Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Psuedo rule makers and art snobs


Those who can do. Those who can't criticize.

Suzi Blu: Art Journal Playshop With Suzi Blu: Rubber Stamp Letters

So, yesterday on youtube I just happen to follow a link to a person who professes to be sick of copy cat artists who follow pseudo gurus and I couldn't help but shake my head.

The comment was made in relation to Suziblu, whom if you have not seen one of her youtube videos is this woman trying to make it as a working artist and creates videos where she encourages people to create art/visual journals and helps them by giving them prompts and how-to's. She has grown quite popular in youtube land with her introduction to art journals garnering over 60,000 views.

So, what has this woman and the people who enjoy her videos done to deserve being labeled as copycats and pseudo guru's? Share their enthusiasm and positivity? Begin their own journey in the world of personal art for art's sake? Copy a few pointers as a starting point to discover their own style?


I find that people who feel like they need to define and coat things in a negative context are usually upset that someone blew up their spot. Did this woman claim that she created the concept of an art journal? No. Does she sit there and point fingers at other's and call them copycats? No. So what is it? What could possibly cause someone to get so upset over a person who put their feelings out there and in return received a lot of positive feedback?

Perhaps it is the fact that someone is being followed and recognized because they dared to put themselves out there and they were rewarded with a connection. Perhaps in the back of their mind they are saying to themselves, "Not fair! Why does she get the accolades, she's done nothing special, hasn't invented something new. Why is she getting the credit for it?" When what they really mean is, "That could be me, I can't believe I didn't think of it first, second or last. I can't believe I didn't do something, anything and in the end got rewarded with nothing."

Now it could be that this person really has no desire to do these things but if that is the case, then why rain on someone's parade? I just don't get the whole, You're not "legitimate" if you don't fit into the parameters of my own self-imposed rule book.

What is the purpose of my long windless rant? I guess that life is too short. If you're so "fed up" that certain people have adopted a style or laud a person for turning them on to something new, then here is a thought, ignore it and do what you like. Getting angry of things of little importance is like waiting for the start gun to go off in order to live your life. In the end it's a waste of time that could have been better spent doing something that makes you happy.

2 comments:

Brahdelt said...

I absolutely agree and I feel sorry for such people, because they don't live their own lives, they just look for other people's successes and dwell on them turning them into subjects for their bitterness. It's funny and pitiful at the same time...

winnsangels said...

Very SAD is how I see it. Yet we are all different and have our own challenges to face. I mostly feel sad for the person in that they hurt themselves so much in the attempt to be EXTREMELY hurtful to others.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts of this situation.