to pharmacy or accounting and are never
seen again. But those who respond to this rigorous request are
generally the serious ones. They intuitively know that the need
to work in series and toward set goals is the main game. The
wise learn to set goals for themselves. There's no other word
for it but "character." In a demanding world where many are
fighting for survival, the real goal is "thrival."

[Enzie Shahmiri]

I totally agree , especially with this quote.

Think empathetically about where the artist is coming from and try to identify no more than three needs. Predicate your input
with the caveat, "It's only an opinion." Sandwich these needs,
as you see them, between two genuine compliments, no matter how
minor. Don't be afraid to be straight up and honest. In some
ways Egbert had the "tough love" idea right--if they can't take
it, they're not on a growth path and need to be abandoned
anyway. If possible, give specific suggestions--take this
course, go to this school, join this group, go to your room,
phone the Guggenheim. Better still, phone the Guggenheim for
them. Offering up-and-coming artists a simple connection with a
public, commercial or educational venue is one of the best
things a helper can do.

I try to adhere to " If you have nothing nice/constructive to say, say nothing at all" . People who cross the line and tear into others to humiliate them into utter defeat, have no place to consider themselves teachers. A true teacher guides and if he/she feels the pupil is not responsive should withdraw his/her help
in a civilized manner.

Constant praise or in the setting of the forum, repeated praise just to join the chorus, is not fair either. Regardless of level of accomplishment, every artist should realize there is something to be learned by the observation of others. I find it refreshing when someone points to the need of a little correction or adds an opinion, which could push the artist's abilities just a tad more to give the work that extra " umph".

As the article pointed out, those who are not serious about learning, will soon drop out. Becoming a successful portrait artist is no easy task and my hat goes off for all those, who hang in there, no matter how cruel and insensitive others have been to them!

[Enzie Shahmiri]

I am reading "The Art of Possibility" by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander and like to recommend it to those who love to teach and those who consider themselves students.

The book addresses the road blocks we create for ourselves and others, either through existing fears of failure, negativity or wrong perception of the way things are and offers ways to think outside the box and see the possibilities that are abound.

It teaches that even as accomplished professionals, rather than assuming a role of the "know it all" , the instructor can learn great insight from those waiting to be taught. Examples are given in the book.

Furthermore, by becoming a participant in the students growth, rather than a domineering leader, the teacher is able to break the wall of fear of failure that exists for almost every student. Once the student is no longer hampered by the need to conform to the teachers ideals, he/she is able to learn on their terms and experience what it means to be creative.

This does not mean there should not be expectations that have to be met in order to achieve a certain skill level, but rather a shift in the way the instructor teaches and relates to students.

The student in turn, when given too much freedom to pursue their studies tends to get lazy, but by being presented with a challenge such as " paint x number of paintings and show how you solve this problem" is more bound to learn from their mistakes. It allows the student to use his/her skill at the time and come up with new possibilities, thus allowing them to learn on their own accord and surprise us with new innovative ideas.

This book is also great for those who are looking for ways to market themselves, but I won't get into that subject on Steve's thread.

[Steven Sweeney]

Originally Posted by Enzie Shahmiri

The book addresses the road blocks we create for ourselves and others, either through existing fears of failure, negativity or wrong perception of the way things are and offers ways to think outside the box and see the possibilities that are abound.

There is no impediment to success that is the equal of fear. Mastery of materials, sensitivity to line and composition, development of an aesthetic, selling your stuff -- all child's play compared to making our peace with the kinds of fears that most of us entertain in our lives. We see masters at work and imagine they are fearless -- and how we wish we could be -- but most often what we're witnessing is the way one behaves when fears have been deliberately approached, examined and understood, and thereby neutralized.

As often as not in the critique process, my experience has been that the alleviation of a student's fears produces results as quickly as a tutorial on some element of drawing or painting. (As with Robert Genn, above, I'm not talking about mindless affirmation without more.) Most fears the size of an SUV when approaching from behind are in reality pea-sized when faced full-on. We already know a lot more than we think we do. We are innately talented in measure far beyond what we will ever use. If only we can get out of our own way (mindful of the adage, "If you think you can't -- you're right.")

Those favorite teachers that we all remember from our past educational experiences knew how to draw us through those passages that were otherwise closed to us, for our own fears and failures of confidence, while making sure that the discovery was self-discovery. I still love every one of them to this day.

[Michele Rushworth]

There is no impediment to success that is the equal of fear.

And there is no motivator TOWARD success that is the equal of fear either.

Fear of a dwindling bank account, fear of the possibility of an unveiling that might be received with a less than enthusiastic response, fear of one day finding out that substandard materials or processes may have doomed some project from the start, fear of having the quality/content/style of the work rejected outright, fear of overseas competition, fear of changing market conditions..... the list could go on and on.

Fears like those, and plenty others, catapult many artists out of bed every morning and into the studio. Fear is one of the motivators that presses them firmly from behind to create the very highest quality work they can and to work hard every day at getting better with each painting. (Of course, the joy of painting itself pulls artists into the studio day after day, too!)

Fear can be paralyzing if it gets out of control, but can be one heck of a motivator as well.

[Steven Sweeney]

Yes, point taken. I was focusing on the kinds of debilitating things that keep us from achieving goals, rather than the sorts of practical considerations (mortgages, tuition, hunger pangs, vanity) that motivate us.

My "goal" is to be so impelled toward an end through desire and ardor and an appreciation of the pleasures of excellence, that I have no sense of being chased by fears that I'm not up to the task. If I could get there, I'm pretty sure that the mortgage would get paid and the unveilings would go well. I have never completely achieved this level of confidence or serenity (or success), but I'm under construction.

My experience is that long before the disappointing unveiling or the missed payment or the abrasive critique (which is usually spot on, at least technically), I have already disappointed myself in some way and I already knew it, by not being disciplined and true to the work. I can rarely feign surprise that I haven't worked up to my potential. Or if, on the other hand, I have done my work as well as I could, then others' critiques or disappointments aren't daggers that I feel I have to grasp and plunge into my own soul -- a tendency that young and vulnerable artists may have when faced with withering appraisals. There can be little satisfying progress in the dim light of such feelings, but we are in charge of disarming those fears.

And to come around to the point of the thread, the best instructors/critiquers guide us in that endeavor.