Visitors' poll

Well I like it, anyway.

[Mark L. Staker]

I've enjoyed this site as well. I appreciate Cynthia Daniel's efforts in creating this forum for those interested in quality input toward their work and to the moderators and others who contribute their time to help us all become better. Although this is the first time I've posted, which I'll explain below, I've been a member for some years now. I joined Wet Canvas and other sites several years ago as well but have only continued to visit this site because I rarely have time for "chatty" or social elements that are often part of many discussion groups but I'm interested in well informed input and insight that I find here regularly.

I'm one of those who went through the admission process and was accepted to the site but subsequently haven't posted anything. The reasons I haven't are complex and I'm not sure if I can adequately share them. However, I'll give it a shot.

Although there are minor issues (such little things as I haven't taken the time to get a little picture to accompany my comments, etc.), there are two primary reasons why I haven't participated--both related in some ways. I'm basically selfish and too self-critical.

On the selfish end of things, I see this forum as a real community of artists; and like any community it takes time--time to be civil, prepare thoughtful responses to others queries, craft a question that will be helpful to everyone, and so on. It's too easy to come to the site, read for a few minutes, and move on to other things. As a full-time museum curator with lots of community involvement, I'm only able to fit my own production into a very small window of time. Although I often get by on four hours of sleep, like most people I need close to six hours a night to keep going. (I've helped promote the career of an artist who made the transfer from the commercial arena to full-time professional by painting almost all night for a few weeks but it doesn't work for most people.) Therefore, I've chosen the selfish route and haven't given back like I should. I recognize that giving serious thought to an issue as part of the dialog process actually promotes learning. Giving speeds up the learning process. But it becomes complicated with exhibit deadlines or other commitments to maintain participation in quality groups such as this.

Certainly the logic of such arguments fall short and time concerns are not insurmountable. Becoming too self-critical of what I have to offer is probably the bigger issue. Although I can remember a passion developing for actually producing art when I was younger than age four, I used scholarships and other opportunities as they opened to develop a cognitive approach to art and history. If you've had the chance to sit in on one of Timothy Asch's courses on Visual Anthropology at Harvard or learn about the concept of gazing (or looking) among the Hemba in eastern Congo from Tom Blakely (information I think is in his recent book _Seeing Anthropology_ although I haven't had a chance to read it yet), then I don't think you'll blame me. Because of this, creating my own art has been called a "hobby." (I put this word in quotation marks because I've been irritated more than once by someone calling my painting a hobby--something that sounds like an activity to fill up extra time when it's a passion that I can't indulge in enough because there just isn't enough time.) To keep this short, I'll just say as I read the brilliant insights into the process of painting offered by members of this forum, I'm quietly grateful but realize that this site isn't the appropriate place to share my own doctoral research on other esoteric art traditions or the process of doing museum curation. Part of the self-critical approach is wondering if I really have something to contribute when talking about the painting process. (The same thing probably applies to other aspects of art production as well. Since I sit on a committee that acquires major works of art on a regular basis and frequently work with professional artists on projects, I often get artists--some quite accomplished--who come to me with a look of desperation asking me how to make a living for their families. I usually say enough to satisfy them and send them on their way but quietly I think to myself that if I had a real good answer to that question I'd be painting full-time). I can see this is starting to turn into an essay so I'll stop. Perhaps a final reason I don't write is I can't tell when to quit talking and usually say either nothing or too much. So I'll quit here. Thanks Cynthia, once again, for such a wonderful site. I'll try to be less selfish in the future and look for ways I can share.

Mark

[Cynthia Daniel]

Mark,

Thank you for your thoughtful post. I remember when you registered and we were excited to have someone like you as a member. As a museum curator, I would think there would certainly be a way that you could contribute, only if a little. I'm open to ideas.

Cynthia

[Cynthia Daniel]

To those who have chosen to attack and criticize:

Conclusions that some have made about my motives and who and what I am when you have never met me and spoken to me are quite amazing. Until you have run something like this, until you have run a venture of this size (including the main site) - I think the saying applies that you can never judge a person until you have walked in their shoes.

No doubt we have made some mistakes - as with just about all organizations, there are growing pains, changes in policies, improvements, attempts at improvements, etc. We are always happy to have those here who have a wide breadth of understanding and realize that most are here to learn, teach others or both and that their motives and mine are good ones. We are also happy to have specific suggestions for improvement.

Some posts I don't answer because it is not clear to me what you are suggesting be changed - only that you don't like how things are. Other times, I am simply too busy with other work - artists waiting for their web site to be updated or planning the SOG dinner at the conference.

For those who have concluded that I am a snob, I can do nothing about that - but, do you really know me? I have seen time and again on the web that people easily make inaccurate conclusions about others. Perhaps a better approach would be specific constructive suggestions without attacks.

I am so pleased that you might consider having a colored pencil portion of your site. There are some very talented artists in this medium. While it is not conducive to live portraits, the original sketch can be done from life, then photographs taken and completed that way. I have done several using that technique. I will prepare some works for submission upon your return. Thank you again.
Maurica Midge Reynolds-King

[Steven Sweeney]

I'm not sure that any medium has ever been excluded -- sequins might not make it through, though squid ink might -- but in any event, there has long been a good number of very fine colored pencil postings on the Forum, most of them in the "Other Medium Critiques" section.

You can find them by going to that section, clicking "Search this Section" at the top of the window, and typing <colored pencil>. Or do the same search for all sections.

(I have attempted to provide a linkable URL, but it won't link -- perhaps because the critiques area is now briefly password-protected. And if you don't already know -- the password is <Critique>.)

I checked it out, and the work there is very good. It was worth it to see the comments made to those of us who do not use oil. Their work is very inspirational.

I appreciate your allowing me to browse on this site. I have learned so much and apply it each time I do a new piece.

Maurica Midge Reynolds-King