As usual, you give me content to ponder! Why do we devalue the importance of both the artist/artisan when their work lives on and provides so much joy? Books endure for centuries, yet those big presentations and PPT decks die the minute the meeting is over. And, AI...well... I fear it's teaching us how not to embrace our creativity or use our critical thinking skills.
Perhaps Karen I am in another time of the arts and craft movement that was bowled over by the industrial age. AI is another industrial revolution - and if tied to robotics it is the end game for employment in some areas.
I don't know why we try and avoid being human or prefer pretending to reality but it doesn't advance our species anymore than those PPT's
Loved your latest newsletter and hope you start publishing here too soon
I appreciate the art you are creating, and the various moments in time as it evolves. So beautiful, captivating, and sigh, romantic. I hope we are fortunate enough to see more of this creation over time. Great post!! I loved your optimism that the corporate soul is under anesthesia, meaning to me that it might awaken. Since they seem to be running countries: May the corporate soul awaken healed🙏🏽🤍🪽☄️.
The incredible power art, music, and food have on us. They break down barriers. How someone painting on the street can stop busy New Yorkers in their paths. How a bowl of soup handed to a person who's cold and hungry lights up their face. How a tune at the right time can change our mood completely. There's a good bit here to think on, David.
Artisan to me = authenticity David, and as I always say, authenticity for the win, much like your art! As for artisan bread, yep, perfect with a ploughman's lunch - mass produced sliced perfect for a quick sandwich. I guess there's a time and place for most things, I'm still hunting or the time and place for AI! Have a great weekend ahead!
Thanks Alexander - I hadn't thought of artisan authenticity but that makes sense - mass produced is good for cheapness but there is normally a different price to pay from that - happy cycling
Thanks David, BTW Artisan bread with butter and Vegemite is simply outstanding! Unfortunately we have a wet and woolly day and weekend ahead :( Take care mate!
David - this is such a wonderful weaving of art with both its nods to long-lasting possibilities and currency in the moment. I loved your weaving together of conversations here on Substack (and thanks for the shout out), for surely whatever art is, it involves our participation in a long line of conversations. I loved a book by Paul Elie about Reinventing Bach, where he played with both Bach's inventions and the ways he was re-invented and re-interpretated in the 19th and 20th centuries. I like seeing your art developing - the process that welcomes us into a glimpse of the layers. Thank you!
What a lovely reply, thank you Hans. I think life is many layered though I wish more people had a top layer of love (and not a veneer when it is deemed useful)
We live in a world obsessed with instant, instant content, instant gratification, instant updates, instant RAMEN. But this comes at a cost, the loss of longevity, and often a sacrifice in genuine connection and meaning. I do wonder how future generations will preserve today’s digital creations. Will they endure like Da Vinci’s pastels or vanish like a deleted file? I think they would vanish, and that makes me sad. LOVED reading this.
Hi Neela, these posts are short lived though how they make others feel may last sometime... I hope you are warm it is 0 at 9am where I am which is unacceptable
As usual a thought provoking piece. I see evidence all around me of the lack of 'beautiful' in our architecture - although I have to admit beauty is in the eye of the beholder so perhaps someone finds what I think of as ugly and boring as beautiful and utilitarian - or something! Interesting that you have to be earning from art to be called an artisan, a word I now associate more as a noun, as in 'artisan pizza', or 'artisan jewellery'. I wonder if people aspire to be artisans as I have heard that it adds pressure and takes away pleasure. Your art is beautiful - perhaps we could arrange for one of your paintings to be set out as a mural on the side of one of the large ugly and boring walls of some of our architecture!
Alas for the modern brutalism of architecture - we need more Zaha's in the world.
I suspect some artists would blanch at the idea of being called artisans however I do like the Chinese proverb of wisdom comes from calling things by their right name
I suppose the idea of being known for profiting from their passion seems weird, but I agree, if we must use labels then let's at least use the right ones.
As usual, you give me content to ponder! Why do we devalue the importance of both the artist/artisan when their work lives on and provides so much joy? Books endure for centuries, yet those big presentations and PPT decks die the minute the meeting is over. And, AI...well... I fear it's teaching us how not to embrace our creativity or use our critical thinking skills.
Perhaps Karen I am in another time of the arts and craft movement that was bowled over by the industrial age. AI is another industrial revolution - and if tied to robotics it is the end game for employment in some areas.
I don't know why we try and avoid being human or prefer pretending to reality but it doesn't advance our species anymore than those PPT's
Loved your latest newsletter and hope you start publishing here too soon
I appreciate the art you are creating, and the various moments in time as it evolves. So beautiful, captivating, and sigh, romantic. I hope we are fortunate enough to see more of this creation over time. Great post!! I loved your optimism that the corporate soul is under anesthesia, meaning to me that it might awaken. Since they seem to be running countries: May the corporate soul awaken healed🙏🏽🤍🪽☄️.
What a lovely comment in all respects - glad you could also see the romance in the painting - more on that later 🤗💐
The incredible power art, music, and food have on us. They break down barriers. How someone painting on the street can stop busy New Yorkers in their paths. How a bowl of soup handed to a person who's cold and hungry lights up their face. How a tune at the right time can change our mood completely. There's a good bit here to think on, David.
Thanks for the kind comments and reshare Chason 🤗☕☕☕
I was fully on board until you slandered agile… now I’m emotionally sprinting through denial.
But seriously, this was a delightful meander through art, architecture, bread, and pastel pencils. Vitruvius would definitely subscribe. 😉
He’d probably tell me where to sharpen up my angles 🤗 hope you are feeling better
Artisan to me = authenticity David, and as I always say, authenticity for the win, much like your art! As for artisan bread, yep, perfect with a ploughman's lunch - mass produced sliced perfect for a quick sandwich. I guess there's a time and place for most things, I'm still hunting or the time and place for AI! Have a great weekend ahead!
Thanks Alexander - I hadn't thought of artisan authenticity but that makes sense - mass produced is good for cheapness but there is normally a different price to pay from that - happy cycling
Thanks David, BTW Artisan bread with butter and Vegemite is simply outstanding! Unfortunately we have a wet and woolly day and weekend ahead :( Take care mate!
David - this is such a wonderful weaving of art with both its nods to long-lasting possibilities and currency in the moment. I loved your weaving together of conversations here on Substack (and thanks for the shout out), for surely whatever art is, it involves our participation in a long line of conversations. I loved a book by Paul Elie about Reinventing Bach, where he played with both Bach's inventions and the ways he was re-invented and re-interpretated in the 19th and 20th centuries. I like seeing your art developing - the process that welcomes us into a glimpse of the layers. Thank you!
What a lovely reply, thank you Hans. I think life is many layered though I wish more people had a top layer of love (and not a veneer when it is deemed useful)
We are in sync, David.
We live in a world obsessed with instant, instant content, instant gratification, instant updates, instant RAMEN. But this comes at a cost, the loss of longevity, and often a sacrifice in genuine connection and meaning. I do wonder how future generations will preserve today’s digital creations. Will they endure like Da Vinci’s pastels or vanish like a deleted file? I think they would vanish, and that makes me sad. LOVED reading this.
Thank you always for the shout-out.
Hi Neela, these posts are short lived though how they make others feel may last sometime... I hope you are warm it is 0 at 9am where I am which is unacceptable
This is what I hope for with my articles.
It’s warm today - It’s 78F - that’s 25 C
But a nice cool wind is coming through.
I got carried away on my walk this afternoon lol
Come on over …
As usual a thought provoking piece. I see evidence all around me of the lack of 'beautiful' in our architecture - although I have to admit beauty is in the eye of the beholder so perhaps someone finds what I think of as ugly and boring as beautiful and utilitarian - or something! Interesting that you have to be earning from art to be called an artisan, a word I now associate more as a noun, as in 'artisan pizza', or 'artisan jewellery'. I wonder if people aspire to be artisans as I have heard that it adds pressure and takes away pleasure. Your art is beautiful - perhaps we could arrange for one of your paintings to be set out as a mural on the side of one of the large ugly and boring walls of some of our architecture!
Alas for the modern brutalism of architecture - we need more Zaha's in the world.
I suspect some artists would blanch at the idea of being called artisans however I do like the Chinese proverb of wisdom comes from calling things by their right name
I suppose the idea of being known for profiting from their passion seems weird, but I agree, if we must use labels then let's at least use the right ones.