Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Art - It's In The Eye Of The Beholder... Or Something Like That

A super fantabulous thing happened last week – I got to meet up with my favorite llama and dedicated nudist, cozy mystery writer Hart Johnson and show her my neck of the woods (otherwise known as a little place called Texas :P)

The first thing all visitors to Austin should see is the city’s version of Bourbon Street -- legendary 6th Street.  But since it was the middle of the week in the middle of the day, not too much was happening, so it was time for a minor change of plans.  We marched up to the State Capitol, where I noticed a lovely little fountain right out front.

That’s when my mood for art appreciation bloomed.

At juuuuust the right angle, this cherub-themed fountain looked like a baby boy, erm, relieving himself (and quite proudly, I might add *snort*).  So naturally I had to take a picture of it.  But little did I know that this was just the beginning of an art-appreciation filled day.

On our way back to Hart’s hotel, we passed the Austin Museum of Art – AmoA.  Come to find out, there was a special exhibit of local artists going on.  Some were FABULOUS – Hart especially liked the ash-embossed dead-body imprints depicting Mexican border violence taken directly from news photographs.  Other exhibits, though… well, I’m going to be honest.  I personally did not see the artistic value of a tarp on the floor.  Seriously y’all, there was a frickin’ TARP on the FLOOR. 

Le Tarp


Since we could hear construction work going on behind the scenes, we assumed that tarp was a part of it.  But it wasn’t.  Nor was a dust-covered piece of old insulation.  It was scrapped construction material which the artist said was a metaphor, designed to inspire a person to think about our throw-away society.


I took one look at it and was inspired to sneeze myself into a coma.

Okay. Maybe it is art


But it did get me thinking.  In both writing and in on-ice choreography, in my own way I’m also a creator of art.  Some people might look at my writing (or the unforgettable Moulin Rouge skating routine I put together complete with corsets, fishnets and for one skater, a riding crop), and think it’s smut.  The fact of the matter is, it really is in the eye of the beholder, and no amount of debate on whether or not a romantic work of fiction is “worthy” literary fiction is going to change some minds.  But I’m okay with that.  Ultimately, when it comes to the creation of art, the creator has to believe in their work.  And I do.

8 comments:

  1. that's all it takes!

    I'm super jealous that you got to hang out with Ms. TH Johnson herself! And in Austin. Fun times...

    I've seen those little peeing cherubs, btw. It might've been one! :D Good stuff here... <3

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  2. I so agree, the creator has to believe in their work, even when it is just a tarp on the floor :)

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  3. Love your picture of the cherub. If you hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have noticed that he looks as if he's . . . um, you know.

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  4. Oh, man--so true, eh? And you make me sound disturbed for liking that border violence stuff... *snort* But some people can be so high brow, where others really don't get all that hoity toity stuff. Pretty much I am content if things are amusing, beautiful, disturbing, or make me think, but don't have much patience for things that are too abstract or pretentious, whatever the form...

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  5. @LTM -- aren't a lucky duck (or penguin)? The Watery Tart is one of the few people on the planet who can match me, crazy for crazy! :D

    @Rhonda -- exactly! What's more, didn't that "scrapped construction material" artist do a great job in making me think? That's all any artist can ask for (though I'm still on the fence about that tarp...).

    @Angela -- Heehee, I have a twisted mind. *cough*proud*cough* :P

    @Hart -- *tacklehugs* Ooh, you dark and disturbed writer, you... this, from the llama-loving, boa-wearing Watery Tart! You know you wouldn't be so darned interesting if you weren't multi-faceted, capable of seeing the darker stuff while choosing to frolic in the light (score 10 points for me -- I used the word "frolic" in a sentence :P). And I agree, I love art that makes me THINK... which I suppose that one dude did (I'm just glad I didn't step on this, erm, masterpiece *snort*).

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  6. I love art and weird art. In portland they had a paint can and brush on a ladder with white paint dripped over it. Le Tarp needs to be next to that exhibit.

    I'm having comment log in issues, so will have to comment this way until blogger fixes me.

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  7. Hey, Spaz... I tagged you in a meme today... not sure how often you get HERE, so p'raps I should tag you on FB...

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  8. Wheeee, I'm tagged, I'm tagged! Wait... does that mean I'm IT? O_o

    *zoooooms over to the Watery Tart's hangout*

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