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talent & music analogy

updated thu 25 jun 98

 

Alison Hamilton on wed 24 jun 98

You bet they do, at least they ask "is that really music?" i.e. are
those musicians who are hitting their instruments as part of the score
playing real music?

I was raised in a musical family and I definitely keep thinking about
the music analogy every time I read something on the art vs. craft
discussion. Unfortunately, I keep getting stuck because when it comes
to music (in my opinion) there are technicians who play amazingly well,
and then there are musicians who take your soul out, shake it around and
then put it back together leaving you wondering why you're weeping. And
I attribute this to talent and I think I've finally figured out that
some people are born with this and some people aren't. This doesn't
mean that the people who aren't born with it can't play good music - of
course they can (and maybe there's a continuum of talent with people
possessing differing degrees of it). But at the end of listening to it,
I don't feel the same way. (I think I've also figured out that listening
to music is also a different talent - people seem to respond so
differently even when they both like the same piece)

I just haven't figured out whether this analogy applies directly to
pottery. I've read different opinions here on the role of talent vs.
learning good design and I'm secretly hoping that maybe it doesn't
directly apply because while I know I'm musical, I'm not convinced that
I have an inherent talent for pottery. Which (to forestall potential
flaming) doesn't mean I can't make good pottery, or well designed bowls,
but maybe my pottery won't take somebody's soul out and shake it around
before giving it back.

Alison Hamilton
Dorset, ON, where I'm melting in early, languid summer heat!

pmfox@spacestar.net wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi all--
> I'm starting to delete without reading any ART vs CRAFT posts, but
> wanted to make one observation.
> My pots are to ART what folk songs are to MUSIC. Some people's work
> could be classed as symphony, some rap, some country western. Do
> musicians get into these type of discussions on WHAT IS ART?
>
> Patti
> still trying to get the stain off my hands from the black laguna clay
> I've fallen in love with. any recommendations?