If you work with your hands and your mind, you’re a craftsman.
If you work with your hands and your mind and your heart, you’re an artist.”
—Saint Francis of Assisi
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The self portrait (meant to symbolize "artist") is by Burton Silverman
Factcheck: The quote may not actually appear in the writings of St. Francis. It also appears in the writings of Louis Nizer.
Thanks, Dennis!
Thanks, Dennis!
9 comments:
And to think that here, in Italy, putting a reference to Saint Francis in a regional statute (as a cultural founder as he is) becomes a controversial matter.
I've seen that quote attributed to Thomas Aquinas. Anyway, Whoever said it it contains some tuth. It also disqualifies 'conceptual' artists who don't have a hand in their own 'work'. I agree with this definition. An artist worthy of the name has to be a labourer and a craftsman as well as a visionary. They can't just be the ideas person.
Very nice quote! I don't know that it disqualifies conceptual artists--arguably, their craft consists in the mental conception and execution. :) However, it does disqualify the "corporate artist" as someone who delegates all the work to a crew of helpers.
Great quote! Is that Burt Silverman? Love his work!! Thanks Jim.
Duh, it would help if I read your text at the bottom of your post. Yes, that is Burt Silverman. ;0P
Wonderful quote!!
A great quote, simple but deep. It is noteworthy not only for whom it disincludes, but also whom it includes into the definition of artistry: I have long suspected that a good baker for example is more of a real artist than many a concept artist in our (games) industry...
Fabio, why is it controversial to quote St. Francis in Italy?
Great words...
@petre
Educated guess about the statue: The European Unionists - they are trying to remove any cultural references that might 'offend' outgroups, muslims in partiuclar. for example, in Spain, St. James (the Moorslayer) statues are being removed and celebrations of the Reconquista canceled or sterilized. (this is like canceling fourth of july celebrations because it might offend British)
A few years ago Blair did not want to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar, because it might offend the french after much pressure he had a half hearted re-enactment of the battle with the 'red and the blue' fleets not even naming who they were .
That's where PC has taken us - to bland, meaningless nihilism.
I will be very happy when the baby boom generation is done wrecking our culture. I just hope something is left.
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