Lately, I've been wondering if I should take a stab at selling some prints of my Holga stuff. I really like some of them a great deal. Stephs sissy in law asked me for a print so I made her one. Also, I get some really nice comments from photo peeps on Flickr. I guess the only thing holding me back from doing it is an innate sense that causes me to avoid joining the masses who fancy themselves some form of "artist" and yet their "art" is derivative and overpriced.
However, I do appreciate people doing creative things as well as those who take the initiative to try and make a living outside the confines of the 9 to 5 regimen. I also think that you can this without a modicum of pretention i.e. deigning oneself an "artist." Please for the love of all that is lovely do not self apply this title. I feel like that term is up to society at large to decide. For example, if you paint then feel free to call yourself a painter. FOr example, take Bob Ross. The man was an amazing painter and I think he would've acknowledged as such. I don't recall him ever saying on his show that he was teaching you to become an artist nor do I think what he did was art.
This brings me back to me. I don't feel like I have created or contributed "art" to the world via my crazy cross processed Holga photos. Also, I for sure don't have any statement or deep feelings associated with the subject matter, unless it's Steph or the dogs of course but then they just happened to be in the shot. Rather I just see something I feel like getting on film and using a very rudimentary knowledge of photography as well as the tool that ultimately helps turn a mundane picture into something interesting to look at, the Holga, I let fly with the shutter and viola. That's it.
So with that being said I think I will go ahead and make some of my favs available through my Etsy site (which I will post soon). The format I've chosen is Giclee, which essentially a photographic print on stretched canvas. I think they're perfect because they're ready to hang and they look cool. The downside is that they aren't super cheap, but if you've been frame shopping lately, neither is that. Anyway, since I am not trying to live off these prints I'm going to price them damn near cost. Basically for like $25 extra dollars I will hoof it to Photoworks, find parking, and ultimately go to the post office to ship it to peeps. Really is $25 extra dollars worth that? No, but if even one person hangs it up on their wall and thinks it's cool and maybe it inspires them to go do something creative and interesting then the 6 pack of beer and dinner that person has provided me was totally worth it.
Anyway Like I say the prints will available through Etsy sometime in the near future. In the meantime you can check out my current repetoire on Flickr. Just go here!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
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2 comments:
Art is Art. Rather poor in some cases but I do believe sadly, that being creative does have the title of artist attached. Good art on the other hand is hard to come by and though lots of people throw the A word out there I don't think that there's such a large divide as once before - experimentation has lead to varying concepts of quality and thus not everyone can be down with your style.
Hmm... I have a lotta holes in my theory here but it goes without saying that sometimes pushing the envelope isn't always regarded as inventive or creative. Andy Warhola was subject to sensationalism in a way, I dig the stuff still but don't think he was really an "Artist" - much ado about where he got his ideas from, a old tale about a heroin addict who provided much of his early 'inspiration' - I'm sure you've heard the legend, which has several credible historical sources.
Its a very intensely interesting topic -
peace.
Yes, yes. Art is indeed art. I appreciate art for arts sake. I don't think it has to mean anything. Purely subjective. I think my rant was based on semantics more than anything. Tis true if someone throws some paint on a canvas they indeed created art. Very true. I guess I more have a problem with that same person self identifying as an Artist and trying to achieve some level of status by it. But there are holes abounds in my ideas I'm sure of it. None the less I had to rant.
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