Art makes you dangerous
Art is about the freedom of expression. Art is about freedom of expression and that makes you dangerous. Not a good quality in a society that teaches sameness. Art has made Ai Wei Wei one of the most dangerous men in China. I will be taking my southern friends David Stuempfle, Nancy Gottovi and Rick Agel to see his show in Toronto "Unbroken" at The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art .
I was told recently that you can't teach people to be artists. All you can do is teach skill! I think this is a lot of horse shit! As my Grade 9 French teacher Battling Bertha Andrews said to me when I said I couldn't learn French grammar- "Tony, that is truck and silly nonsense and I won't hear of it!' If your actions inspire people to dream, to learn, to work hard they can and will become artists. This in essence is leadership.
We are all artists as children. I like the story of the art teacher telling his daughter he was going to the school to teach art and the kid replied " Do you mean they forgot?" If you can hold a pencil and draw a line you have the makings to become an artist.
I believe you teach the skill and then step out of the way and allow them to create their own art.
Here is a piece I was gifted by my Australian student Andrew Zanette at La Meridiana. The glaze was made from local clay and ash. What I love about this work is the exploration of form and the curiosity to create his own glaze. There is no question this is ceramic art. This is personal expression, exploration and shows the enjoyment of making. This is the making of a very dangerous man. This makes me very nervous!
I'm teaching two 5 day courses in June at Pinecroft June 3-7 Bigger, Better More- Throwing (1 spot left) and Expressive Glazing (3 spots open). https://pinecroft.ca/pottery-workshop/centre-for-the-arts/workshops/bigger/
In the first class I have 4 of my former students that are incredibly accomplished potters taking the course. I said " Why study with me again???" The unanimous answer was we miss the environment of learning you create!!. Without knowing it I have decided I am a leader. I am very proud of my students and how hungry they are to be the best they can be. I love the title " Unbroken". It reminds of the latin phrase " Illegitimi non carborundum- Don't let the bastards grind your down.! Be dangerous. Be very, very dangerous!
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| Ai Wei Wei- thank you for your courage to be me. |
I was told recently that you can't teach people to be artists. All you can do is teach skill! I think this is a lot of horse shit! As my Grade 9 French teacher Battling Bertha Andrews said to me when I said I couldn't learn French grammar- "Tony, that is truck and silly nonsense and I won't hear of it!' If your actions inspire people to dream, to learn, to work hard they can and will become artists. This in essence is leadership.
We are all artists as children. I like the story of the art teacher telling his daughter he was going to the school to teach art and the kid replied " Do you mean they forgot?" If you can hold a pencil and draw a line you have the makings to become an artist.
I believe you teach the skill and then step out of the way and allow them to create their own art.
Here is a piece I was gifted by my Australian student Andrew Zanette at La Meridiana. The glaze was made from local clay and ash. What I love about this work is the exploration of form and the curiosity to create his own glaze. There is no question this is ceramic art. This is personal expression, exploration and shows the enjoyment of making. This is the making of a very dangerous man. This makes me very nervous!
In the first class I have 4 of my former students that are incredibly accomplished potters taking the course. I said " Why study with me again???" The unanimous answer was we miss the environment of learning you create!!. Without knowing it I have decided I am a leader. I am very proud of my students and how hungry they are to be the best they can be. I love the title " Unbroken". It reminds of the latin phrase " Illegitimi non carborundum- Don't let the bastards grind your down.! Be dangerous. Be very, very dangerous!
Comments
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwS-sDQh41Y/
are definitely dangerous.