Christine Corlett One of the few complaints | have about the teaching/learning atmosphere of ECCAD is the scarcity of any really serious criticism of the work we are producing. Most times we sit in our crit circles and hear “nice”, or “interesting” or “neat”. Our instructors attempt some form of artistic dentistry in an effort to pull something more analytical, more critical from our throats, but all they come up with is “really nice” or “really neat “. The scarcity of an adequate knowledge of art criticism can be attributed to a scarcity of aca- 5 ea ina aS i 2 NE Heidi Hueniken demic/theory courses combined with the extremely personal and defensive approach most of us take towards the art we make. Our art is us, we are our art. We shy away from strongly challenging another’s work because we don’t want our own fragile sense of artistry attacked . We don’t want to make enemies out of the few real friends we have. Criticism gets bad press and is seen as negative, vindictive and as an attack on one’s person, rather than a inquiry into the hows and whys of the art $i ey Gillian Davidsou, “wee. PT gs FI eas making and art discovery process. | am attempting in this editorial style of article to begin a much needed dialogue. A dialogue between all disciplines, all ages, all viewpoints. | had meant to write this article much earlier, after viewing the Photo Show, but | found myself under some invisible pressure to keep quiet. | had tons of questions to ask about the work that the Photo Students had done, but I have to admit, | was ata loss as to_how to begin. | didn’t want to make enemies and | was a tad fearful that my opinions would be viewed as anti-this or anti-that..1 was chicken. | apologize to my fellow students for keeping quiet. | realize now, after talking to many photo students one on one, that any attempt at some sort of serious discussion would have been appreci- ated. There were several generally shared ele- ments that still make me wonder. My questions re- garding the elements all began with “why” . Why was text used. Why was there a trend towards nar- ration ? Why were photographic images collaged together in an almost random fashion ? Why were materials such as cloth, or wood or metal used ? I also would have liked to see more explanations of the technical aspects of each work and whether or not the technique played a big role in the overall idea of each piece or a small role. Were choices made rationally or instinc- tively ?, with a global logic or a more personal system of symbols? Unfortu- nately, | should have asked these questions instead of gulping down as much free punch as possible. It is not too late to begin a discussion and | invite any photo students to talk. | also invite 4d any student to view my own work. In fact e | would appreciate another viewpoint than my fellow film students. The suc- cess or failure of my work is entirely dependant upon the acceptance and interpretation of the audience. | would rather be told I was on the wrong track before I spent thousands of dollars than at the end-of-the-year screening. | hope that I make no enemies with this publication of my opinion. | write this as a preamble to a review and critique of the All College Drawing Show which showed in the Concourse Gallery. | write this review with the understanding that the role of the Concourse Gallery is not to exhibit our works as if it was the Emily Carr Mu- seum of Modern Art, but with the understanding that the role of the Concourse Gallery is to expose our work to both positive and negative criticism from our fellow students, our instructors and the general public. Any criticism should be used as a building force. Even bad sex is better than no sex at all. The same holds true for criticism of our art. Okay, go get a coffee, or some VEGETABLE ~ soup or go to the bathroom or just take a deep breath and get ready for The All College Drawing Show review and critical analysis. Before | get into the heavy duty stuff 1 would first like to propose a big round of applause and/or a free cup of VEGETABLE soup for whoever thought of having an annual All College Drawing Show. There wasn’t one last year and it was sorely missed. Instead there was a thin travelling exhibit of drawings from some other art school or some- thing like that. Not too memorable of a show. Drawing seems to be the neglected, but talented child of the Fine Arts. No one pays big at- tention or big bucks. But without drawing where would the Fine Arts be ? Human beings drew with sticks in the dirt before they painted on the ceilings of cathedrals. Drawing is where all the greatest art begins. To put a line on a surface is to mark the end of conception and the beginning of creation. This humble, yet rich art form is presented to us in an unpretentious manner in our very own and much loved Concourse Gallery . Drawing Show co- ordinator, Rick Williams has forgone the museum of modern art exhibition and instead gives us a show that we can really sink our teeth into. We get not a static presentation of nice pictures, but a dy- namic and powerful learning experience. The imme- diacy of these displayed drawings allows us to reach the inner creative light of each artist and to really see what turns him or her on.( with regards to art making, and maybe even love making. For what is love if not an art and what is art if not a love. ) Even though | went into film so | would avoid having to draw ( My first two years of art school had me do figure and still life drawing each week for eight hours straight ) I still love to draw. To me drawing is not BIG ART, but BIG FUN. Christine Corlett seems to have had this similar feeling when she drew her big pig. This is not just taking a line for a walk, but having a drink or two on the way and maybe even a trip to the all- you-can eat buffet. Her lines seem to wriggle in delight as they join together to forma pig that is both grotesque and delightful, repulsive and oddly enchanting. It would have been nice to see a few VEGETABLES added to the composition. Geoff Topham also revels in the joy of drawing and allows himself to go beyond the traditional idea of a line on paper and uses mixed mediums such as paint sticks, pencils and f collage. He combines his elements of figures, letters and numbers, three dimensional photocol- lages, iconic symbols and architectural signs in layers and levels to construct an almost cinematic experience. Cinematic, in the sense that his draw- ing is full of separate elements, lights and darks, ins and outs truths and fictions. It’s not just a breakfast cereal, its not just a drawing, it’s like a big plate of VEGETABLES. No it’s more than that. It’s “neat” and “interesting”. Karen Opas, whom | occasionally meet for coffee, has entered a ceramic sculpture as a drawing. I’m a bit disappointed at the way this piece appears to be wedge into a corner for | find it is one of the best examples of how we should really look at things in more than one way. On this vessel shape, Karen has painted delicate figures and designs. This is drawing. Karen has also cut the clay of the vessel shape to produce two encircling arms. The vessel becomes a figure hugging itself. This cutting of the clay is drawing, as is the action of hugging. Hugging, like drawing communicates ideas and emotions. Hugging like drawing is fun to Lianne Varnam (One of the few complaints | have about the twaching/learning atmosphere of ECCAD Is the scarcity of any really serious criticism of the work ‘we are producing. Most times we sit in our crit circles and hear “nice”, or “interesting” or “neat”. Our instructors attempi some form of artistic dentistry in an etfort to pull something more analytical, more critical rom our throats, but they come up with is “really nico” or “really neat *. ‘The scarcity of an adequate knowledge of art criticism can be attributed to a scarcity of aca- domicitheory courses combined with the extremely personal and defensive approach most of us take I. We shy away from strongly challenging another's work because we don't want our own fragile sense of artistry attacked . We don’t want to nemies out of the few real friends we have. Criticism gets bad press and Is seen as negative, id as an attack on one’s person, rather than a inquiry into the hows and whys of the art ‘making and art discovery process. lam attempting in this editorial style of article. to begin a much needed dialogue. A dialogue between all disciplines, all ages, all viewpoints. | had meant to write this article much earlier, after viewing the Photo Show, but I found myself und ‘some invisible pressure to keep quiet. had tons of {questions to ask about the work that the Photo ‘Students had done, but | have to admit, |was at a loss as to*how to begin. I didn't want to make ‘enemies and I was a tad fearful that my opinions would be viewed as anti-this or anti-that. | was chicker apologize to my fellow students for keeping quiet. | realize now, after talking to many photo students one on one, that any attempt at some sort of serious discussion would have been appreci- ated. There were several generally shared olo- ‘ments that still make me wonder. My questions re- ding the elements all began with “why” . Why was text used. Why was there a trend towards nar- ration ? Why were photographic images collaged together in an almost random fashion ? Why were materials such as cloth, or wood or metal used 2 | also would have liked to see more explanations of the technical aspects of each work and whether or not the technique played a big role in the ‘overall idea of each piece or a small role. Were choices made rationally or Instino- tively ?, with a global logic or a more personal system of symbols? Untortu- nately, | should have asked these questions instead of gulping down as ‘much free punch as possible. It is not too late to begin a discussion and | invite any photo students to talk. also invit any student to view my own work. In fact, would appreciate another viewpoint than my fellow film students. The suc- oss oF fallure of my work is entirely dopendant upon the acceptance and, interpretation of the audience. | would rather be told I was on the wrong track before | spent thousands of dollars than. at the end-of-the-year screening. Thope that | make no enemies with this publication of my opinion. | write this as a [preamble to a review and critique of the All Colle Drawing Show which showed in the Concourse Gallery. | write this review with the understanding that the role of the Concourse Gallery is not to ‘exhibit our works as if it was the Emily Carr Mu- ‘soum of Modern Art, but with the understanding that the role of the Concourse Gallery is to expose ‘ur work to both positive and negative eriticism from our fellow students, our instructors and the general public. Any criticism should be used as a bullding force. Even bad sex is better than no sex at all, The same holds true for criticism of our art. Okay, go get coffee, or some VEGETABLE. ‘soup or go to the bathroom or just take a deep breath and get ready for The All College Drawing Show review and eritical analysis. Before I get into the heavy duty stuff | would first lke to propose a big round of applause and/or a free cup of VEGETABLE soup for whoever ‘thought of having an annual All College Drawing Show. There wasn't one last year and it was sorely missed. Instead there was a thin travelling exhibit of drawings from some other art schoo! or some- thing lke that. Not too memorable of a show. Drawing seems to be the neglected, but talented child of the Fine Arts. No one pays big at- tention or big bucks. But without drawing where would the Fine Arts be ? Human beings drew with sticks in the dirt before they painted on the ceilings ‘of cathedrals. Drawing is where all the greatest art begins. To put a line on a surface is to mark the ‘end of conception and the beginning of creation. This humble, yet rich art form is presented to us in an unpretentious manner in our very own and, much loved Concourse Gallery . Drawing Show co- ordinator, Rick Willams has forgone the museum ‘of modern art exhibition and instead gives us a Helgi Huaniken ‘show that we can really sink our teeth into. We get not a static presentation of nice pictures, but a dy- namic and powerful learning experience. The imme- diacy of these displayed drawings allows us to reach the inner creative light of each artist and to ‘tums him or her on.( with regards to id maybe even love making. For what is love if not an art and what is art if not a love. Even though I went into film so | would avoid hhaving to draw ( My first two years of art school had me hours straight )I still love to draw. To me drawing is not BIG ART, but BIG FUN. ‘when she drew her big pig. This is not just taking a line fora walk, but having @ drink or two on the way and maybe even a trip to tho al- yyou-can eat butfet. Her lines ‘seem to wriggle in delight thay jin together to form a pig that is both grotesque and delightful, repulsive and ‘oddly enchanting. It would have been nice to see a fow VEGETABLES added to the composition ‘Goolf Topham also revels in the joy of drawing {and allows himself to go beyond the traditional idea ofa line on paper and uses mixed mediums such as Paint sticks, pencils and " collage. He combines his elements of figures, lotiers and numbers, three dimensional photocol- lages, iconic symbols and architectural signs in layers and levels to construct an almost cinematic ‘experience. Cinematic, in the sense that his dt ing is full of separate elements, ights and darks, ins and outs truths and fictions. i's not just a breakfast cereal, its not just a drawing, it's lk big plate of VEGETABLES. No i's more than that. t's “neat” and “interesting”. Karen Opas, whom | occasionally meet for cottee, has entered a ceramic sculpture as a ‘drawing. ma bit disappointed at the way this piece appears to be wedge into a corner for Ifind itis one ofthe best examples of how we should really look at things in more than one way. On this vessol shape, Karen has painted delicate figures and designs. This is drawing. Karen has also cut tho clay ofthe vessel shape to produce two encircling arms. The vessel becomes a figure hugging Ise. This cutting ofthe clay is drawing, a is the action cf hugging. Hugging, ike drawing communicates Ideas and emotions. Hugging like drawing is fun to Lanne Verns