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18 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in Sharing

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The Hedge Sparrow by Steffan Johnson

This morning I found a long list of comments most of which were identical except that they referred to a number of posts.  I deleted these comments, thirty-two, to be precise.  The person(s) who had written the comments was/were telling me that the comments I was receiving from other readers looked as though they came from brain-dead individuals.  Many of my readers are learning English.  There are errors and some contain “buzz” words , etc.

But, having taught French to persons who had a scanty knowledge of French, I learned to let them complete their sentences whenever possible.  If I had corrected them in mid-sentence, they may not have dared speak again, but I dealt with errors the next day, not attaching the mistake to one person.

I will have to erase comments from my long list because there are too many, but I will not erase comments because they have been written by persons who have not mastered the English language.

Derogatory comments about comments written in imperfect English will be deleted permanently the moment they reach me.  As well, if a comment contains URLs, it will be either deleted or edited.

In short, I will not publish comments that are offensive to other readers.  My readers will be treated with the respect due every human being.

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March 18, 2012

In Praise of little-known Artists

10 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by in Art

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 church near Borth y gest Beach Porthmadog

 by Steffan Johnson

           Wren               
 
 
 
 
 

Hedge Sparrow

Steffan Johnson (click)
http://steffspainting.blogspot.com/
 
Beethoven: Rondo in C major C-Dur; ut majeur Op. 51. N. 1, Louis Lortie 
please click on title to hear the music) 
 

My last two blogs have featured artists I discovered through various searches on the internet: Kristiana Pärn and Steffan Johnson. I found Steffan Johnson in the “rising artists” section of Art.com, not Kristiana Pärn whose work I was familiar with. So I thought that before continuing writing the blog in progress, I would stop and praise these rising artists who cannot possibly be making a living from income generated by their art, except reproductions. But their art is affordable, and buying art is still one of the best investments one can make.  However, buy something you like and can enjoy for years.

I will not speak at any length about our singers who are making millions and some billions, singing songs that are often the creation of a composer. I will let them enjoy their fortune, all the more since there are exceptions to every rule. I have applauded the success of Susan Boyle and was delighted to see Adele Adkins receive Grammy awards she deserved.

Many of us cannot afford to buy original artworks, however inexpensive they are. Life is extremely expensive. However most of us we can afford to download a song and even buy a CD.

But how will artists make money?  Buying reproductions may help or purchasing one of a limited number of prints is also a fine way of supplying artists with the money to buy the material they need. As well, having a good manager can be helpful, but hiring a professional is expensive. So, by and large, the situation of these people is a “porte étroite,” André Gide‘s “narrow door,” or Strait is the Gate (1909).

Many books have also become too expensive. I was looking for a very recent book on the fur trade and the voyageurs and also wanted to purchase a collection of old chansons, but I realized that I simply could not afford what was not even luxurious. I am a scholar, a musician and an artist, but was led to retire prematurely.  That story may be told in a forthcoming blog. I am writing a novel in which my main character has faced similar difficulties. I just can’t find an appropriate conclusion.

But for the time being, I am featuring a little-known artist in a blog.  It may not help him, but it will help me.