why carve? and distinctivnes and things

["Clive Murray-White" <clivemw@zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz>]

Hi Deb

"He went home and changed his style completely."

I never think that's a great way of doing things, only change one thing at a
time is a much better way of doing it, if you have a new subject make it in
the way that you are confident, if you want to change materials, first do it
with a subject that you are confident about, same goes for technique
etc.etc.etc.

"Talking to people afterwards something about artists needing to be
original,
more than original almost, seemed to be at the root of such a change.  I
brought this up here because I find the more I look at other peoples work
the more I see ideas I've already scribbled down but not yet executed (and
see work by different artists that is strikingly similar one to the other)."

I always find the most interesting thing about "original" is that it is most
often the putting of two knowns together to make a completely different
outcome.

Knowing just how original you want to be, or dare to be, can be pretty
helpful.

A fundamental form of originality is our own handwriting, it follows then
that when we become extremely comfortable with our stone tools we will have
a stone equivalent to handwriting.

If you really want to make a big jump it really pays to find as much wrong
as you possibly can with what everybody else is doing, For myself I've
nick-named this "ridiculous criticism" and in real terms the basic technique
it to convert all the things that make something good or creditable into
something very bad! Almost the second you do this thousands of alternative
ideas come rushing into your head. Some stick and become something that you
find you have enough of an affinity with develop further.

Michelangelo was not very realistic because people are not cold, white,
immobile, perfect and everlasting, Michelangelo clearly got it wrong.

You could say that they built a fabulous temple like structure when they
chose a form for the British Museum, what's that say about them choosing to
use a filthy old power station for the Tate Modern, obviously Britain values
the past far more than the present!

"the more I look at other peoples work the more I see ideas I've already
scribbled down but not yet executed"

You can turn any idea into an original one especially if you concentrate,
not on the idea because they are rarely all that new but on what you think
the other artist got it wrong, I have a good friend in the music industry
who often says "don't do a cover version unless you can do it better".

The other thing that will always give you an edge is to only do the things
that you like doing and find relatively easy...........because what I may
find easy you may find hard and visa versa, doing what you find easy is just
another example of you exhibiting your differences to the world.

Best place to view originality is always your TV not the programs but the
ads.

Best regards Clive

Sculptor Clive Murray-White
Cowwarr Art Space
Cowwarr Gippsland Vic. Aus.
Ph: 03 51489321 Fax 0351489498
E-mail: clivemw@---------------
Web: www.cowwarr.com