Halloween OR The not-so-subtle Put-Down

This main blog site is called “Mary Bedy Photography”, which is, indeed, my main art-related activity, but there are times when I just need a break and to have fun with something else.

Thus my adventures with a free drawing program on my iPad, which lets me just “play”. There obviously is no serious, deep, soul-searching meaning behind the artwork in this blog post. However, it reminds me of something that was posted in the discussions on one of my art sites several years ago that really irked me so I’m going to vent about it here briefly. This person started a discussion for “professional” artists only and implied those of us that don’t make our entire living selling art (or photography), and/or are not classically trained, are JUST amateurs and JUST having fun (implying all joy and no work involved). I went off on this person and I will explain why.

I’m a linguist in my professional capacity. I majored in Spanish and minored in French in college.  I work as a manager in a translation company and I have been doing that for the last 41 years. I would never in a million years disparage a speaker of a second language that did not learn that language through an academic setting. I would admire that person’s language skills, and in fact, be jealous that my command of my second and third languages may not be as thorough as their own command of a second or third language. Who says you cannot be as competent as, or effective as a “traditionally-trained” individual. Does that make you “lesser” than? That was the implication and several people chimed in during that discussion defending my statement of “how dare you”.


That’s not to say I would go to a doctor who was not a doctor but a person who had stayed at a Holiday Inn Express the night before (obviously a sarcastic reference for those of you living in the states). But there are several fields or disciplines that can be competently accomplished with self study and a lot of practice.

I will end this posting to say I did run across an artist’s work on one of my frequented web sites that very obviously practices what someone may call “primitive painting”. It is not formally-trained art. It is in no way academic art. This person’s art has WAY more heart, soul and just all around beauty than the art of the person I mentioned in the opening. That person, who looked down on the rest of us, in my opinion created art that was technically brilliant but devoid of any redeeming quality other than to be a “well done” image. And yes, I understand art is subjective, but that's partly my point.


I do expect all of the Halloween artwork posted here in this blog to be considered “high art” and it will be lauded and shared upon my death as the epitome of existential transcendent art that will last through the ages and appear in many art history publications in the future.

With my tongue firmly in my cheek, I would love to have you visit my FUN digital gallery here:

https://mary-bedy.pixels.com/collections/simply+decorative+digital



Comments

  1. Dorothy Berry-LoundOctober 30, 2022 at 3:37 PM

    Gosh this did make me laugh particularly this: "I do expect all of the Halloween artwork posted here in this blog to be considered “high art” and it will be lauded and shared upon my death as the epitome of existential transcendent art that will last through the ages and appear in many art history publications in the future." And I love the spooky images, I think they are great!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mary BedyOctober 30, 2022 at 3:40 PM

      Thanks, Dorothy. Yes, this is indeed "high art" LOL.

      Delete
  2. M.M. AndersonOctober 30, 2022 at 3:58 PM

    I have training yet I admire self-trained artists. I didn't graduate from art classes with the skill level I have now. Anyway, love your witch graphic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mary BedyOctober 30, 2022 at 4:05 PM

      And your art is OUTSTANDING, Linda. Obviously you have practiced it for many years. Training does lay down the foundations, but I also feel a person needs some talent to go with it. You have both the training and the talent and your art HAS SOUL.

      Delete
  3. BillOctober 30, 2022 at 5:04 PM

    OMG, this is a great article. It also hits home because I know some people like that nose-in-the-air artist. I took one "art" class in college - it was a photography class - and I got thrown out the first day. The professor said I was not an ART MAJOR (I was a Geography Major) and therefore did not belong in his class. It was resolved (by me complaining on a high level) and I did get back in. That was the only formal art class I ever had - but I do occasionally stay in a Holiday Inn Express.

    What you said is real. But even more than that - I love your Halloween Art and your Simply Decorative Digital collection.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mary BedyOctober 30, 2022 at 6:35 PM

      Wow, Bill, that's .... unfortunate. I'm glad they made him let you back in. For heaven's sake you PAID for the class. Yeah, I usually just walk away from "superior" people but I did respond that time :-).

      Delete
    2. BillOctober 30, 2022 at 7:41 PM

      I actually ended up developing a good rapport with that professor and feel I learned some good things about composition and presentation. A good portion of the class dealt with darkroom work which I had been doing since I was a child of 11. I, therefore, actually helped him help other students. I learned some things that helped me forever and scored a B for the class (he apologized and told me he was not permitted to give me an A. So be it - I achieved what I wanted to achieve.

      Delete
    3. Mary BedyOctober 30, 2022 at 7:45 PM

      I'm glad it worked out for you Bill, and that's cool that he apologized! I took a life drawing class a couple of times and on the second class the first time through, the teacher came around and looked at my drawing of the model and whispered "clearly the talent in the class is on this side of the room". Made me feel good LOL. I've been drawing since I was a child. Practice, practice, practice!

      Delete
  4. BillOctober 30, 2022 at 7:52 PM

    I can draw a really straight line with a ruler and a not-so-straight line without. That's about it. I need to stick with my photography.

    ReplyDelete

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