tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36001820.post2689739119180560187..comments2023-10-20T08:52:24.875-07:00Comments on this artist's life:: the problem with prettyWhitney Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491079459627713472noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36001820.post-88592341950258594262008-08-25T18:51:00.000-07:002008-08-25T18:51:00.000-07:00I agree with Amanda. It would be a pity if you sto...I agree with Amanda. It would be a pity if you stopped working in your current style just because it's "pretty." The older I get, the more I embrace the pretty. Back in the day, as a fine arts and graphic design student, I never used to use that word to describe things. I hated the word and what it implied. Now, I find myself saying all the time, "What a pretty color. What a pretty room. What a pretty melody. What a pretty composition."<BR/><BR/>If you're verbally tough and acerbically witty, then let the bad-ass in you come out through your writing and your conversation. But if your hands produce the pretty, let them do what they do naturally. If your style morphs into something grittier, fine, but I wouldn't force it just because a trusted friend wants to see it. I think your work is unique and the craftsmanship superb. Mother Nature herself would put some of your work on her coffee table if she could. How tough is that?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36001820.post-81471850574518928842008-08-01T10:34:00.000-07:002008-08-01T10:34:00.000-07:00Hi Whitney, I came across your blog a little while...Hi Whitney, I came across your blog a little while ago and I frankly find it really refreshing to read the cold hard facts about your art practice. I have been potting for 15 years but only launched full-time last year as I had a few years to take care of the kids. <BR/>After struggling with new work and making my mark the latest work of mine that is selling is also pretty- it seems like that sells the fastest. I try to balance ceramics with painting because I need a break from the daily grind of clay and I also need an outlet to make mentally interesting work for myself. It seems to challenge me enough, hopefully so I can still make the pretty work to keep afloat financially. Thats the plan, anyways. <BR/>Anyways, all that to say kudos to you for your willingness to really work through some of those kinds of issues in your work- you have great work and you have figured out a lot of things, you may just need a new little challenge to keep you going into the next 10 years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36001820.post-90141782346912013412008-07-24T23:34:00.000-07:002008-07-24T23:34:00.000-07:00Hello! Today is my first visit to your blog and I'...Hello! Today is my first visit to your blog and I'm sorry to hear you're going through this dilemma. I don't think it's uncommon among artists, especially material-based ones. You have to work out what is right for you, but just to add my 2 cents, I have to tell you that despite being a ceramic artist, there isn't much functional ware out there that excites me - but yours is divine, and I'd be very sad if you stopped making this beautiful stuff because you felt you "should". Maybe some theoretical reading about beauty would help clarify what you really feel about your work. Good luck! AmandaAmandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12135240564161689792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36001820.post-51462930665305687712008-07-24T15:54:00.000-07:002008-07-24T15:54:00.000-07:00Oh, and have a great vacation!Oh, and have a great vacation!bronwynbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06070597330651282262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36001820.post-524466450606733842008-07-24T13:35:00.000-07:002008-07-24T13:35:00.000-07:00What you whining about, girlfriend? You've alread...What you whining about, girlfriend? You've already done some perfectly 'Whitney' pieces: very complex large vases with insane amounts of detail. However, your most quintessential work so far was the ashtray with the smoking birds on it: useful, pretty, but with an hilarious edge. Loved them!bronwynbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06070597330651282262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36001820.post-29183661289169532722008-07-22T10:21:00.000-07:002008-07-22T10:21:00.000-07:00As I see it, "pretty" sometimes can be empty of me...As I see it, "pretty" sometimes can be empty of meaning. Maybe that is the question to ask yourself? Does what you are creating have meaning for you?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36001820.post-61692840274118070262008-07-20T20:27:00.000-07:002008-07-20T20:27:00.000-07:00As I read this I thought about an assignment in ar...As I read this I thought about an assignment in art school: to make something really horrible looking. People actually struggle with that. Maybe it's the whole preconceived Idea thing...I don't know...<BR/>Then on the "what is horrible?" tangent I next thought about pbs specials Ive seen of really really super deep deep ocean (ocean) sea creatures. How they are really (really) horrible looking. Then I started to think of their phosphorescence how gorgeous that is....and how I personally find really ugly things beautiful...Wabi Sabi etc. particularly. So I'd say: find what is ugly about things that are pretty. They can have that biting angry super-shiny glint. There are alot of things that are gorgeous and terrifying (the eye of a tornado). So not to make your life more difficult or anything, but I don't think "pretty" has to be without artistic importance... <BR/>But by all means tie both hands behind your back, and force yourself to make something using only your body...You wild woman!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36001820.post-43060125575069830342008-07-19T19:21:00.000-07:002008-07-19T19:21:00.000-07:00Hey Whitney, welcome the world of struggling artis...Hey Whitney, welcome the world of struggling artist, and I dont mean financially..... my pottery friend and I struggle with this and many more creative-ness dilemmas. I have an opposite struggle with my work being not refined, rather crude really and I think that we are steered into believing that to be sought after by "customers" it must be perfect... I have made a leap of faith and changed my style (for now) I guess I will find my answer one day, hope you find your way too!! Remember you dont have to throw in the towel on "prety work" completely, it is alway nice to fall back on during the less creative episodes.... Penny Burke-SC--- thismuds4u.etsy.comPenelopehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18407964812942965803noreply@blogger.com