Marsha Stein: Pride

Washington, DC, artist, Marsha Stein, continues my recent project by writing about "pride." As usual, I extend an invitation to all local artists who would like to participate in this effort. Just email me!

Marsha Stein: Pride

A psychiatrist, when I was 16, told me that pride was man’s biggest problem. Why, then, are we so proud of pride? We are proud of our family and our children. Proud to be (you name it). When we have something to protect, pride causes war, as well as divorce and isolationism. On the other hand, pride keeps us from selling ourselves short. Pride is what pushes us.

Pride is my word because I said that while I am not ashamed of most of my current work, I am not “busting with pride.” What keeps me from feeling pride is the fact that I my current work is created in order to sell. The venue dictates the subject and style rather than my search for expression and growth.

I am proud of my innate talent. The ability to draw and to see art is genetic. Some aspects are learned, but one is born with an eye and a facility. When I studied classical realism in Italy, I could master a drawing in 5 hours that would take the majority of students 5 days to complete. I had a mischievous habit of choosing the same reference drawings as the students who were fakers. Pride is a competitive spirit.

Pride and love are closely related. I am so proud of my beautiful daughter. I am so proud of being an artist and being part of the family of artists. I have an automatic affection for everyone with talent and for those who love art.

The same competitive spirit that compels me to show up the fakers at art school makes me take on the playground bully. I can’t allow an art critic get away with the underhanded tactic of disguising his lack of innate comprehension with the smoke screen of mean smarmy superiority.

So what is the conclusion about pride? It is a double edged sword and very powerful. Pride must be wielded with honesty, to do no harm and for the greater good.

Previous Posts:

Charles Neenan: Tradition
Kelly Towles: Color
Ryan Mulligan: Originality
Matt Hollis: Confinement
Dean Fueroghne: Originality
James W. Bailey: Obligation
J. Coleman: Depiction
Andy Moon Wilson: Decision
Molly Springfield: Language
Bryan Whitson: Scene
Elyse Harrison: Motivation
Jiha Moon Wilson: Influence
Alexandra Silverthorne: Derivative
Jose Ruiz: Contemporary
Kathleen Shafer: Focus
Jennifer McMackon: Connection
Gregg Chadwick: Responsibility
Warren Craghead: Material
Angela Kleis: Purpose
Peter Reginato: Order
Anna L. Conti: Community
Wayne Schoenfeld: Content
Elizabeth Morisette: Naive
Tim Tate: Craft
Jesse Cohen: Hidden
Greg Ferrand: Experience
Joseph Barbaccia: Commitment
Jamie Wimberly: Burden
Christine Tillman: Discovery
Candy Keegan: Personality
Allison B. Miner: Introspection
Jennifer Miller: Fresh
Rosetta DeBerardinis: Fluid

Comments

[Ralph]

People like you make me sick. You can copy stuff but you have zero ability to create your own. I saw plenty of your type in computer engineering. You could do complicated "cook book" algorithms the prof tossed out but when it came to creating your alogorithms and methods of solving problems, you were barren. In professional life, I saw the same parade of 4.0 master clowns who couldn't program their way out of paper bag. The only "fakes" I see are people like yourself. You're an asshat of tremendous proportions. You've been duly unlinked from my blog. What a fraud.

[J.T. Kirkland]

Huh?

[Whooda Thunkit]

Perhaps Ralph has a problem with working from photographs?

(When I was in a bad mood my mother used to ask me whether I woke up "with them twisted." I never really understood what she ment until I was in my twenties.)

Or perhaps Ralph woke up with them twisted.

[James W. Bailey]

Dear Ms. Stein,

I love this from your post: Pride and love are closely related. I am so proud of my beautiful daughter. I am so proud of being an artist and being part of the family of artists. I have an automatic affection for everyone with talent and for those who love art.

Great statement and inspiring.

Sincerely,

James W. Bailey

[James W. Bailey]

Dear J.T.,

Didn't want to mix the beauty of Ms. Stein's statement with a couple of questions I have related to Mr. Ralph:

1.) What's an "asshat of tremendous proportions"? I'm mostly conversant in Southern slang insults. One of my Mississippi favorites from my departed great-uncle just for Mr. Ralph: "That son-of-a-bitch is as full of wind as a corn-eating horse."

2.) And a technical question, J.T.: Are there any potential adverse GOOGLE hit implications to having one's site being "duly unlinked"?

If so, can we all agree that no one will be duly unlinked from Thinking About Art without first being afforded an opportunity to protest such an unlinking (with internet appointed legal counsel paid for by Thinking About Art, of course) before a duly instituted appeals panel?

Sincerely,

James W. Bailey

P.S. "4.0 Master Clowns" - now that is a good insult...I'm adding that one to my vocabulary.

[J.T. Kirkland]

James,

I have no clue what's up with Ralph. I'd almost guess it was a spambot of some sort but I don't think there is a faulty link. The problem with promoting free speech is that things like this happen. I'm very doubtful that Ralph's unlinking of my site will have any negative reprecussions.

Would "Ralph" like to explain?

[Marsha Stein]

Dear James and JT,

Thank you gentlemen for defending me. Would you believe that this is the first I have seen this response to my post?
How in the world does Ralph know what I am capable of creating from that little bit of information? My original training (30 years ago) was with painters who worked as abstract expressionists at American University. Twenty-five years later, I studied classical realism to test myself, and because I believe classical drawing skills are a necessary foundation for me........not necessarily for all artists.
I suspect that Ralph has a similar problem as our friend Blake. He gets a little mean when he is confronted with his own limitations.
Yes, James, I have an automatic affection for everyone who "makes" art, whether I respond to their art or not. I initiated a public art project so that I can be around other artists to be inspired.
I can assure everyone, I am not an asshat, whatever that is. I spent the last 10 months working on the SYNERGY project, putting all my creative energy into getting the DC art scene some much needed attention. I pretty much have put my paintbrush down. Once I confronted the issue of "pride" in my work, I realized that I don't want to be a slave to the few hundred dollars I get for the work that I can "knock out."
For those of you who are curious about the SYNERGY project, go to www.evolvingperceptions.com. We will accept applications postmarked by March 15th. There is a $3,000 stipend per artist.
So, tell Ralph to put that in his pipe and smoke it......'cause whatever he is smoking isn't working. And, we are not accepting applications from anyone named Ralph, because your mother made a bad choice.(HA)
xxx to all with a good spirit.
Marsha