Quote of the Week

"Is the physical activity of making a work the only consideration, or is the artist's total experience of observing, thinking, and gathering also valid?"

~Kendall Buster and Paula Crawford, The Critique Handbooks: The Art Students's Sourcebook and Survival Guide

I love this line. Of course it's valid; it's vital. One of the most frustrating comments I hear about art (some art) is that "It looks like something my five year old could make." or "I just don't think the artist put a lot of work into this piece." My Art Appreciation students say this quite a bit, usually about artists I love, such as Rothko and Cornell. Some of my work tends to be minimal to the point that it appears to lack effort. But all the reading, writing, and looking and sketching informs each piece of work. How do you convince non artists (and even some artists) that these hours of research prior to making the work, are just as important as the finished piece? Or do you let it go, and let the work speak for its self?