Slow Down and Listen

Our Pottery Guide, Beth Peterson, (whose talents extend across two-dimensional media too) shared a link on Facebook to Demotivators - Slow Down. I'd heard the Joshua Bell busking story before but it was a good reminder - art takes time to appreciate, as well as create. Recently I found myself skim reading Flash fiction! That's really not a good sign.

I know we've talked about slow art before in terms of drawing - and it's still something we need to think about. With exercises, particularly ones like Blind Contour Drawing, but also with more complex pieces. Often I see details glossed over when they should be studied thoughtfully, or shading carelessly roughed in when a more controlled approach would suit the piece. Treat large solid areas with the same degree of patience as a detailed area.

As a viewer, I must admit to being impatient, but sometimes a picture really stops me in my tracks. It's hard to say exactly why - sometimes it's a degree of startling realism, sometimes a particularly elegant or interesting line. Usually I enjoy a certain level of expression - I like to see an artist's hand in the work, even mistakes and reworking, evidence of the thought processes and mark-making, though I know some people prefer more polished work. When was the last time a work of art made you stop and 'listen'?