Last Sunday was the perfect fall day - warm sun, stunning tree colour, blue sky. A perfect Alberta Day. As I drove along with the windows down and the radio playing I noticed a sign by the side of the road. It read:
ART SHOW (Juried)
Sunday, 1 - 5 PM
I pulled into the parking lot and walked toward the entrance - eager to find a special treasure just waiting for me. The show itself was sponsored by a Local Art Organization. Two members of the club greeted me and pointed to the stairs leading to the second floor.
I climbed the stairs and was pleasantly surprised to find over 35 paintings - mostly watercolours. - in all sizes. The subject matter was indeed diverse - flowers, landscape, a few people, the odd house - some local scenes and others depicting holidays and travel to exotic places.
As I walked around the first time I examined the colours and subject matter carefully. While the subject matter of each painting was unique, there was certainly a sameness in the overall quality of the painting. I had experienced this sense of sameness in other local artists shows in other places. There were no outrages brush strokes or strange markings in any of the work. Nothing really stood out and yet it was evident that the each of the paintings was well done by an accomplished local artist.
The second time around I found myself less intent on the paintings themselves and more intent on wondering why these specific pieces were juried into this show. What made them a good choice? . The more I pondered the work, more questions were forming in my mind. I wondered if there was a set of rules that the jury members applied to each painting? I wondered what the rules might be. When were the rules developed? Are they written down or passed on by instructors and mentors? Is a jury able to maintain a specific standard of painting in that club? I also wondered what pieces were not chosen for the show and why! Could they be part of another show?
My thoughts continued as a moved less quickly around the room. I began to think about what impact a jury has on both individual painters and the nature of painting itself. By applying the rules is the jury actually limiting the personal creativity of the club members? Do the rules actually keep the club and its members from growing and changing and exploring new avenues of art process and method? . For example, if the general rule says that you should place the primary object of your painting in a specific place on the canvas/paper what happens if the maker decides not to follow that rule and places the object in the top right hand corner? What happens when a painter consciously decides to do something that goes against the rules? Is the work juried out of the show as a result of their well thought out and deliberate action? Who makes the rules anyway?
My aunt used to say that rules are made to be broken. Many people believe that rules are a necessary evil and if you do not follow the rules you do so at your own peril. Others think that without rules there would be anarchy.
I wonder if great painters, musician, athletes follow the rules? I wonder if they follow some rules but not others and I wonder how they decide which ones to follow and which ones to break? I wonder if you have to break rules if you want to make a significant difference in your life, your family, your community?
What do you think? Are you a rule breaker or follower? How often do you make the rule?
Let me know
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