Anyhow, speaking of glass houses, some right-wing blog written by an artist who airbrushes cheeseball, kitsch paintings on motorcycle helmets, linked to the walk post and sent a couple of -- expected -- odd and offensive people to the comments (now deleted). Sociopaths and right wing blogs! They go together like ... dragons and boobies!
Now, that was a really interesting comment - in effect, a smear directed not at me as much as it is those honest working guys (and girls) who come to me with their wish list and a bike helmet, goal mask, or racecar.
We call automotive airbrushing "candy art" for a reason. It reflects the customer's whims, not the artist's. It's supposed to be fun and decorative, but rendered with the seriousness reserved for the potentially temporary. That's because this style of art is sometimes painted on objects known to hurtle down racetracks at speeds approaching 200 mph.
Indeed, these particular customers trust that your prep and paint technique won't result in the failure of structural integrity when they crash. Because eventually, they all crash.
Brett Lamb knows all this. Or he should - he's a graphic artist. And he's probably worn a silk-screened t-shirt at some point in his life. He may have even seen "boobies" and "dragons" cover art on a '70's rock album. And I'll bet he knows that when he screws up the cover of a program guide, the customer doesn't die.
Which brings me to the real point.
As it turns out, when he's not documenting the stalking of rich people by Toronto Star columnists, he's art director for the "Hot Docs" film festival;
For me, work on this year's Hot Docs festival began almost a year ago -- the first ad for RealScreen announcing the 2006 festival was due the day after the staff wrap party. It's a very satisfying project: it's quiet for several months, then things build slowly in the fall with Doc Soup, then the pace picks up in the new year and for the final two months it's madness as we juggle deadline after deadline ...Finally, it all comes together! Tonight is Opening Night and from here on it's parties and screenings (and more work, but that's the life, eh?).
I wonder - from where does "Hot Docs" get a portion of their funding?
"The Ontario government has announced it is spending around $600,000 this year on programs to help artists improve business skills, reported The Globe and Mail April 30. Among the programs: film-industry training labs at the Hot Docs festival..."
Isn't that thoughtful. Channeliing tax dollars towards filmmakers who find themselves unhappily excluded from that merit-based community known as "people who create stuff people will pay for voluntarily".
You see, for reasons that have never been clearly explained, select members of the "arts community" are actually sheltered from their own lack of market appeal through programs and funding provided by various arms of government!
Hot Docs is one of 34 film festivals across the country supported by the media arts program at the Council. Support for media arts festivals is aimed at raising the profile of Canadian independent film and video artists and their works, and helping them connect with distributors, exhibitors and broadcasters.
In other industries, these people are called "corporate welfare bums".
It's not new for elitists to direct ridicule towards the whims and tastes of working class Canadians. You'd just think that subsidized elitists would exercise a little self-restraint.
While Brett may offer precautionary advice that the road to artistic misery is to allow money to "dictate what you do" - that's the path that I and the oilfield workers, electricians, lawyers, doctors, and engineers who ask for "kitsch" on their helmets, cars, shop vehicles walk every day. Beyond the shiny, huggy, distainful realm of the publicly funded arts, there exist people who do that miserable, cheesy, commercially viable work to earn the bucks to pay the taxes to prop up the budgets of films and festivals that keep the kind of creative genius required to generate posters and brochures from having to sully itself with a second job behind a Burger King counter.
You know, if someone actually scraped these artistic parasites off the public tit, it might inspire a few of them to create something worth paying for.
Or, increase the number of available workers for the food service industry.
Win, win.
Very well said Kate. Maybe you could airbrush some sour grapes onto a stick, to be subsequently re-inserted into the hypocritical whiner.
They'd starve to death.
If I had need of a helmet, I'd probably (if I could afford it), come looking for you to paint it. I think your work is quite well done.
Dorkus Maximus likely doesn't comprehend that all art is not alike. If so, there would be no need for such things as an edikashun, as we could all get rich throwing paint blobs at a canvas, or in the case of Farrah Fawcett, throw blobs of paint on a canvas, then writhe around mixing and smearing it with your boobies(there's that word).
Of course, artwork with boobies/dragons probably would be classified as commercial art, and we all know it is to be frowned upon at all costs, much as artists like Robert Bateman & Paul Calle are referred to as mere 'illustrators' because one can actually identify the topic of their works.
Yes - "Voice of Fire" ?
Prized stripes that enhance the artistic wealth of a nation.
Robert Bateman?
Not so much.
Interesting thing is how disappointing most of these documentaries will be. I spent considerble time in my younger days rushing off to see some widely touted documentary which usually turned out to be on a level of a university project. Sometimes there was a message, usually a cliche, invariably it was badly produced, pretentious and boring. The festival and the films are all about "getting it" and letting everybody else know you get it by making the right noises at the at the right time. And don't point out how ragged, if not naked, the emperor really is. Oh, and he's got a really small willy, but don't snicker at it.
I just got this idea for a dress made out of raw meat, do you think the public would like to help pay for it? the steaks about $500, I was going to do a bhurka - but tasteful - you know, either lamb or beef.
Unbelieveable! My daughter and her best friend are proud owners of customized Queen's Mining Engineering Hard hats compliments of Kate. Their response when they received them from me was that they were soooo cool and the envy of all of their classmates. Feel free to post their picture Kate. I am so sick of government subsidized 'artists' mocking the real ones. Cheers. Sandra
Zing!
Nice work with the scalpel. Ever think of medical school?
Kate,
It may be difficult to comprehend, but such as you describe is not to be considered welfare, but a *right* into which the chosen are born. To consider it otherwise would not be progressive nor liberal thinking.
It goes something like this: "you heathens shall work, so that I may play at being an artiste (sic).
>In other industries, these people are called "corporate welfare bums".
Which makes Brett just a... _regular_ welfare bum.
All in all, I prefer being "a pig in a fright wig" -- with a well paying private sector job and groovy benefits.
Brett's jealousy of those more successful than he is is quite startling.
Can anyone remmeber RAT FINK?
Graphic designer? The guy's a hack. That's why he's parked at the government nipple. He'd otherwise starve.
"Brett's jealousy of those more successful than he is is quite startling."
Posted by: Kathy Shaidle at May 30, 2007 3:56 PM
But it drapes so well on him. Sackcloth just doesn't have that fine hand... ;-)
Ah Brett.
Just another wannbe failed liberal artist sucking at the government teat and believing he is entitled to suck at the government teat.
Liberals.
Entitlements
Indeed.
Remember '12 dead rabbits hanging in a tree'? I wrote to Sheila Copps re the taxpayer dollars that got handed out to that 'artist'. The answer I rec'd was--"Rulers all through history have supported the arts"!
I don't know which statement made me more angry--comparing Liberals to Rulers or calling this woman with the dead rabbits an 'artist'.
Geez, Kate's launching off the top turnbuckle today. Nicely eviscerated, and deservedly so.
"You know, if someone actually cut these artistic parasites off the public tit, it might inspire a few of them to create something worth paying for."
Geez Kate it's great to have someone sum of for the teat suckers the feelings of your supporters.
Many thanks Kate, and well said.
Suck it up Bret!
Alle kunst is umsunst wenn ein Engel auf das Zundloch brünzt. Well OK -- I agree...
more bellyaching from another trough-wallower.....I would imagine the twit worships at the altar of dr fruit fly as well......when they cannot win the argument, the personal insults and attacks start flying....this is just the start, mark my word....
Likely one of the best smackdowns on SDA.
Ever.
I'm keeping Kate's comments handy for next time I discuss the merits of "art" with some faux-elite "artiste" types I know. It'll make their heads explode.
Well done!
mhb23re
I now realize I have been doing this all wrong.
As an owner of a small welding shop I have the opportunity to do ornamental security bars quite often. Usually in mural form. Taking the orders from the customers and suiting there desires. And charging an incredible amount since it takes an incredible amount of time to do this sort of art.
I now know that I should get government funding, charge less to the customer and do whatever I want rather than try to fit to their preference.
I'm sure they'll be happy.
Only people with brains can appreciate the need for a helmet.
Hmmmm... "Rulers have supported the arts" ... in truth, some did, some didn't. Some had taste, some didn't. The work done for the ones with taste is basic to our music and visual arts. The rest is forgotten. It would be amusing to think of The Brett performing a composition for Prince Paul of Eszterhazy (Haydn's patron) or showing a painting to Pope Julius II (Michaelangelo's great patron). He would be ejected by the fourth footman before he knew what had happened to him!
Some *rulers* had taste; boards of civil servants have none, but they must hand out money to keep their own jobs. Fortunately there are still some people with wealth and taste who do keep a few good artists going; and not always with so much wealth.
By the way, I went to his original blog and 1/2 the comments are snickering little comments from his gal pal, Rantonia.
We had a beautiful window painted on our living room wall opening onto a warm sunny summer field of flowers, stream and birds. Makes me feel warm looking at it on a cold winter day. The artist was a friend of my wife's and also worked as a bartender to make ends meet. Monique took about a week to paint this scene and we chatted as she worked.
She stated that because she was fairly successful selling her paintings and work she could not get any government grants, not that she wanted them. Those who did get them were in her opinion not very good artists and usually painted modern art that doesn't require much skill and rarely sold any of their art but continued to receive grants.
I have two pictures on the wall that my son did in public school and IMHO they are better than most of the crap shown at Ontario Art Gallery.
I've got a lot of respect for artists and artisans who make a living from selling their work.
Somewhat less for those who make a living from being popular with bureaucrats in Toronto.
Just remember Kate, it can only be considered art if the only point of sale is the tax payer trough. Anything that people are willing to pay for out of pocket is to be belittled at all costs.
Speaking of which! Think it is possible to paint a paintball mask, one of the flexable ones?
Which Toronto Star editorial staff said to me, "If I ever lose a hundred pounds, like Antonia did, I hope people will at least be able to notice"?
That's gotta hurt.
I'd forgotten about the boxer boyfriend too.
Dang Kate, I just looked up "Voices of Fire". We paid $1.3 million for that?
Truly we are governed by idiots.
Kate, the fact that your art is commercial really does degrade its artistic value. It lowers it into the ranks of that of other crass commercial artists working on commission like, oh, say Michelangelo, Raphael, Gainsborough, Mozart, Beethoven, or Strauss. Really, why wallow with such ruck when you can ascend to the heights of artistic Parnassus with the likes of, um, you know. . . uh, that guy who sent his poop to various museums around the world, and um, that guy (or was it gal?) that did "Quest for Fire" . . . (or was that Voice of Fire?) ... or something like that anyway?
I'm not sure I'd want to wear one of those helmets. I'd be afraid I might break it.
Oh, a whole lot of them get "broken". About 1 out of every 6 shown on my website have been through some mishap or the other - the Ratfink died under a pickup truck, another in a 5 bike pileup at Brainerd, Jeff's clown-skull thingie was damaged in a 60 mph get-off into a chain link fence. Everybody eventually walked away. After the casts came off, at least.
I remember an artist on a talk show talking about the grant system, etc, and the foolish idea it frees people to do what they want. He pointed out that people try to come up with work that fits the granting fetish of that particular season and committee.
Brett whines so much . . must be taking lessons from Newfoundland Danny . . now there's an ungrateful whiner
Brett reminds me of the people I would socialize with at my son's playground in Toronto. Many were "producers, "film-makers" and "artists," and all were receiving government money. We politely viewed much of their work and, honestly, it was usually just horrible.
I can understand if the government wants to commission a respected artist to design a new museum or other large community project -- they are in the public eye enough that their work is properly vetted -- but the thousands of art grants approved by bureaucrats are really ridiculous, and people like Brett should think twice before they draw attention to themselves.
After actually visiting this fellow's blog, and reading his comments section..............
90% of the comments are from the author and his friend. How incredibly pathetic. My 12 year old cousins could whip up a bigger online crowd than these sadsack losers from the former centre-of-the-universe.
Who's the real sociopath? Stalking Conrad Black is OK? And towards what end, exactly? Because he's a somebody, we have the right, no the obligation, to simply loiter outside his home? In fact, to do so sponsored/directed by their media employers?
(BTW, the Dion video is SO funny! he's even harder to understand than Jean Poutine (copyright, Rick Mercer when he was a little funnier) who was an international embarrassment of historic proportions.
During the Clinton era, I was travelling through LAX, and dressed a bit like a Saltspring Shrubbie. I was pulled over, and asked what I thought of the Canadian PM. I said he was a joke, and the immigration agent smiled and said welcome to the US................
As DrD said, the Vienna School (transgressive 'new' artists, remember) ... had patrons and produced work to order.
Hell, von Stuck (teacher of Klee and Kandinsky) produced a bazillion versions of his "Sin" for wealthy clients; it was in demand because it had boobies, after all.
The idea that "popular" creations done for money, that include nudity or anything else that the client likes are not "art", well... I guess that can be claimed, if one is deeply ignorant of art history or very, very selective.
(Or maybe he dislikes proletarian decoration of useful objects rather than art-for-art's-sake installations, and thus a large part of the art created throughout human history?)
I remember back in my Alberta days, an author was looking for some grant money to help with a book on the disappearance of the grain elevators. For those not of the prairies, elevators were as much a symbol of the prairie culture and lifestyle as it was a building to hold grain. Kind of like the flatlander's lighthouse (which are disappearing too, btw).
Anyhow, for a project like that he was turned down flat but the book on Bubbles Galore, the montreal stripper was given something like $50,000. Go figure.
I've contemplated submitting a request for an arts grant based on something totally out there (as in left field)but decided that I would have a tough time living with myself.
BURN. Well done Kate.
Suggested employment tactic for government-employed 'artistes': "Do you want fries with that?"
Haha!
Kate wins.
Wow. Fantastic.
I wish I could come up with retorts like this when I'm presented with the opportunity in my career. I usually just start cursing and swearing and revert into my native Irish-Newfoundland twang that no one understands anyways.
I love it when the gloves come off Ms. McMillan. Hell hath no fury...
Long before I paid attention to politics, long before I read or knew SDA existed, I knew of Kate's helmet work and its reputation from happy motorcyclists showing off her work on various motorcycle forums. The day I poked around some of the links on SDA after stumbling upon it and realizing that it was one in the same and she was also I champion breeder and shower of fantastic looking dags was a happy one for me.
First time I ever heard of this Brett Eew character was today.
There must be steam coming out of that dude's ears. That happens when you get sizzled. Kate, remind me to never piss you off.
Someone needs to alert Iowahawk to this.
This sounds like a job for The New Criterion.
Curiosity got the better of me and I checked out a link or two from this Brett charactor's blog. I'll give the lad credit. He certainly knows where to find taxpayer's dollars. An Image Fest link goes to a page that gleefully thanks no fewer than six scources in three different levels of government for your generous donations.
Your taxpayer's dollars, here, in Canada, well, really in toronto, being sucked up by "artists". Gasp! I'm not making this up.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Therefore, the state should not fund art. At all. That it does so is solely a testament to the whining of the incompetent. Just like with the state funding businesses, or NGOs.
But what do you expect? As H. L. Mencken wrote: "The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the business of government; they have only a talent for getting and holding office. Their principal device to that end is to search out groups who pant and pine for something they can't get and to promise to give it to them. Nine times out of ten that promise is worth nothing. The tenth time is made good by looting A to satisfy B. In other words, government is a broker in pillage, and every election is sort of an advance auction sale of stolen goods."
The only viable option for the honest citizen is to heap scorn on the parasites inhabiting the sordid pile of fetid waste fed by socialism. So, thank you, Kate, for your brilliant essay. To all those artists and business people and everyone else who is accepting state (also known as tax-payers hard earned) money to support anything that does not have to be done by the state, I say: get a job, you lazy bum.
Sociopaths and right wing blogs!
"Sociopaths" isn't right. I think he meant "parasitophobes".
Biologists have a proper word for "parasitophobes", they call it "the immune system". Philosophy has a proper word for "parasitophiles", it calls them zits (more formally defined as pimples on the butt of society).
Just tuned in & you've made my day. Way to go Kate!