Seeing Art: Does this happen to you?

[Loose Gravel]

I see regular mentions of exhibits here on APUG. I used to go to some of these. I still surf the web, looking at various artist's websites. Some are nice, some not. Same with exhibits. More and more this disturbs more than it benefits me. At the end of the day, I'm mad at myself for not spending the time making my own art, rather than appreicating someone else's.

You ever get this feeling?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Not at all. There are plenty of other things that I regret doing or having to do, but viewing art isn't one of them. I think it's important for my own work to see what others are doing and have done.

 

[shyguy]

I think i walk away saying to myself, "I do that" or "you call that art?!" or "that's worthy of an exibit?". now i'm talking about photography here, not painting or clay or what ever.

even the "masters" like A.A. dont really inspire me with their work. other than to give me a benchmark for my own work.

Please dont flame me for that statement.

S.

 

[Peter Schrager]

ART

I do go out to look because I'm interested in what the Galleries are promoting. Many a time I return with the same feeling but it is only pushing me harder to get myself some gallery representation in NYC. Then I run home to get back to work on my portfolio.
Of course there are the "other" times when I'm just taken aback by an artist who has a vision and the means to communicate it. This is a great topic!
Best, Peter Schrager

 

[Jorge]

I am with David, I might not like what I see, but do not consider it a waste of time. Unfortunatelly here in Mexico I dont get to see the Masters. I envy David living in NY. I did a job for ConEd in Manhattan and I spent most of my free time just looking at art and photography galleries.

You have to balance and allocate your time, take some pics, look at some work by others and promote your work. If your goal is to sell prints, you need to know what people are showing and hopefully selling.

 

[Mateo]

I love going to shows but I'm picky about what I'll bother to see. Every good show makes me want to go make more art because of the possibitities opened up by the artist. Every bad show makes me want to make art because, man that show sucked. It's the so so ones that do nothing for me. I'm lucky to live where at least two galleries have things that inspire me every time I visit.

Also, I've learned more about printing by looking at the same photographs in the permanent display at the Monterey Museum than I have by reading "how to" books. I think that if I can see what I want I can find the technique to get what I want. And seeing how others see is how to learn how to see.

72dpi on my crummy monitor don't learn me nothing; so websites don't count.

 

[joeyk49]

I don't create art, yet. Perhaps some day...

From my perspective, I can learn something from just about anyone; amateur, pro, gallery represented or not. I can't get enough of viewing others work; so that I might acquire an idea, a technique, perspective, etc. (i.e: I hate advertisements, but I LOVE looking at ad photos!) I'll web surf for hours, just looking at photo galleries or portfolios of just about any photographer that I happen to trip over. I hit this site about half a dozen times a day, or more!

My issue is that I don't get to enough shows or presentations. As I live about an hour from NYC and trips there are family events, my interests usually take a back seat to my son's sightseeing and my daughter's shopping demands. (My wife, God bless her, only requires dinner somewhere in the vicinity of Mott or Pell Streets.)

Would I like another 50 or 60 hours per month to spend in the darkroom practicing my printing? You bet I would! I'd also like about another $10,000.00 worth of "kit" to play with. But there's no denying that much of my growth has come from viewing others' works, speaking with other shutterbugs and learning from them.

I haven't said it enough, yet: Thanks for sharing your knowledge and your work. KEEP POSTING! I start to jones if there are fewer than 10 or twelve new photos posted on any given day!

Regards,

Joe

 

[Jim Chinn]

I am just as happy spending an afternoon at a gallery or museum as I would be photographing. I never growed tired of looking at photographs, or art in any other medium. Photography is primarily all about seeing and observation. I don't think one can look at to much art to gain an appreciation of how others have seen and interpreted the world.

 

[Jim Chinn]

My issue is that I don't get to enough shows or presentations. As I live about an hour from NYC and trips there are family events, my interests usually take a back seat to my son's sightseeing and my daughter's shopping demands. (My wife, God bless her, only requires dinner somewhere in the vicinity of Mott or Pell Streets.)

When I take my kids on trips, especially to KC or Chicago i make them go with me to a museum before any other activities. After the first couple of times my 8 year old now specifically requests we spend an afternoon at the Art Institute of Chicago when we go.