James CarterSymbolism. Realism. You cut me to the quick, Pam.. I speak of things that are now. The Katrina bracelet worked because it was real and in the moment. It had a social relevance to it. Because it was so genuine and came from deep down, it worked. In the... moreSymbolism. Realism. You cut me to the quick, Pam.. I speak of things that are now. The Katrina bracelet worked because it was real and in the moment. It had a social relevance to it. Because it was so genuine and came from deep down, it worked. In the art world, some people do work with soul, while others create lighter work and embellish it with dialogue. The good stuff stands alone. It always has. A work by Stephen De stabler requires no explanation. The same can be said of a cup by Ruth Duckworth or a chair by Sam Maloof. I stay away from the self indulgence that the enamel medium tends to bring out. I learned years ago that it is not about writing the Lord's Prayer on the head of a pencil, nor as the great ceramic artist Tony Hepburn said," making it so beautiful that it looks like candy and you want to eat it".
But I digress. When I teach new students,(as you know) I tell them to do a piece that has meaning. A self portrait. A photo of grandma. A shot of their last vacation. Something... less
