Does My Art Need To Have A Deep Meaning And Significance To Be Real Art? - Tips For Artists
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- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
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"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." --- Andy Warhol
I love this quote, I wrote it out on an index card and pinned it up in my studio
Well that helps explain why I find Warhol’s art so boring and meaningless
A bird doesn't need a moral reason to sing, it just does. A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. A bird sings to let the world know where it is and what kind of bird it is. Regarding its songs or the songs of other birds, a bird cannot conceive being criticized or criticizing.
I can't love this comment enough 😊
A bird sings to find a mate and it’s literally being criticized by female birds by the quality of the song.
A few years ago I did a painting of a tree in the middle of a meadow all in blue with a large bright white moon. I didn't really put a lot of thought into it, it just poured out of me. Then on Etsy a man bought it and he wrote me an amazing email saying how much the painting spoke to him, it reminded him of a place he was in his past and it felt like I painted this painting just for him. 🤷♀️Maybe I did, the painting had to have come from somewhere...even if we don't have a deep meaning while creating something, it may have deep significance to someone else
I absolutely love you guys, anytime I’m dealing with something you guys make a video and it really makes me feel better! Thank you !
Many galleries etc won't look at artists works without such statements/philosophical tracts....I find this off putting, which is perhaps the purpose, as a way of keeping art elitist...sometimes I can write a d&m description for an artwork, but more often I believe by my describing it I create barriers for others to experience and explore their own responses to viewing my art... I get excited hearing from others what they see in my work/feel in response to it, because they are showing me things I had not seen there, until they tell me...that is super exciting to me.... love being this discussion, thank you Rafi & Klee 🥦🥦🥦🥦
According to my art teacher, yes art must have meaning. And that mindset sucks. Ya know I'm a storyteller so I wanna just tell my stories, or just draw the characters from the story. But no my teacher is like ”it needs a deep social and political commentary and needs to be researched extensively” I mean come on, I wanna just draw my stories like the mindless teen I am.
But yeah I do agree that all art has meaning, be it super deep and widespread, or just personal to the artists themselves.
@@Rafiwashere Amen!
And my mom is not a coat rack!
Klee: "Your job as the artist is to let *them* argue about it while you make more art." YES!
It's the cliche of the Tortured Artist (like the Tortured Poet) -- and just because Van Gogh *was* a tortured artist, doesn't mean that we all have to go off and try to get crippling suicide-inducing depression in order to create Real Art. Nope. No. Nada.
The "deepness" of the meanings of my art and craft vary depending on the piece. With my symbolic jewellery, the meaning is absolutely deliberate; I do start out with a meaning in mind, because that is the purpose of the piece; and I explore how to show that meaning in numbers and colours and shapes. Other things, yes, I will make them just to make something beautiful, and that *is* the meaning of the piece: to make something beautiful, *that* is my geopolitical statement. It is my act of defiance against a sad and gloomy world. So there. Take that, Art Snobs!
My art means something to me, for sure. The line, form, subject matter, color and perspective of the peices hits me in the feels. Whether I choose to share that or not is up to me. I dig my art and that is enough for me. Good episode!
I don't think art has to have a meaning. But I carefully suggest having a 'story' in art makes it more valuable. Art is kind of a conversation after all.
I just like to paint pretty pictures. I see something beautiful andI want to paint it. Like the common black birds from our neighborhood. I really need to paint those. They make me so happy with their songs. 😊
Let me tell you, this brought up a lot of unpleasant feelings for me that I fight to forget. When I was a kid, no more than a tween, I brought my portfolio to the local art gallery because I noticed in the section for local art, it was all abstract. Not knowing the art world, I felt the art gallery needed pictures that looked like something. My portfolio was filled with unicorns naturally and I was told I was very imaginative and brave but that it was not the kind of art they were looking for. I didn't understand. Several years later in college, taking art, we were told to bring in our personal sketchbooks for evaluation. The teacher told me no one would ever want to hang my work on their living room wall because fantasy art isn't "real art.". I struggled on for half a year, trying to make "art". And Rafi - I did indeed feel nothing, and the art I produced then had no personal meaning. It is indeed possible. I dropped out. More than 20 years later I still create, but seldom, and though I draw the fantastical, I am very much so pouring feelings and thoughts in to it. People think this doesn't have meaning because it's fantasy. I wish there wasn't a divide in the art world like that. Who gets to dictate what art is meaningful and what isn't - because to me, it doesn't seem to be the artists who do.
There is a huge market for fantasy art online. Your art is art. Don't let the jerks get you down.
"As an artist you have to ask yourself that question; Why did I decide to paint flowers and not road kill?" It made me laugh but it was such a vivid image I immediately understood your point. Love these conversations with great artists I admire sharing their wisdom.
I love this post! It had always been my thinking that art critics put the meaning into famous paintings. I bet the artist never thought of half the crap or meaning behind their painting. Van Gogh was simply trying to improve on his skills from yesterday. I doubt he painted this or that for the reasons given by critics. Thanks I'm not the only one that thinks this.
A good topic, my BA degree in studio Art was earned by navigation of this topic. Long written signification of why the artist created this particular thing. Often, my teachers thought my art was well not deep enough somehow, but I sure created a lot of it anyway. To me, I love to make art, it's fun. I now have over 100 paintings, I made more today. It helped the day go by, I loved making it, it came out really good, I don't have meanings for them, they look contemporary. I want people to buy my art because they have a relationship with it. They will give the art their own significance, I sure want people to buy my art, I'll have more room to make more. lol Fiddlers Dream Cottage eBay Elicia Burton Artist on eBay..You guys are awesome thanks good topic!
Exactly, the person who buys your art will give it meaning and significance relevant to them 😉
Agreed. Art is Art. From my personal perspective as an artist - The Japanese animator Makoto Shinka, once said something to me that has always stuck with me - "Until you actually finish your work you will never know what lessons it had to teach you." From the perspective of an art admirer - It's subjective. Period. I've had a dozen people look at something I've created and shared with me a dozen totally different impressions. My creations come through me - they are not of me. When I sit down to work I have a general idea of what I want to create - I bring with me a lifetime of experiences and skills to meet with my Muse - but the ultimate creation is always partially a mystery to me and that's what I love most about my process. Great Video! Thanks!
Hi, as a newbie painter just satisfied with my version of 'Bob Ross' style landscapes, a friend asked if I could paint his father's trawlers. In my mind, I said 'no way' but my mouth said 'sure'. Not only 2 trawlers one closer one further back, but put a certain mountain and relative scenery behind. Lots of research later, I'd manage an accurate distant landcape. Sketched in the boats, a few times for the right dimensions. So far so good, but making that first thin long line for the last, that was terrifying. But I really got into it and although I've been and worked on trawlers a lot, I never really looked at anything as a painter does. The details were many and the stuff in shadow needed to be there but not really shown. All I can say is I'm happy with the result, I'm continually amazed at what comes out of my brushes. I'm not saying I'm a great artist, because I'm not, but when people see my art and go 'wow, I am so chuffed I persevered and got over my initial fears. I'm proud of me. Does my art have to have a feeling about, yes it's indescribable how many emotions I feel while I go through the many stages of a piece. But the absolute best is that 'wow' or the quiet tears when I deliver. The new owner's opinion is the only one who matters, thanks for asking.
My art has meaning, but often that meaning can't be expressed easily in words. That's why I'm an artist and not an author. If I wanted to express it in words I would be a poet, essayist, or novelist. I'm not going to write an essay about my artwork and call it an artist statement just to make sure everyone else attributes the same meaning as I do. Everyone's life experiences will change what it means to them and that's okay. You take from it the meaning that is most beneficial to you.
"That's why I'm an artist and not an author." Too right, mate. And even authors have the problem of people arguing over the meaning of their work, and they *were* using words!
Rafi Rant? Noooo... we got a piece of Klee's mind too. Love it!
Yes, Yes, YES!!!!! My art describes the current state of my existence (which will change with every thought that flits through my brain).
Thank you for this video! This is something I‘be struggled with for a while now. Art is my escape and I usually end up making pretty, colorful, or silly pieces. I thought this showed how shallow I really am as opposed to the thinking, compassionate person I think I am. Any time I’ve tried creating something meaningful it either doesn’t go anywhere or it looks like crap, which then leads into thinking I’m just a wannabe. Thanks for taking a load off my mind!
I think the whole Art Must have meaning debate is all just a sale pitch, at least in the art snob world. You are totally correct about all art having meaning already. Its an expression of what your feeling when you create a piece. There is nothing wrong with having some deep philosophical meaning to the art but it should be genuine. Not because you think that you are supposed to. There's also nothing wrong with creating something with the simple meaning of I think that looks cool or that would match my couch. Although we as artists don't tend to create art for the purpose of matching couches. Whats more important is that you infuse your passion into the piece. Whether your passionate about a cause and you are trying to make a statement about or you love for sunflowers it really translates into your work. If what your are doing is forced the message is lost anyway.
Art is going to have a different meaning to who ever looks at it and I think that's a good thing. Its more important for the person who buys the piece to have a meaning personal to them than the artist trying to make a statement.
I personally paint a lot of octopi. I could say that the 8 arms symbolize society living over busy lives trying to juggle to many tasks at once, but the truth is I think Octopi look cool. It may have deeper meaning than that but I generally don't approach a piece for some "deep meaning" but let it generate on its own organically.
I just had this crisis about not having deep and almost god-like meaning to my art, because my previous art school teacher really push about it. Thank you for this video, i feel such relief, you helped me a lot.
Thanks for posting this. I was wondering if my work was too shallow. What you've taught me is that there is a difference between a piece that makes a statement, and a piece that has meaning. For example, if an artist plans out a piece to say something in particular - to address a particular global concern, perhaps - that is a piece which makes a statement. Those statement pieces are often what people describe when they say a piece has 'meaning' and the expectation is that 'good art' is any piece which also makes a statement in this way. However, *meaning* comes entirely from the artist. If I paint ibis and crows because there's something compelling about the grace and presence of these birds, and I love the juxtaposition of the blacks and whites, then the piece has *meaning*. It has meaning to me, which is no-less important than making a statement, and in many ways, more important, since my emotional connection will cause the art to feel more genuine.
YES!!!!!!
There's nothing in art that I despise more than the "artist statement". We have a university in my small city with a huge art department. They make the kids write up and post these things for their exhibits, and they can actually ruin the experience of looking at the art if you read them. Mostly they consist of such "art snob" bull-puckey that if you take it like that, you can end up in hysterical laughter as you read, which is not what the poor kid likes to hear when you come to their opening. To me, the meaning is that somebody took their time on this planet to make this image or object. Whether it touches me, impresses me, amuses me or leaves me "meh", is all in MY head. The maker has no control over that.
Absolutely agree!
There are so many artist statements that I would read, blank out, then read again, and then think "uhhhh... okay if you say so." LOL. Some people see artist statements as an opportunity to speak for the art, other people see artist statements as an opportunity to build an air of self-importance.
Great comment. I dropped out of a media studies degree last year because it was making me feel all this pressure to save the world and have deep meaning through my work (I started out mostly doing creative writing but I’m doing more music and sound design these days along with modding a game). I became depressed and was even misdiagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder because I could not stop thinking that people would discover secret “bad” and perverse messages in my work. I enjoy exploring gender, sexuality, and trauma in my work but these can be quite visceral subjects. And from growing up with social media and seeing how many people demand to know the meaning behind works of art, or label artists with different names because of what’s in their work but with no context of how the artist themself feels and where they come from… I was really struggling with, on the one hand, making art that will help the world, but on the other hand, making art that is complex and thought provoking and even shocking at times, because at least imo, sometimes we need a cathartic shock to the system. I’ve been creative all my life but I have to do battle with my internal analysis dialogue every day.
The most fun I had during that media studies degree was 1. Taking an improv theater class (no meaning required, just keep experimenting!), and 2. Working with three theater majors and one video game major on sound design for their senior capstones / theses. So now I’m taking electronic music and sound design classes online to get a music degree and become a sound designer for games! I don’t need the degree to go into the field, but I appreciate college as a container to experiment and learn how to meet deadlines. I love creating new sounds nobody has ever heard before. I love creating worlds and shaping spaces. I love making sounds that feel organic and visceral and pushing creative boundaries. Every day I just have to believe I can do it, I can spend time on my dreams today and not run away from the boogeyman of people who demand morally sound art… and that will be enough.
I still want to help the world someday and once I have a bachelors degree, when I get to midlife I can get a masters in social work and become a therapist. I love psychology and unearthing people’s stories but I don’t want to become a counselor to people until I’ve lived more of a life, and come out on top of a significant number of my demons. So, yeah!
Right on Rafi & Klee! I do meditative art. Sometimes it looks like something, sometimes it doesn't. But it's always cool looking when it's done. That's all I want. :-D
I feel like art as a job is held to such a weird standard, like people don't wanna buy my art if I'm a "sellout" but sometimes it just comes down to I drew a lemon, I need to pay my rent, we both know it's a cute lemon please just give me the dollars. I'm expected to be super passionate about everything I create, and if I'm not then my art is devalued because it's not "genuine". I can't think of any other jobs that have this weird dynamic.
And some will look at that lemon and ponder life, "This lemon signifies perseverance, like the quote, when life gives you lemons." Or " This lemon signifies the bitterness we hold in our souls" 😆 and you are like "I like lemons 🤷♀️"
I work in silicon valley tech and believe it or not, but coding is held to a very similar standard. I'm expected to work all day at a coding job, THEN go home and stay up all night coding for free on open source projects, and if I don't, because, let's say I want to eat, shower and see friends after work, well...hr, coworkers and interviewers don't see me as a "true coder". It's like you're expected to be so passionate about something that you forget all practicality about it.
If I could like this video a million times I would! Art is creative instincts. Yes, works can and do have meaning to the artist, but sometimes it's just a case of: 'Wow! This shade of orange looks gorgeous with this shade of purple, and as the artist I know what I can do to make something amazing out of it.' Thanks Rafi and Klee-you guys are the best!
I absolutely love doing my Art while I listen to you 2 lovely souls dispense AMAZING advice and guidance. 😍 Totally Adore you Both. 💐
Nothing wrong with meanings like "I love beautiful flowers and painting them makes me happy," or "This landscape is unbelievable and I want to get that amazement into this image." Although some of my art school professors would have insisted that's not enough.
The two of you are absolutely delightful. I just found your stuff recently and now I will be binging years of your content ha! This is all the info they don’t teach you in art and design school but should ! Thanks guys!
I just hollered with laughter🤣 “I wipe my...” Thank you so much for that because lately I’ve been a little stuck and I think some of it was self pressure to create what had meaning. And not even meaning for myself...The laughter in this moment has released me from that and I thank you both so much!❤️
Wow I never thought about it in this way. Creating for the sole purpose of creating not because of a deeper meaning is really all we need at times. It keeps us in tune with our emotions. Your words invoke a sense of freedom. Klee that was an awesome thought you gave saying to let the people argue while you create more art. What you both said reminded me what my art therapy professors in grad school would tell us, "Trust the process." For me personally, storytelling and writing poetry with deep emotional significance is in my nature so I always tend to translate it into my art. Oh and that would be epic if you did indeed create a series that is about "Nothing"! lol
Art is a journey. For me it's an expression of my love in a moment in time.
Your notions on Van Gogh's life and paintings makes me wanting to rewatch the movie "Loving Vincent" (2017) which was totally painted in oil screen for screen in Van Gogh's style to tell parts of his life. I highly recommend it!
Great subject! Love you both and your point of view. For years I was concerned about "finding my voice" as an Artist. Then I just stopped worrying about it and created my art cause it's fun! I sold a watercolor of a purple Iris once that I just painted it for the joy of how pretty it was. Someone bought it because it reminded them of their Mom who had passed - so it had deep significance to her. So I like the idea that it's your job to create what brings you joy and up to others to decide what it means to them. On the other hand I painted a painting of a scene that really didn't come out very well at all, but I love it because I painted the whole thing while I was thinking about my Dad. Thanks for posting - stay safe and well.
Thank you for this! I’ve looked back at the forced meanings of my art back then and it’s embarrassing LOL. For my art, I think it’s cool to share the day I had when I created or just what I was going through in life in that time I created. Sometimes I just make art because I’m really supposed to be doing other stuff! I agree with leaving it up to everyone else to find the meaning. They’re going to do it anyway.
My art does have meaning to me, but to try to explain it, I don’t know, people would have to be me to understand, I just got use to people giving it their own meaning, its actually kind of fun hearing how they project themselves, I end up with more creative ideas.😂 you guys are cool.!👍🏼
I just discovered your channel and loved the few videos I watched tonight! I don't paint with a meaning in mind. I simply enjoy the creative process . Painting and writing poetry are my therapy . Thank you for showing a realistic point of view!
"F" meaning lol I have exhibitions and I bring paints and people are like... what's is the meaning and I'm like... "what ever you see" I just tell them what I see or how I feel when I paint it or B.S. like that. I paint what I feel and Iike, when ever I want... I'm the artist. 😂 of course some of my paints have a hard deep meaning in the back but I let it clear to people. Some of my paintings come from my poems so whe people ask I tell them the poem and they react pretty amazed about it.
Omg spot on! Every time I do the “deep meaning” I find myself over thinking and not getting anywhere or just being stumped because “ it is not deep or intelligent enough.” I gotta learn to go with the flow more.
This video has helped me so much right now. Thank you both. 💚
I find the difference between the artists intention and the viewer's perception of the intention fascinating. When put in a different context, the art can mean many varying things to many different people, and that is part of the way humans interact with art.
My work has meaning to me, and if it wasn't important to me, I wouldn't have gone to the effort to make it. But I avoid telling what the meaning to me is because I mostly want people to feel their own feelings when they look at the work. But I also want to avoid getting into arguments about it, because I have had people read the weirdest meanings into my work. Stuff that never, ever crossed my mind in my life, let alone having nothing to do with the meaning I was thinking about at the time. Real "Wait - what???? But.... it's a bunny..." kind of stuff. And wow, do those meanings ever come with heavy emotional investment. Trust me, such folks are not interested in the Artist's Intention. I just try to remember (1) most people get the meaning as I intended it without any extra help from me, and (2) it's going to mean what other people say it means when I'm dead and gone, and if people are still arguing about it then, my ghost will rest happy.
May as well invite some more arguments. ;) jenfriesarts.com/
Thank you so much for this, I started painting during lockdown, I had been watching Bob Ross and thought I'd have a go and he's right there is joy in painting, huge joy. I started watching art programs on TV to maybe get some tips and encouragement but what I found deeply depressed me, they went on and on about messages and social commentary blah blah blah ,it made me feel my art was rather vacuous and worthless , if critics like this weird stuff I don't understand then my paintings are pointless ,I had to reassess why I paint and it's because I enjoy it , actually so what if it's not high brow with a message , I just had to ignore the niggle in the back of my head that it's got no message, my art doesn't owe you anything ,but it'll fill a wall space . Thank you for telling me it's ok to just paint pretty pictures, Bob Ross would be so proud.
So much truth in what you say. Thank you for saying it because it helps to confirm it for people. Including myself.
I find that I don't look for meaning when I start, but I do have to narrow ideas down for paintings and use some discretion and have something to figure out. Even if it's just "what happens if I put that thing over the top of that other thing?"
Without some kind of decision making and boundaries, the options are so infinite that it's disabling. So, for me, I have a few 'rules' (I use that term very loosely) that I might follow for a piece or a series of pieces and that's enough.
Half the time, if I have an intention, it goes out the window quite quickly anyway, so it's a waste of time thinking too hard about profound meanings and laying a load of pressure on yourself, as you described.
Cheers. .
Hi guys. Well said. Yes so true you speak from the heart. Have an excellent day and week.
Aw you guys are so cute, your interaction with each other is adorable. I always remember our art presentation at college, it used to stress me out so much that it stifled my creativity, the presentation had to have your meaning behind it, so I would make up some kind of bs for it. I think college doesn't help with the stigmas surrounding art, they don't teach you to have fun in your art, or others will interpret it differently and your view is not important to them.
Oh gawd. One time I wanted a local 'artiste' to look over a book of my work. She flips through it and says, "Well, it's good enough for something to hang over your couch." And that was the very second I never took anything seriously she said ever again. I asked an art dealer one time about this, an international dealer. And he said no, good art does not require having a meaning.
Some art has a deep meaning.
Some art is meant only to be beautiful.
Some art is about the process more than the result.
I'm pretty sure all this abstruse contrived crap one finds in artist statements or show books or the write-ups on the wall in a gallery is because it's more an attempt at justification than actually valuable or pithy. There are people who are trying to turn art into something 'separate' or 'elevated' - which is what that same artist mentioned above said, that artists were elevated. They aren't. They're just folks. It maddens me completely when things are done to separate art from the people. Especially since every one of us is an artist, it's just that some haven't found their medium yet.
I love you guys!
Wonderful people, great message!
You guys nailed this subject as usual. Thanks.
Thank you!
I like that cool electric blue man in the background!
Sometimes you just create art because the act of creating it is fun!.... Of course, when you dig deep into the artist's thoughts, you can see where it comes from.
Come and dig, please. I'd like to know my own thoughts! 🤣
This is amazing thank you! As a [re]emerging artists (who has my first gallery show this week!!) I have been struggling with this. I’ve never thought much about meaning, just about making.
But this was so helpful!
You got this!
Fantastic, I couldn't agree more!
I love the granny in the background
I enjoy hearing what other people see or feel from my work before i tell them my vision, feelings or intent. Sometimes it is something that I have not even considered. It is interesting .....and sometimes I just draw flowers.
I have a gigantic piece called BLOOD RED COWS AT SUNRISE THAT MY FRIEND HATES
I think this is one of my all time favorite videos.
Thank you both, a very meaningful discussion. I always thought that my art has no meaning, I make what I like looking at. But thinking about it, bright bold colours are a reflection of my personality. I am now exploring other emotions, I am working on something very black at the moment. ilona xxx
You guys are awesome by the way, thanks for being so real!! I adore you!!!
I was often told that a novel wasn't real literature unless it spoke of the social or political turmoil of the times, which is total crap. I write because I have a story inside that needs to be told. I write a particular story because it usually deals with something that I'm going through at the time (grief, anger, defeat, joy) and that alone is enough meaning. Hopefully someone else might read it who is going through the same thing and find some sort of comfort or assurance in the work, but if not, that's okay too. In the same way, I paint for me. I paint landscapes and other natural elements because being outside in the woods is my happy place. When I can't go out and be in nature, painting it is the next best thing.
I love you both an the perspective you have . An Thanks for this .
This video was really helpful thanks!!💓💓
This is so great for so many reasons. I do a lot of realism and I have been told realism is "boring" because there is "no meaning" behind it. But my work does have meaning to me. Art is so subjective there is no way that a particular piece is going to have deep meaning to everyone. We all just need to do what we love and not worry about it!
I have struggled with this all my life- yet again you have simplified and cleared up the subject. Yet again Thankyou for your awesomeness , you are both Fantastic and made me laugh. Feel nothing, thought nothing lol
Love you guys so much! I've been following your channel for only about 2 weeks now and I've watched every single video you've made... Can't explain the excitement when I wake up to a new video 😅
Thank you for all the advice and encouragement... I really feel like there are no boundaries after listening to you both. Your new Big fan from South Africa, Vishalia Pillay Art 🎨❤️
Lol now I want to paint road kill. Who are we to absolutely define our work. I make my pieces because I love them. I make the pieces that I want. They make me laugh. I find them fun.
I have found that others see something totally different. One lady recounted a story about how my inch worm took her back to a funeral. It connected her to that event. She felt connected to my piece because of that. There is no way I could have given that meaning to an inch worm.
Make what you love, make a lot of it and have a great life.
Very few of my pieces have meaning. I like to paint. If something catches my eye, I might paint it. I've done paintings of my friends, not because it has meaning, it often comes down to the pose, the look in their eyes and just the fact they are so beautiful. My last piece was nothing more then left over paint I smeared on a small panel the started wiping with a rag and ended up with an eye, a lot of thought went into that one.
It seems to me that popular art is more about “marketing” than it is about creating something that instinctively resonates with other humans. If someone has to explain something to you to increase your value for it, they marketed an item to you.
You are correct, but we are talking about the whole mainstream art world. It is all marketing. However, above that, for us artist who are not in the mainstream art world, it is persistence and showing your art at every opportunity. Also, and this is just my opinion based on my experience, when you create for you, you inevitable create for like minded people.
I like hearing different interpretations of my art even if it is the total opposite of what I intended.
Thanks for your insight, Rafi! This video made me laugh! I loved the pithy comments from the peanut gallery too...It all had great "meaning" for me! Haha!😆
I might start out with an idea, but then creativity happens and it takes on a life of it's own. It's kind of like a Rorschach test where sometimes people will be able to see their own stories reflected (that I didn't even know about) and sometimes, they are able to see deep into places in me that I didn't even realize that were coming out.
Those artist's statement cause me more anxiety; I'd rather just make my art and have a writer come up with an interesting story.
The other thing that galls me is the phrase "the work". To me, that is so pretentious. If I'm really in the zone and connected with my creativity, it's actually "the play".
The play! Oh, awesome!
Insecure artist here. Years ago I wanted to try doing something VERY complicated. I was inspired I read books took notes, Planned a 22 plate series.... Suffice it to say I got ONE done, atually, 2 1/2. maybe. but I got so hung up on all the shit I wanted in it ala davinci chronicles. Some biblical mystical shit. I think it sucks. My hand , and my emotions are not in synch with my intellect which probably isn't all that big. Since I started over, I just work and try to just let it happen. I'm happier now. I had this on my mind as I.... once again stumbled upon another entertaining and sweet video. Thanks for doing this.
Thanks for this video. I might write on my art, canvases, watercolor paper, my meaning of the art. Every one will have their meaning to the art, their interpenetration. So all art is real art, in my view. Some can have a different view, and that is ok.
I love that you are talking about this... According to the gatekeepers, a.k.a. curators and museum people, art must come with a brilliant statement and profound ideas behind them... Well, when I buy art, I like flowers, so I buy flower pieces for my home, no statement needed. Also, I'm in a phase of painting wavy lines. They don't mean anything and I paint them because it is fun... But of course, I made myself an elaborate idea for them to apply to things to.
I don’t know art. But I know what I like. If you just trust what you like, you will find others who like it too.
My favorite types of art are surrealism and semi abstract art. I enjoy looking at them and creating a story from what I see.
Have you guys considered creating an art book? I do believe your art and a deep dive into the story and process behind them would sell really well. Just a thought.
I love ya'll for keeping it real!!!
I'm reminded of a story... If I recall correctly, it's a Buddhist story... About a Master (Head of a monastery).
...SO the old Master feels his age, his life draining steadily. He knows the will come soon, and he must choose his successor or leave the monastery in chaos to fight and argue for the leadership among themselves. It's not that he didn't trust the brothers, but they were not all entirely prepared to engage in it, and things could go badly. He meditated for a day on the matter, considering how to choose and who would have the best qualities. The problem was there were several "best options" at every metric he thought of. Then he reached a conclusion, he would have a sort of contest.
The next day, the Master invited each of the brothers, one at a time to his meditation room. Inside it was empty except for the Master, and a single vase. He explained his situation, and that his contest would be about the vase. One by one, each of the brothers would go through all manner of mental gymnastics, creating eloquent and elaborate expositions about the vase. Some remarked on it's delicate manipulations of negative space, or the intimate architecture of the thing under only a masterful artisan's hands. Still others took a more practical approach, reminiscing of how the heat of the fire made for a sturdier material, and that the curves were for larger volumes and still better capacities... and one thing or another. THEN he summoned the Cook. It was nearing evening, and the cook was called while a couple of younger brothers assured him that they could cover the kitchen in his stead. He should go see the Master's wishes.
Upon entry, the Cook saw as everyone else had. He heard the same as the others, about the end coming for the Master's life and a successor must be chosen... and about the vase. The Cook's glare shifted from the Master to the vase in the center of the floor, and then back to the old man. Then with a deft sweep of his foot, the vase flew across the room and smashed to pieces against the wall. Even while the little stoneware container was still tumbling through the air, the Cook had whirled about and was heading back to his kitchen. After all, he had no time for dubious discussions about such silly things with an entire monastery to feed and only a couple youths to work furiously in his stead...
...The next day, the Master stood at breakfast, and announced that the Cook would be his successor.
Not all art has to have a "deep" meaning, to have meaning. Now, this story is from the "Kill the Buddha" philosophy about meanings and life, even existence itself. We're all temporary, and so are all things... "This too, shall pass." for instance... BUT in art, just create. It's a fine thing to find a deeply intimate meaning within the lines and colors of a piece of work... BUT there's ALWAYS going to be SOME meaning, whether it's profoundly powerful, or "I thought it'd look cool" {in as primitive a "bumpkin" accent/voice as you can muster}... is all you can think of at the time. Have fun with it, and it becomes more like a meditation in motion.
Other people are GOING to argue and declare the meaning of the work, no matter what you do... AND most of them are going to be miles and MILES away from whatever you were thinking when you made it anyway. Let them. I found myself more annoyed about the classmates around me in high school when they tried so desperately to "psychoanalyze" what I'd put to a page or on canvas... until I learned that whatever they said told me more about them than they could ever discern about me... from something "I thought it'd look cool." at the time. ;o)
@@Rafiwashere It is one of my favorite stories. ;o)
I draw engines because they are cool...that is how deep my meaning in my art goes. You guys are Awesome BTW 😘👍
I work from inspiration rather than toward meaning. Meaning is for the observer. Ask about the inspiration rather than the meaning. It's a more interesting topic.
I think for me, it's all part of the same subject which is all very interesting.
interpretation of art is in the eye of the beholder.
IF I am required to create with deep social intensity and meaning, then there is no place for the likes of me or what I do. And I will always walk away from those who demand that as a requirement of my art.
To those who prefer those requirements, excellent... good for you! And I truly look forward to your work.
However...
as for me, my work will be as scattered and varied as my unconsciouse thoughts and moods translate and when those moments of curiosity/whimsy spontaneously appear.
Take them as you will.
Or don't.
I am OK with that.
Absolutely well said DeAnn, huge love!
Hi Rafi & Klee...i so love you guys! Thanks for another great video!!! Thanks for stopping by my live the other night, that was so awesome! Just as an FYI, because I know its been driving you crazy & you haven't been able to sleep at night wondering 😉, I reached 1000 WOOHOO! Thanks for your support but seriously thanks for a GREAT video! I'm sorry I'm so far behind on your videos but things have been crazy in life and now with trying to stay organized with our #ChristmasInJulyFairies event its been nuts...LOL! Stay safe & healthy & have a great rest of your day!
”Art is Subjective” It is true because often it can mean one thing to the artist and something completely different to the actual person that wants to pay for it.
I seriously painted a urinal. I used to think art meaning didn't matter, but my work is an art time capsule of where I was at the time. That's meaning enough for me.
In all seriousness. If the jug holds clear water, clear water comes out. Regardless of wether you pore it intentionally or it spills out by accident. A good heart is revealed in deep or shallow water. X
I've had someone correct me and tell me what my artwork meant whilst we were both looking at it.... at my own exhibition. And they were fully aware that it was my piece and my exhibition. No dude, I painted it because I liked how it looked, liked the colours and it made me feel good whilst painting it, sheesh.
The feeling that I experience most often after being done with a piece, is hunger. ...because I have worked for too long and forgotten to eat. But yea, after that, it can be anything. And I fin that art with the deep hoity toity meaning, is often too obscure to the onlooker and makes regular enjoyers of art, scared of trying to find any meaning, because they might be wrong.
Art can be open to interpretation or could be obviously direct or to evoke an emotion. That settles it, you're welcome.
Great topic and insights, thanks!
Excellent video! Love you both!
Sometimes I have pieces that have deep meaning, others are just fun to look at or just plain pretty... so guess everything has meaning.
Hi Rafi and Klee! Thanks for putting my question on a video! After you answered, I decided that my best bet was to avoid watching shows about classical art that claimed to know what the artist was trying to say. So now I just paint. Sometimes I will ask someone else to "word" for me... Give me ideas for the title of a piece or even just talk about it with me (I'm a verbal processor), and that helps me figure out what I'm thinking or was thinking while I was painting.
Thank you so much Rafi, you are so right. Art can speak to people without the artist painting a deep meaning behind it. I saw something and thought it was cool, or pretty so I painted it. Hope you like it enough to loosen your grip on your money so I can eat, lol
Fully agree! How can we know what Monet thought creating his lilies? It is so personal, i never believe in any explanation of artists work. Only they know what it means!❤❤❤❤
My art has taken on a different form over the last few weeks I love to paint with warm bright colours orange yellow red lately I've been painting with Browns way more black. Art is about emotion and how you feel in the moment so much going on in the world my paintings are getting a little dark and that's okay because that's how I'm expressing myself right now 😊
Sometimes things have meaning. Other times - Diddly Squat! Plato.
I really struggle with this. Whenever I am at a show and someone asks me what is the significance of this painting, my mind goes instantly blank and NOTHING comes to mind. When I finally end up stumbling out some BS story about how this piece inspired me, I can literally watch the interest that person had in my painting fade. I painted these pieces because I saw a reference photo and my mind said, "You must paint this, it's awesome!" There is no significance to my pieces beyond that. I think I will start flipping the tables and when someone asks me what is the meaning behind this piece, I will ask them what they see in the piece. It takes the pressure off me and you are right Rafi, the meaning I might have with a piece is different with every viewer. I paint realism, so what meaning could it have except: it's nature, it's beautiful and I wanted to paint it.
I struggle with this concept, too. I love making art but am trying to figure out why. I think I'm stuck in the idea that it has to be productive.