The author Kleon states that “What a good artist understands is nothing comes from nowhere. All creative work builds on what came before.” I totally agree with that. My own work is influenced largely by my Mothers’ work as a florist, but also from the collective teachers I have worked with: Al Janelle, Lucio Bubacco, Vittorio Constantini, Kara Van Wyk, Dierk Van Keppel. But also with the many artists I have had friendships and professional associations with: Paul Stankard, Bronwen Heilman, Althea Morrison. The slippery slope becomes when you roll into the imitate and rip off area. Our discussion at the SGI in Hilliards continued with fellow artist Darlene Durrwachter Rushing. She emphasized the need to give credit but also the need to remix. Nothing is more embarrassing than someone coming to your table or booth at an art fair and asking who you studied with. This is probably the stickiest point. How do you remix and transform rather than imitate and rip off? The author Kleon gives many ideas on how to avoid this. “What you need to do is collect good ideas. Be curious. Look things up. Chase down every reference. Collect books……” I liken this to something my friend Paul Stankard has said about the importance of having a historical perspective. You need to study art and craft. All art and craft. You need to be intellectually curious. You need to absorb many, many ideas. This will inform and transform your work. But don’t be afraid to mention your muses. Living or dead.

Finally, it’s important not to rip off. After you imitate the artist you admire, give it to your grandma, your friend, your next door neighbor, a stranger on the street. Don’t sell it. You want the work you make to be your own collection of ideas. Not the work of another artist.

Ok, for the silly part. The author Kleon says the next thing to do is play in the studio. I am way okay with that. Then he says ‘get your body into it’. Artsy Zumba? Now, that is just silly. He obviously does not melt glass.

I have looked at the paintings of the Caravaggisti. In fact, in my last trip to Florence, where many of the famous paintings of the world are exhibited in Italy, the newest exhibition highlighted the work of Caravaggio’s fans and followers. Some of the work is outstanding. Some of the paintings follow right on his heels with religious themes and conflicted subjects. I wonder what Caravaggio felt about this. Was he upset? Did it keep him from moving forward with his ideas? Did he ever become hurt or angry because his style was ripped off? There is no way to know really. I can only marvel at the way the whole thing played out from the perspective of a current-century person. Caravaggio gave us great works of art to admire and aspire to. The Caravaggisti paid him an extreme compliment by following in his footsteps.

“Reading Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Discourse on Inequality among Men, I came across an amusingly simple quote: “Some have more than others.” When I read that quote, I thought, “Some flameworkers have more hand skills than others, some have more courage to be creative then others, some have more economic need than others, some have stronger egos than others,” and on and on. Since the late ’70s, I’ve been interested in the Philosophy of Beauty or Aesthetics, as it is often called, and have been fascinated at times to sense enlivened feelings floating above noteworthy objects especially in glass. I have come to believe beauty is spiritual energy and my labor as a prayer. When I layer personal and metaphysical attitudes onto the creative process I’m energizing the material and techniques with poetic weight. It takes more than hand skills and an idea to transform raw material into significant objects and in this chapter I’ll celebrate a personal philosophy that have been refined by 50 -plus years of sitting in front of a gas/oxygen torch. Along the journey I’ve come to believed that artistic and technical progress comes from educating oneself in her or his chosen field. I tell my students to identify area of interest that appeal to them and to focus on the categories parameters. By slowly reinventing glass making techniques and educating oneself to the history of the field you’ll nurture a sense of creative confidence and enhanced self-worth. Were a collective community of studio craft makers and when influenced by great work either contemporary or historic we collectively mature while attracting the attention on the greater artist landscape.”

He once said that I am ‘intellectually curious” and I see that also in him. I think that is why his words make sense to me… and this, his first paragraph especially speaks to me. I think there is a lot of great work out there. Much of it perfect in it’s technical skill, but also lacking soul. Not because the artists are soul-less, but that maybe they have blocked their ability to be open enough to access it.

“Some have more than others”. This statement is universally true. However, it does not discount where you are on the path. Some people will find movement on the path. Some will not. And some will find contentment, where they are.

“Beauty is spiritual energy” I believe also to be true. When feeling blocked, and unable to access it, I think movement forward is precipitated by education and study, as well. However, ultimately, it’s the access to the gifts of the spirit that create successful work.

Next, I love the three dots… because it means there is more to come.

LOVE it!

I found his interview to be enlightening and confirming to me. I too consider the primal human response and how that informs my own work in jewelry and sculpture. I am inspired!!