Making Art

While I rarely find it difficult to compose drawings and paintings, I sometimes struggle with deciding if that is the best way to use my time. I was looking at images of Tori Gates the other day, and decided that painting something spiritual may help myself and others seek inner peace…is art the best way to find our spiritual self?

Where is the truth in art?

Franz Marc once surmised that we too often are happy only with the shell of truth and rarely look to the kernel.  Is art something that can help in determining the truth about such things as social and political boundaries?  See my site at www.teneyckart.com

Interesting times

How do we ensure safety without creating a culture of fear?  I am on a college campus, and it is interesting to hear students and faculty discuss safety issues without realizing the larger cultures in which we live.  So many seem to be more concerned with themselves than society…take a look at the painting above, and take the advise of a recent ad I saw…lay flat and float away…

Art, Artists and Conflict

The above picture is something I finished recently that is loosely based on Franz Marc’s Sleeping Dog, which brings up a question.  Marc did some wonderful work, though also thought it was his duty to fight for his homeland (Germany) in WWI, the same war in which the Dada movement began.  So, who was right?

Tolerance in Art

I asked in my last entry about values and art, but let me back up just a bit.  A couple of years ago I was asked to spend some time with some students at a leadership program.  While I do enjoy students, I am not a big fan of motivational programs (if it’s not inside of you, it is hard to put it there)…one of the things everyone had to do was to develop a “vision” of the world.  My was simply that all art forms and religious practices would be tolerated (this is not the same as accepted), unless it meant harm to someone.  During the past year in which I have been exhibiting some of my art around Michigan, I have found many people like to force their own ideas on the art (and world) around them.  These are typically the same people who are very quick to defend their own values when they are questioned.

So, my question to you — which is more rhetorical than anything else — is, can we, as humans, get beyond thinking we know what’s best for everyone else, but are unwilling to accept the same criticism from others?

 The painting that goes along with this has been sold, but some felt it had religious connotations (given that the small squares are in the form of a cross)…so what?  That was not my intention, but does it really (need to) matter?

Take care, and make someone smile today…

Toby

Values and Art

Art Happens.   John Dewey once said that the experience of art is different for the artist and the audience.  In short, the idea is that you use your own values to both make and judge art, but do not ask others to use those same values.  So, I ask you to take a look at the painting posted here, and tell me not only what you think, but why you think that way?  For those of you who are interested, this painting can be seen at The Don Brown Gallery of Fine Arts in DeWitt, MI throughout May (starting May 6th).  Entries to this blog will focus on the ways in which art and politics/social justice (potentially) intersect.