In 2022 the economic theorist Richard Florida published The Rise of The Creative Class which took the arts organization world by storm. In a nutshell he suggested that "the arts" are good because they are good for the economy. He suggested that in the new creative economy, creative people run the gamut from creative artists to creative art publishers, to creative accountants who do the accounting for arts organizations, creative graphic designers who do their publications, even to the creative catering for art openings. My little 'creative' word salad is intentionally used here to suggest that thanks to Florida the word 'creative' has become as ubiquitous as the word "natural" in the food world.
The problem, in my mind, becomes when the word 'artist' is replaced or at least watered down with the idea that everyone is creative is some way or that all creativity is somehow the same. I don't think it is, and certainly not everyone is.
Harry, interesting post, love your paintings you included. Thanks for including the Saul Steinberg drawing. Way back I saw a show of his work. The pristine nature of the originals was amazing with beautiful color, such a high aesthetic. I was always a fan of the drawings of his in New Yorker covers- when I was in high school. In relation to creativity itself, something that comes to my mind was a letter from Henri Matisse to the students of my art school. I guess he had visited the school while he was painting his mural at the Barnes foundation in Marian Pennsylvania. The letter which was handwritten in French was in a small frame and next to it was a typed English translation in another frame. Basically it said something like he hoped students wouldn’t get the wrong idea about his work or theirs to think there were any shortcuts in the process.
Harry, this is a beautiful post. I like your thoughts about *doing* as a creative force in itself.
I was in Art College around the same time as you, in Nova Scotia.
I’m going 5o have a look at the links you posted. I wanted to be a painter, I tried to have a go at it, but finally I succumbed to full time work. I’m retiring this year. I’m terrified of trying again, because I have a hard time taking it lightly - I set the bar high and judge myself for not meeting it.
In 2022 the economic theorist Richard Florida published The Rise of The Creative Class which took the arts organization world by storm. In a nutshell he suggested that "the arts" are good because they are good for the economy. He suggested that in the new creative economy, creative people run the gamut from creative artists to creative art publishers, to creative accountants who do the accounting for arts organizations, creative graphic designers who do their publications, even to the creative catering for art openings. My little 'creative' word salad is intentionally used here to suggest that thanks to Florida the word 'creative' has become as ubiquitous as the word "natural" in the food world.
The problem, in my mind, becomes when the word 'artist' is replaced or at least watered down with the idea that everyone is creative is some way or that all creativity is somehow the same. I don't think it is, and certainly not everyone is.
Harry, interesting post, love your paintings you included. Thanks for including the Saul Steinberg drawing. Way back I saw a show of his work. The pristine nature of the originals was amazing with beautiful color, such a high aesthetic. I was always a fan of the drawings of his in New Yorker covers- when I was in high school. In relation to creativity itself, something that comes to my mind was a letter from Henri Matisse to the students of my art school. I guess he had visited the school while he was painting his mural at the Barnes foundation in Marian Pennsylvania. The letter which was handwritten in French was in a small frame and next to it was a typed English translation in another frame. Basically it said something like he hoped students wouldn’t get the wrong idea about his work or theirs to think there were any shortcuts in the process.
Harry, this is a beautiful post. I like your thoughts about *doing* as a creative force in itself.
I was in Art College around the same time as you, in Nova Scotia.
I’m going 5o have a look at the links you posted. I wanted to be a painter, I tried to have a go at it, but finally I succumbed to full time work. I’m retiring this year. I’m terrified of trying again, because I have a hard time taking it lightly - I set the bar high and judge myself for not meeting it.