You are passionate!

That’s a great point about the commodity characteristic of food, and thanks about the promotion.

In several analysis of the cultural conditions of historically great art periods, it’s been noted that there existed among the whole of the affluent classes an absolute expectation to have and display original art. Moreover, they spent a much higher percentage of their incomes on art than we do.

We do not have that among our middle class now. Why?

Because I have it as a goal to see that change, I look for ways to make it so. I don’t have the answer, but I’m looking. It has happened before. It can happen again.

I have a good nose, I’m told, but the scent I’m following is the education trail, not the economic one.

In my next post, I’ll elaborate on one aspect of that.

It occurs to me that making food as an art endeavor could be the perfect solution to Karl’s “Why Is Being an Artist So Hard.”

Food is consumed, so the customer always has to come back if she wants more. ARt is, or is supposed to be, eternal, so there’s always going to be more of it to call out for attention.

People pay for food, every day. Some people pay for some art, sometimes.

Humans think about food (qua art) at least 3 or more times a day. Middle class folks go to art museums, galleries, or look at the coffee shop art, oh, maybe 3 times a year.

Interest in food is life-long and therefore constantly in process — being updated, changed, even, possibly acquiring tastes that earlier might have been distasteful. Art tastes tend to be form early and held onto.

So am I thinking about changing my goals and going back to waitressing? Well, no. But some days, it’s tempting.

And of course, all artists need an audience, so your “casual observer” post is as valuable as, well, the customer you serve with your other art.

But my mother always did say that Crisco made the best pie crust — outside of lard, that is….

Congratulations on your new position.

First, I do think that there is the exact danger you suggested: A lot of ‘middle of the road run of the mill’ art that may satisfy the larger tastes but lack depth. You don’t see it in museums, but that was a common characteristic of Renaissance art. Their training was very good. They produced a lot of artists whose technical skills were very good, but because the artists lacked imaginative vision, the work, while technically competent, was not truly great.

But I think that was a better situation regardless. It was an arena in which great art was made and was in no way handicapped; furthermore, we have right now plenty of middle of the road stuff.

Second, regarding responsibility, blaming one’s audience for a failure to sell or move is a deadly trap.

That would be no responsibility for the effect one has.

Therefore I would say that the first step towards freedom from that trap is a willingness to see the worth in others. Being willing to see excellence puts one in a more causative frame of mind. Consider it possible that the reason there is such a thing as bad taste is because we artists have been unwilling to find common ground with more people. Consider that we might influence others positively.

You bring up Kinkade. There’s a friend of mine who loves him. But by the end of winter, he was finding quite a few contemporary, non representational pieces, that touched him deeply, and he commented how his taste had grown by virtue of his association with me. Interestingly enough, I discovered that Thomas Kinkade does some of the sweetest plein aire pieces around. He may be the P. T. Barnum of the art world, but the guy can paint.

Last, I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes, this time good old Aristotle, “Where your skills and the needs of the world meet lies your destiny.”

There are others who buy art so that it matches the decor and color of their prized couch from brand name stores. Some buy Kinkaide while others buy imitations of Bob Ross. They appreciate art somewhat - at best a superficial appeal (for no fault of theirs). Often art that this type collects tends to be readily available and is ‘popular’ in malls and art fairs.

Then there are people who do not go by either the artist’s pedigree or the artworks beauty. For them art is neither an asset nor a ‘matching piece’. Sometimes when they get art, it fills their soul with joy, keep it for the rest of their lives and sometimes their children could sell it off for large sums. Such people collect art purely for the sake of the ‘collective joy’ that ensues from eclectic pieces that in cases only they can appreciate solely.

Would you not be inclined to think that if we go by the analogy given by you above (a somewhat moving one), we risk falling into the trap of the middle category. A lot of ‘middle of the road run of the mill’ art that may satisfy the larger tastes but lack depth? How do we as a group get to that ‘A higher level of responsibility’ that you state in your reply above?

Congratulations on becoming an Executive Chef. My brother will be finishing up his Culinary Arts degree in about a year from now from the Culinary Institute of America. Like you, I hope he melds art into his cooking…