Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Shock- proof , shit detector


The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shock-proof, shit detector. This is the writer's radar and all great writers have had it.
Ernest Hemmingway

This quote from Hemmingway is something all artists could learn from. Being your own best and harshest critic is an essential survival skill in the rough and tumble of the art world. But it is important to be realistic. When I studied painting at college there was a whiff of the attitude that every piece you make should be a masterpiece, that working for years on one artwork was OK as long as it was great in the end. To me this smacks of the dilettante and hobbyist rather than the serious artist. Great artists from the past have mostly all worked hard, spruiking themselves, finding patrons and producing work so that they might survive. The work that you produce should be the product of thought , design and the skill of the artist. To be professional means that even when you are not inspired, you can still produce professional, beautiful work.
...And sometimes the gods are with you and there will be amazing pieces that transcend the technical aspects and become masterpieces.

Could these magnificent robots from the Bennett Robotworks be "Shock- proof , shit detectors"? I don't know but I think I could use one of these around the house!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

you make me smile... kylie j xxxx

Florence Forrest said...

The top one could be useful in summer :)

good point here Shannon!

xx

Yellis said...

Couldn't we all use one.....