Saturday, November 18, 2006

The Mother of the Arts?

My original intention for this blog was to explore various quotations that had in the past grabbed me, but the form was so new to me that I didn’t realize the dailiness of a blog, how quotations, except for the one on the title description, disappeared. Does anyone read earlier posts of another’s blog? Probably not. Yesterday an editor of a local newspaper phoned to ask me to write a weekly column on the arts. I have always wanted to have my own column (this blog partially fulfills that desire), but now I am hesitant. Would I have the stamina for 52 columns? Ten years ago I had a weekly spot in the paper, but that was of profiles of artists and craftspeople. No shortage of those around here. Is it true as my new title description says that religion is the mother of the arts, and if so, does it go the other way, that the arts have a religious function? Does this religious function strive to give form to the dailiness of life, to the weekliness of life, to the bits and pieces, some that seem important (birth of a child) and some that seem unimportant (dusting the living room furniture)? My favorite contemporary artist does painting after painting of the view out his studio window – an ordinary backyard. He does huge paintings of a banana, of a lemon, of a teapot. You never look at a lemon the same way after you have seen his lemons.

4 comments:

Peter said...

Religion is the mother. Next question...

Zhoen said...

I know I was very disappointed that few ever read my old posts, save only one dear friend, for whom they were written.

Anu said...

I don't know what other people do, but if I find an interesting blog, I often read earlier posts too.

It varies a lot. I don't have a clear method dealing with blogs.

Mr Murray said...

Reading back through blog entries for me depends mostly on one of two things for me:

- if I want to compare the writer's original style and state of mind to their most recent
- if they have added any graphics - unfortunately, due to time, I use the 'covers of their books' to select to sample their writing.

Despite my best intentions, I have rarely found enough time and interest to read thoroughly through the musings of more prolific writers.

As for 52 pieces a week - of course the length and relation with my editor would be factors - but I'd do it.