[Woodcarver] Judging shows.

[Ivan Whillock Studio]

I appreciate the desire of many to have consistency in show judging.
However, I've always been leery of groups trying to develop objective
standards for art.  It emphasizes "measurable" things like smooth finish,
neat painting, all craft standards rather than art standards.  The aspects
that make carving art are those things that cannot be standardized, such as
originality, creativity, imagination. I think history teaches a lesson.  In
the 1870's  French academies were imposing specific standards on art.  A
group of painters systematically had their works rejected by the jury of the
official Salon.  Eventually, out of frustration, they formed their own
exhibition.  It was widely ridiculed by the art establishment of the day.
The painters who could not pass muster under the art standards of the Salon
were characters such as Degas, Renoir, Monet, Pissarro, Cezanne, Sisley, and
Morisot.  They didn't neatly cover the whole canvas, they smeared their
brush strokes, they didn't paint accepted themes, on and on.  These rejected
artists are the ones who are now famous, and the accepted artists of the day
now are merely footnotes.

I think what sets art apart from dogs, apple pies, tomatoes, beauty queens,
and beef cattle (and other things that are routinely "judged") is that it
cannot be standardized. That's what I like about it--artists are free to
express themselves in any way
they please: neat or smeary, traditional or far out, deliberate or
spontaneous, following "rules" or breaking "rules."  It's one of the few
areas where you can harmlessly do whatever you please--and not end up in the
gutter or in jail.  Why put standards on it?

Ivan Whillock Studio
122 NE 1st Avenue
Faribault, MN 55021
Visit my website at
 http://www.whillock.com
Visit my Picturetrail album at
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=ivancarve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Gratton" <mike_gratton at yahoo.com>
To: "[Woodcarver]" <woodcarver at six.pairlist.net>
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2004 8:45 AM
Subject: Re: [Woodcarver] Judging shows.


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> I gotta admit, it is nice to hear all these different
> points of view.  And not just on this topic.  Really
> keeps you from letting your thinking getting stuck in
> a rutt.  Hearing different points of view don't always
> make me change mine, but they do make me re-examin
> them.
>
>
> mikeg
> --- Rebarris at cs.com wrote:
>
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> > > I have judged many shows. And I for one do not
> want
> > "Big Brother" looking
> > over my shoulder. I think that situation could get
> > way to political. All of the
> > judges I have worked with use the same criteria and
> > are very serious about
> > their work. I think that it could get really
> > expensive also. And who would you
> > pick for this training? Would it be for only those
> > who could afford it? Then who
> > would be appointed to train these people? I can only
> > remember one situation
> > when the judging became ridiculous and
> > controversial. The committee should never
> > have permitted that. The committees who work to put
> > on the shows around the
> > country have more than enough responsibilities. I
> > wouldn't want to impose more.
> > And who takes those ribbons that serious anyhow? I
> > give mine back to the
> > people who held the show to use next year. Those
> > things are expensive. Most just
> > do it for fun. Just my opinion. Have fun carving.
> >   Bob Barris
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