Dawg,

I lament, with you, the loss of the superlative in modern language. I'm not completely sure that it applies to the word "art." My wife was an art teacher for many years, her paycheck didn't say painting teacher or a drawing teacher. Still, in spirit, I think you are right.

During a recent visit to a coffee house, I asked for a large coffee. Noticing there were several people with cups larger than mine, I returned to the counter where I was informed that the "large" cup was actually the smallest cup offered. I have since taken to asking for the "largest cup available" when in coffee houses, since they can't seem to agree whether this is called the "grande" or the "venti" or whatever faux romantic name they give to the superlative.

Another problem is with the word "great." I'll sing a song at a writer's night and after finishing, someone will come up to me and say that it was "great." Well, it may, I hope, be good...but it's certainly not great.
Neither is it "wonderful," "awsome," "terrific," or "marvelous" (though it may be "brilliant" but I doubt).

Getting bact to "art." Unfortunately, it's the only word of which I'm aware that fits the bill. "Craft" encompasses too many Martha Stewart projects (I'll bet the license plates will be beautiful.) My godfather, "Uncle" Pete, was the art director for the Sun Times newspaper. He did painting, scupting, drawing, woodcutting and mosaic, among other things. My mom always said he was an "artist." Must someone like he, who is without credential, be a painter/sculptor/drawer/woodcutter/mosaicist? A few more forward slashes and I might have the link to the pentagon. No, I think that, currently, the encompassing term is "art."

I also have another question. Is the term "artist" a title or a description? If it's a title given by some amorphous group of both professional and amateur painting/drawing/scultping/singing/songwriting/dancing/photography/bass playing/filmmaking/poetry critics, then I guess the truest musical artists would be Beethoven and Madonna. If it's a title bestowed by academia, then Bob Dylan would be a craftsman. If it is a title that needs to be bestowed by many, Van Gogh was never, in his life, an artist. And, if it is a title that may be bestowed by one or a few, it is useless.

I recall visiting the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The tour guide related an interesting story. Rockwell was often referred to by critics as a draftsman or a painter of charicatures. After his death, many of his works were exhibited in Manhatten. The most influential and prestigious art critics in New York attended the opening. Mr. Rockwell's people were concerned about their reaction. Upon viewing his life's work, these tough, hard-nosed critics were brought to tears. The reviews were...well...superlative.

I am an artist. I am proud of my profession. I may not be a good artist, I am certainly not a great one, but I am proud of those who are. Some of my fellow artists are not very good at what they do. Others of my fellow artists include names which will be praised throughout history. I am an artist. I will not let anyone else's opinion dissuade me of this.

And, Dawg, you are too.

All the Best,
Mike

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Mike Dunbar Music

You've got to know your limitations. I don't know what your limitations are. I found out what mine were when I was twelve. I found out that there weren't too many limitations, if I did it my way. -Johnny Cash

It's only music.
-niteshift

Mike Dunbar Music