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 Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:55 pm
Tomorrow night he'd be in this same building, gallery, staring at some manner of supposed art. He still couldn't believe his mother wouldn't let him out of this, she knew he'd be biting his tongue till it nearly bled. He had a bad habit of opening his mouth and letting his opinion, and thoughts, be heard. The problem tomorrow night was simple; it was an invite by one of his mother’s law firm’s bigger clients. Apparently the man's son was an "artist" or at least fancied himself to be such. And his mother’s client had remembered a discussion months ago, with his mother, at some dinner party where he being a painter had come up.
Alexandre had figured he could come here, tonight, and get a sneak peek at the "paintings" which would be on display tomorrow evening. He knew the owner of the gallery; the teen frequented the gallery quite often and knew the few workers and most importantly - the owner. Maybe he'd get his comments out now, rather than risk slip ups tomorrow evening.
One hand stuffed into a pocket of his jeans, designer label, and the other brushing the wisps of blond hair from his face. Alex made his way across the wooden floor of the gallery, noting with pleasure the paintings currently residing upon the many white walls to be pleasing to the eye.
"He had to have paid to have his sons art featured." This was mumbled to himself, not that there were many people here this evening. Alexandre was somehow sure of this; his mother had already told him it was abstract art. Something about abstract art irked him, always had. If all it took was black paint, a brush, and several lines slashed across a canvas, well then...anyone could be an artist including the neighbor’s three year old daughter.
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Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2011 1:09 pm
Gently had a habit of breaking into places even when she didn't realize she wasn't supposed to be there. She was fearless, and didn't seem to have that voice in the back of her head telling her that 'oh that building is dark and no one is around and it's probably not open'. Instead, she saw an art gallery and decided she wanted to take a peek, walking in while no one was watching without even planning it.
She didn't know anything about art, either, but her whim was undeniable.
The art was... interesting. She didn't really understand it, but that was often the way. To her, good art was stuff that was pretty. Well made. Welded pieces of metal or splatters of paint on a canvas were not exactly her definition. But she was an actor, and she could understand the need for abstract expression, as many in her own field were into less than conventional methods of performance.
She heard a voice and looked around, moving to find the source of the mumble and seeing the young man nearby. She scooted over to him.
"Are you getting any of this?"
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Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2011 5:27 pm
His friend, the owner, had allowed him to remain and look over the art. The stuff on the walls was good, but he was in the back store room. Glancing over what would be hung up early tomorrow, for tomorrow evenings showing. Startled by the voice he turned, slate eyes staring at the female.
"No I'm not getting any of it. I detest the abstract. It's not art, in my opinion." He stated quite calmly. It was, in his opinion, something nearly anyone could create. And if asked what it meant they could say damn near anything, and someone would 'see' that meaning. Not to mention he personally thought if a child couldn't properly appreciate the painting, and see what was depicted, it wasn't proper art. A child could look at a landscape, and see the flowers, or threes, and understand what season was painted. They could understand the most basic of messages depicted. But for a child to look at abstract art they saw nothing but color and shapes. There was no meaning beyond the color and shape to the child. Again, this was of course the blonds personal opinion.
Than again he painted landscapes himself painted in water colors. He liked the ability to add things where he saw fit, and make the painting as relaxing or as energetic as he wished.It wasn't just chaotic shapes and colors or messy slashes of black paint across a canvas.
"I assume, by your words, you don't get it either."
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 10:03 am
Gently's eyebrows lifted a bit as the young man let his opinion be known.
"Not much a fan, huh? Me either, I guess, if I'm honest. Only to look at, though. To me, I think the important part is what making it does for the artist themselves. Same with kind of modern performance art stuff. Not my bag, but ah."
She laughed, babbling already. She couldn't help herself, just as he seemed all too eager to let her know flat out he didn't like abstract art. Gently imagined it was more a personal thing, and while she didn't get why some abstract art got a lot of attention and was worth millions, she hoped the artist was at least getting some personal worth out of it. After all, she tinkered with things all the time and while her 'inventions' might be pointless or over complicated or ultimately useless they still made her happy.
But things like art were never that simple or innocent, not when money and fame were involved.
"I don't get much about art, to be frank. I get when it's pretty and I think I get it when it's not, but I've never been the sort that divines deeper meanings out of pieces, or can really tell the difference between a twenty dollar painting on a beach boardwalk and a million dollar portrait."
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 1:54 pm
"No, I never have been a fan." Perhaps, for what wasn't to be hung in a public place, it should be more to what it does for the artist. But for what hung in a public place he felt those looking at it should get more from it. Listening to the female he bobbed his head once, a slight gesture.
He didn't understand it either, there was a white canvas with a black painted boarder hanging in a museum. It simply didn't make sense to him, and never would. What could someone see in such a painting? It looked, he'd seen pictures of it, like the beginnings of a painting rather than a finished painting.
"Personally, I believe if a child only can see shapes and colors, and nothing more, it isn't worth being hung up. They should be able to see or feel something." Not to mention a trained elephant, or chimp, could paint an abstract piece. "A painting, which is hung up for others to see, should be understood, at some level, by everyone." And for the life of him he didn't see a thing in abstract pieces, much less what some people claimed the painting to show.
"Even if a person only sees flowers, they can have an idea that it's spring or fall. They can feel relaxed or excited, depending on the colors used. Something that basic should be able to be discerned by anyone." And with abstract art nothing so simple could be seen. His general dislike was how the pieces could only be figured out by certain people, it wasn't generally viewer friendly.
"While expensive paintings are usually good, well painted. I would hang a twenty dollar painting up as easily as I would a Di Vinci if the quality is there." After all, the abstract paintings, worth millions, he'd never hang on a wall himself. "If it's well done the artist wouldn't even matter to me. What's appealing is what mattered." What was well painted, easy to understand and set a mood.
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 11:19 pm
Gently looked very thoughtful at his comment, turning it over in her head. It wasn't a thought she had experienced before, and she was pondering it in the same way a wine taster might a mouthful of new red booze.
"If a child only sees shapes..." she repeated, nodding her head. It made sense, in a very simple way. Art should look like something, should be something, that's what he was saying. Or so she paraphrased it. "Well, kids can usually divine their own meaning in things. You give them a piece of paper, and they can make a thousand games. I would think looking at a picture they don't really understand is the same way. I know the pretentious side of the art world always cops out to that 'it is what you feel it to be' kind of idea, as well."
She shook her head, though, sighing.
"I agree though, anyway. I mean with you, not them. I think it's the look that I care about the most. I get that artists have their intentions or their thoughts or whatever fuels them to make this abstract stuff... but it's not enough to justify my getting any, at the end of the day. Or enjoying looking at it for any extended period of time."
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Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:37 pm
It was a slightly odd occurance for someone to ponder over his words. Some sawhim as a child, and thus not qualified to make such comments. While other people didn't seem to much care for his words, thinking that art was whatever the artist felt like making and who cared if some people didn't get anything from it - they were simply uncultured.
"They can, but it's always been my personal opinion that a child shouldn't have to divine everything from a painting." Some thing, aside from colors and shapes, should be provided.
"Indeed, people seem to love to use that cop out. It's a simple way out, and people tend to like simple things." A rolling of his blue eyes followed this statement. "I find it terrible when the artist is standing next to someone who points out what they see and the artist jump to agree. Especially when they do the same thing with multiple people, at varying times of course." It wouldn't do for the artist to agree with multiple people whilst they all stood there together. It would show he didn't even know what it meant himself and it was all nonsense, or it would seem like he was just pandering to them so they didn't feel stupid for not seeing the 'real' meaning. Either way it was annoying behavior, and showed there was little to know definite thing to be seen in the painting.
"So what sort of art does hold your attention, landscapes, scenes of every day life? Or portraits?"
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:18 am
Gently nodded her head.
"Well, I doubt most artists consider children when they're making their art. They are either not thinking about an audience at all, or about people who will spend the most money on it. That's what I think, anyway. But like I said, I really... don't know too much about this whole scene."
She smiled brightly.
Art was probably just too serious for her. She loved having fun and being simple. Why should she bog herself down in something that seemed to require being angry a lot of the time? And arguing. From what she had seen of the high culture art scene, granted mostly in movies, a lot of art discussion was mostly arguing about things. That sounded far too angry for her tastes.
She laughed at his point, though, nodding her head. That was a bad way to operate, just saying every meaning was right. Especially if those people who spoke to the artist met and argued, as they were required to do, then both had the defense of 'well, I spoke to the artist himself'. Hilarity would ensue for any observer, though.
"You know, I like every day scenes. You know? The style doesn't really matter, but I like pictures with lots of things going on in them, so you always seem to see something new, even little things, each time you look at it. I think I'd get very bored, very quickly with a picture of a dot on a white background or something."
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 6:51 pm
"What you saw, however little you claim to know, is likely the case." It did seem to be a lot about money, the whole starving artist thing. You had to make art people would buy, and spend a lot on, in order to survive. It meant catering to people, rather than make something universal in understanding. It wasn't an angle he often thought of or considered.
Watching her start to laugh he considered asking why, had he said something which caused her laughter? If he had he hadn't meant to, but he assumed it was a good thing he had? Had he known what she was thinking he'd have joined in, the mental image would simply be too much. He had seen it once, when he'd been younger.
Art was only serious, in his opinion, because everything in the world seemed to be opinion based and that included art. So people fought over their opinions on art, weather it was their own or someone else's art. It was all a matter of opinion.
"I like to paint gardens, landscapes." He spoke, offering up what he liked to paint himself. Growing flowers as he did helped with his art even, he'd go down to look at flowers so he could get them right in the painting. "There is a painting, similar to that in a museum. Only the boarder is painted black, the rest of the canvas is all white." He didn't see a point in it, or what anyone could garner from it for a meaning.
"I know the owner here. He likes to show all sorts of paintings. You could ask when he'll be doing something you may like."
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Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:36 am
"Do you? I'd like looking at that more than any of this, I think. Gardens are just like days in the life of, except you're looking at the day in the life of a lot of plants. Beautiful colors. Are you good?"
She didn't seem to notice anything wrong in that question. Sure, most artists probably thought they were good, or just didn't like being asked, but she didn't mean it in an offensive way, or to imply that she thought he wasn't. It was just an honest question.
She'd like to see his paintings either way, of course.
"I think I might! I don't come by places like this a lot, truth be told. My chosen medium is the performing arts, but I don't mind looking at pretty things. You know the owner huh? Sounds like you're on the road to becoming a professional artist! Is that the goal? Are you one of those sell art for a living folks, or do you just want to do it to show other people? Or do you not want to show anyone?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:06 pm
"I do, I use water colors. I find they give a nice soft look to things, and I can add layers of color to get a more solid look." It worked very nice, using water colors, it gave a nice softness to his paintings. He liked to do scenes where it seemed to be raining as well.
"I think I'm good." Shrugging. "It's a personal passion, nothing I plan to chase after. I do it for my own pleasure, and to show those who know I paint." it was dabbling, as good as he was told he was. It was for fun, something personal to enjoy.
"I know the owner here, and a few other gallery's. I like to come and look at the paintings." At least ones he liked. "I also have been to the gallery's with my parents, for events my mother is invited to." He stated, like tomorrow evening. "Tomorrow evening is one such night. There will be abstract pieces hanging up tomorrow evening. I thought it prudent to see the pieces ahead of time." So he could better hold his tongue tomorrow evening, something he normally had a hard time doing.
"Perhaps if you wish to arrange it, a place and time, I can show you a piece or two I've done." He was no artist seeking fame, or riches. If she liked something he had no issue giving it to her, it would please her and serve a purpose.
"Tell me now, what sort of performances do you do? What sort do you like? And what are you currently working on, if anything?" Now it was his turn to question her, and he did wish to know. He had gone to a few plays, nothing big really. Perhaps he would see something soon, and take Lily with him to enjoy the show.
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 2:41 pm
Gently looked fascinated. She had never been very artistic, in the drawing and painting sense. She could paint sets with directions and was great with coloring books, but taking a blank piece of paper and putting something pretty on it? That was beyond her.
"I know that feeling at least," she said, nodding her head.
She chuckled.
"I would love to see some of your work! Especially if it's for your own pleasure. I often find, in acting at least, people allow themselves to have a lot more fun when they're not taking themselves too seriously. I act because I love it, and I can't live without the stage. I don't plan on ever making money on it, mostly because I don't pursue it as a career. So! If that's how it is for me, I can only imagine what work you can get out, uninhibited."
She smiled brightly, nodding her head. If he said he was good, she believed him, and she happily loved to see new things.
"Oh! I do anything I can get my hands on. You know. Plays, musicals, though god help whoever has to hear me sing. Comedy, drama, one act, full length. At the moment I'm going to audition for a Shakespeare play, and I think there's a showcase happening that's gathering actors. That sounds fun, but we haven't gotten much information on it at the theatre. Ah! I've kept you a while, haven't I?"
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 5:51 pm
Laughing he nodded his head. "You have indeed, but time spent in a way I do not mind." He spoke honestly. "I like hearing your thoughts and words. I wish to meet you, perhaps for coffee or tea. I will bring a few pieces I have, finished ones mind you." He would bring them and which ever she liked most he would give to her, as a surprise.
"My work is for my pleasure, but also for those who see it. My pleasure is luckily a pleasure shared by others." Many people found pleasure in landscapes and such, though he did have that one painting. It wasn't anything he'd normally do, he didn't do things others couldn't find something in, and he didn't like painting people either. But he had decided he needed to...for himself. It was a painting he had not shown anyone, and had no intentions of anyone seeing.
"It sounds like I need to see you audition for this Shakespeare play. If you don't mind." He spoke, not wanting to make assumptions here. "Perhaps coffee or tea after it, and I'll show you some of my own pieces of art." He spoke, wondering which pieces he'd bring. Perhaps the one with the trees and large leaves, the creeping orchids, and the raindrops falling from the large leaves. Yes, that was one he'd bring with him.
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 12:08 pm
Gently brightened at the offer, nodding her head eagerly. She thrust a hand at him enthusiastically, as if to seal the deal before he skittered away from her, or something.
"I'd love to see them! And I promise in advance that I will not drop any coffee or tea on you or them," she grinned, teasing, though she imagined that was a legitimate concern for an artist. The last thing anyone wanted to do was work hard on something and have it ruined by a person who couldn't manage to get a cup to their lips without causing chaos.
"You want to watch the audition? They're open, so you're totally welcome! Though, if I shove a script in your hand you might have to play along." She grinned. Going into a theatre with her was a free invitation to be dragged into a scene.
Just for fun, of course.
"Certainly. Here's my card, it's got my cell and work numbers on it, so you can catch me whenever you'd like. The audition is in two days, from ten to two. I'll probably be there that whole time, goofing around. It's a very casual setting, and the company is really nice. I'll bugger off now, but give me a ring and I'll get your number and we'll meet up!"
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