My favorite class in high school was ceramics. In my beginning ceramics class, while demonstrating how to attach a handle to a mug my teacher told me, “Don’t be afraid to leave your fingerprints on the clay.” As a budding ceramicist, these words changed the way I look at art and the humans who create it. Fingerprints, just like the people who own them, are unique. Too often, we are afraid to leave our “fingerprints” on any type of work we do, whether it be art or otherwise. Afraid of criticism, or maybe just wanting to please society as a whole, we begin to produce works that are bland and common. We cease to be true to ourselves, and we abandon our convictions and beliefs in the name of objectivity or open-mindedness. We’re suddenly afraid to “leave our fingerprints on the clay.”
Whether intentional or not, we leave small pieces of ourselves in everything we create. Critics are quick to point out these so-called flaws; quick to give their opinion why a piece of art should contain certain elements other than the ones portrayed by the artist. To suggest such is to say that the artist herself should have blond hair instead of brown; she should be 5’3” instead of 5’7”. An innumerable amount of characteristics makes up the individuality of a human being. And to criticize such an individual’s creations, artistic or otherwise, is to deny them the right to be human.
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." -- Bill Cosby
That is just what i needed to hear Myke. No more stressing about final projects. Who cares if the teacher fails me, at least i failed my way. lol.
ReplyDeleteI love how my blog has a picture of a bowl of stew, and yours comments on the complexities of life. thanks for being my friend anyway.
ReplyDeleteit boggles me you are wifeless.
chels i was thinking the exact same thing as i was reading this very blog! i went back to look at the measly four posts on my own blog and one entire entry is dedicated to hairspray (the movie/musical not the hair product) so that tells you a little bit about my complex thoughts on life. thanks for being my friend as well myke. your blog is a joy to read.
ReplyDeleteMyke, did you just criticize critics? Way to represent the "four fingers pointing back" side of pointing fingers. In fact, I think you should change the name of your blog from "three chord myke" to "four fingers pointing back myke". Also, kudos to transcending the name of your blog. With such deep contemplation you could even be "seven chord myke" or "bridge key shift myke".
ReplyDeleteFinally, it's amazing how with one post you essentially got proposed to by Afton:
Chelsea - "it boggles me you are wifeless"
Afton - "chels i was thinking the exact same thing"
Nice work.
I almost forgot, the crowning achievement of this blog was working in quotes by Mr. B and Bill Cosby in the same post. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm comment-happy. But should I feel bad now for criticizing Creed, for instance? Or did they get to where they were because they gave into the critics and pleased the masses? How do you know their 'fingerprint' isn't bland, crappy and a poor replica of Pearl Jam's?
ReplyDeleteHaha, good point Jeff. But let's be honest, it won't be any time soon that I'll stop criticizing Creed. It's just too fun/easy. Even if it means my being a hypocrite, then so be it.
ReplyDeleteAnd be comment-happy all you want, they crack me up man.