A respectable level of self-effacement is required to be a successful visual artist - enough to make the work more important than the creator - enough to eliminate any hint of self-aggrandisement. Only then can the creator successfully come out from behind their handiwork to be recognized. - 14-05-05

When a painting is presented for public viewing, it should be brought two steps forward while the painter takes two steps back  - 14-05-05

Why is an artist a prostitute if he earns his living practicing a profession he loves? The answer is that we are all prostitutes of one kind or another. Some of us admit it openly, others are simply envious of those who have something titillating to offer. - 02

'Artistic statements' are far too often a combination of incoherent psychobabble and pseudo-intellectual diatribe to be taken seriously. More desperate cries for recognition than insightful presentation, statements mean little if anything to a legitimate collector. - 01

"Professionalism" in the arts is knowing the difference between creating and screaming, critiquing and criticizing. . . making an impression and making a dent.  - 00

Professional artists are “laborers”. They work for a living - even if that means earning a major portion of their income from sources other than their artwork. They come from that batch of rebels who, like the Impressionists, learned their craft and honed their skills before daring to oppose the standard of the day. Today, we consider rebellion a matter of course, but of what course we are not too sure. And rebelling against what? Well, we haven’t really considered that either since we generally don’t have the skills to offer better than our latest “teachers” have given us. Too much dipping of the brush into the crevices of navels for inspiration is rarely inspired expression. - 99

L’art de bouder et de tapper du pied est né d’un intense besoin de se faire remarquer lorsqu’on n’a ni les moyens ni le talent de se faire comprendre.

Explications:

“L’art de bouder et de tapper du pied” signifie que l’on est centré sur nos propres besoins sans pouvoir associer l’existence et l’importance de “l’autre” dans le processus de son expression.

“Intense besoin” signifie une expression frénétique, née d’un sentiment d’impuissance provenant non pas d’un manque d’avoir quelque chose à dire mais plutôt d’un manque d’apprentissage qui aurait pû faciliter l’expression des sentiments, observations et connaissances.

“Se faire remarquer” signifie un besoin désordonné, né d’un malentendu qui semble donner à croire au peintre amateur l'idée que "lui-même" est le focus de son expression. . .

“ni les moyens ni le talent de se faire comprendre” présuppose qu’un apprentissage de piètre qualité a permis au jeune apprenti de croire son expression artistique plus important que la nécessité d’assimiler, au préalable, le métier: c a d : le langage, l’orthographie et la grammaire de la langue visuelle.

N’ayant pas la capacité de communiquer une pensée ou un sentiment de façon professionnelle la seule solution, au monde des “voulants se faire appeler artistes”, c’est d’accuser le peuple d’ignorance et de créer un jargon d'isolement, incompréhensible et propre seulement à ceux et celles qui acceptent l’ignorance du peuple comme mantra.

S’exprimer n’est pas l’art de crier ou de cracher son point de vue au visage des gens. Ll’expression visuelle n’a pas pour but de faire reconnaitre celui qui s’exprime ni même de confirmer l’existence de cette personne s’exprimant. Mais trop souvent, c’en est le resultat. -97

When people interested in collecting art ask me how to differentiate between an “up and coming artist” from worthless fly-by-nighters. . . the answer is simple: Converse with the person who’s work interests you. Purposefully use terms such as “painter” or “sculptor” or apprentice to the arts rather than “artist”. If that person insists on referring to him/herself as an “artist” and speaks only of themselves rather than of their work or its process - beware. Either that person is very new to the profession, naive as to what constitutes professionalism or is simply playing indignant at “your ignorance” of the obvious persona you have before you. - 97

Quand on manque de sucre on ne fait pas de tarte. . . - 77