THE ARTS

Things I Learned In Art School

Journal Note, 15 October 1992

Yannis Papanastasopoulos at Unsplash

Things I learned In Art School

1. Everything is Art
   But only when presented as such by an artist. Our kitchen table is not art until it is in a museum or gallery and it is accompanied by an “artist statement” indicating that this used to be a table, but now is art.
2. Ball Point Pen Drawings Are Not Art
   To be art the drawings should be produced in black ink with a technical drawing pen or some other instrument. Anybody can draw pictures with a ball point pen.
3. Functional Pottery Is Not Art
   For a ceramic mug to be considered art it must have pieces of jagged, broken glass fused to the rim edge where you drink. Then it becomes a statement.
4. Paintings of Flowers Art Not Art
   Realistic impressions of pretty composer scenes are passe, amateurish. This is kitsch, not art.
5. Bigger Is Better
   The serious artist make Big pictures. 20 foot canvases will be more impressive, corresponding to their stature, and will be more impressive than 3 foot paintings, even though there are no rooms large enough to display those massive works.
6. Canvasboard Is Not Art
   Painters who paint on canvasboard are tipping their hand that they are inexperienced amateurs.
7. Commercial Work Is Not Art
   Selling your skills to businesses in exchange for money is prostitution. It’s ugly. It’s debauchery.
8. Being “Normal” Is Not How An Artist Is
   Eccentric is better. Insane is best. (Only in public, however. Preferably at art openings and events.)

TIC with TLC.