art has created an oxymoron of its own design.
Take a tour in a fine arts museum these days, and you will understand exactly what I mean. When the time it takes to explain an artwork far exceeds the amount of time it took the artist to create the work, is it any wonder that we find the art world in a state similar to that in “The Emperor’s New
Clothes”?
The Old Masters of eras gone by would most likely agree. Over the past few decades, fine art has become the consistently first course of study to be cut from school budgets and classroom curricula. Most high school graduates have little if any knowledge of the artists or accomplishments of art history.
We are in the throes of having a group of select art intellectuals define for the rest of us what "genius" is in the art world today. If we do not agree with their perspective or fail to laud the qualities (or lack thereof) that
they determine to be "IN" at the moment, we risk appearing ignorant -- which we are because art is no longer a standard course of study. Then, it is imagined that we –- not the intellectuals -- are out of touch with mainstream art consciousness.
Of course, since no one wants to appear uneducated, we keep our opinions to ourselves behind the scenes, rarely gaining the rank or position to declare the conspicuously obvious. The Emperor is buck ass naked, but those who notice dare to say so.
The fine art of hand-painted faux-finishing is one of the few art forms remaining that continue to challenge this scenario. It is dear to my heart because it uses nature as its model and is in keeping with green consciousness. When approached as an art form and not simply as a painting process that depends on the vast array of one-size-fits-all, do-it-yourself faux-finishing products on the market today, hand-painted, multi-layered, created-to-last faux surface treatments are founded in glorifying nature without depleting natural
resources.
As I write this blog, I am in the process of preparing to teach private faux finishing classes. It is a calling of sorts for me that will depend on the amount of interest I receive from individuals, who would like to learn this truly marvelous skill.
Please let me hear from you. Share your thoughts on this subject and on the state of the fine art scene in general. I will answer all questions you may have along these lines. The last thing the world needs is more
“faux” faux finishers.
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