theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards
You are not an artist!
- Thread starter Steerpike
- Start date
Using that logic, I will from this day forward only speak in the third person and refer to myself as El Conquistador. Anyone who does not indulge me in that opinion and behavior will be ignored.
Now try making a real point. Also, it would help you to read past the first post. If you had, you would have realized that half the things you just said have been brought up by others and they were wrong about me.
Wow. This is getting deep.
I don't really consider myself an artist, sure I've made up a few tricks and cuts, and I try to perform magic in a certain kind of way, but calling myself an artist just sounds....corny....and maybe a little egotistical.
I do agree that there are many on this site that consider themselves artists that are not, but certainly not all.
I don't really consider myself an artist, sure I've made up a few tricks and cuts, and I try to perform magic in a certain kind of way, but calling myself an artist just sounds....corny....and maybe a little egotistical.
I do agree that there are many on this site that consider themselves artists that are not, but certainly not all.
So do you consider yourself an artist steerpike?
Just curious.
I personally don't care If you think I am not an artist, Because I know I am.
Just curious.
I personally don't care If you think I am not an artist, Because I know I am.
I already answered that question a page or two ago.
Give yourself a star.
D
Deleted member 2755
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D
Deleted member 2755
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Ok guys, I just deleted about two pages of posts. I think this is a good deep topic to discuss. Let's just try not to make it get out of hand. I'm trying to keep this thread open. Thanks guy! 
-Doug
-Doug
But is it still artistic if you create something but still perform with all the personality of a cardboard box?
Inventing a new trick is like a painter making his own brushes at home rather than buying them at the store when you get right down to it.
It seems that something fundamental about the definition of artist has been missed. A lot of people seem to be arguing, or at least stating, that they themselves are artists. To my mind, you are an artist when OTHER PEOPLE say you are. Art is a form of expression, sending a message. There is no message without interpretation. Therefore there is no artist without an audience. In other words, if you have to tell everyone that you're an artist, you probably aren't. I say probably, because you may be an undiscovered genius, destined only to be appreciated posthumously. Either way, it takes someone else to assess you as an artist.
It's just because you are making it sound like everyone here isn't an artist.
I know Tons of members here who are Artists, because they spend years to become one.
I know Tons of members here who are Artists, because they spend years to become one.
Most people here aren't. And if you think you are, there's a good chance you haven't thought about it too deeply because no one has ever questioned you.
Then let them stand up here and present something to us.
I really like what he said here. Just like to add someting.
Art is what makes us work to understand it.
It is lofty,obscure,complex,dark.
IT makes us better people by stretching and straining our capacities to fathom ourselves,by educating and edifying us,as if sent from heaven above.
Magic in general has had a difficult time being considered-or even aspiring to be considered-as art.
This is not only because of its dependence on commercial factors but also because of the natural tendency of the medium itself:to be light
The problem is that,since audiences are not made up of artists,and have little cognizance of how art 'works'-what it 'is'-they tend to need art that draws attention to itself in order to recognize it.
This despite the fact that,for a true artist in service of his story(it may be argued),the last thing he wants to do is draw attention to the means by which he is telling it.
Most people here aren't going to find their personality and style till they've been performing for a good while.
I haven’t really heard of you too much before Steerpike. It sounds as though you have had some pretty heated debates in the past. I remember seeing your name and those long posts but I was never interested in them. I wasn’t truly an artist then. Since then I have grown I truly believe I am an artist. I agree and disagree with some of your points as well as agreeing and disagreeing with other points. I am not going to go through everyone’s previous posts and knick pick at them but rather just provide I little bit of my opinions in one response.
I am going to use quotes from several brilliant people to explain why I am an artist. Let’s start out with a quote by a German composer by the name of Robert Schumann. He once said “To send light into the darkness of men's hearts - such is the duty of the artist”. I feel that by presenting my magic to people I am bringing them joy. I have performed for many people and every time people always have a smile on their face. Sure there may be those times when you have a heckler but the majority (probably 95%) of the people I have ever performed to have had a smile on their face after my routine and it did bring them that moment of happiness that every performer should try to achieve. I strive to take my spectators into a whole new world for a short time and bring happiness and joy to the person. So in that regard I do feel that many people that just practice their art alone and don’t share it to many people are not true artists. They are not doing anything to advance the art of magic, people need to get out and share their magic (but they have to be ready and make sure they will bring joy and happiness to spectators).
Another quote from an American artist by the name of Andy Warhol goes as follows. “An artist is someone who produces things that people don't need to have but that he - for some reason - thinks it would be a good idea to give them”. People don’t need magic in their lives, they can find pleasure from other things in live but I feel strongly that I have enough artist ability in me that I will affect my spectator in some way and he will gain something from it (like happiness and joy as described above). I want to make my spectators happy and I want to give them that happiness that can result from my magic.
I am quoting Wikipedia right now just to explain who this person is so everyone knows. “Henry Ward Beecher (June 24, 1813 – March 8, 1887) was a prominent, Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, abolitionist, and speaker in the mid to late 19th century”. He once said (this was not from Wikipedia) “Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures”. This quote really explains a lot about creativity and patter. This is where many people who believe they are artists fail at being artists because they are not personal. Many just buy a trick and copy the exact patter on the DVD, book, etc. Like I said this is where many “artists” fail because they aren’t being personal and creating their own style, only stealing someone else’s. To be a true magic artist you need to develop your own patter and create your own style and not copy someone else’s. This takes time to do but any great piece of art takes time to make.
Another quote that basically explains what I said in the previous paragraph comes from Amy Lowell who was an American poet. She once said “Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in”. Therefore if you do not have your own patter and style you are not truly expressing yourself meaning you are not truly an artist.
I know that I kind of defended and fought both points of view in this post but I just wanted to share a few quotes to explain more about an artist. Take it as you want. I do believe that I am an artist. I don’t feel I am a tremendous artist because yes I still do have to create some of my own patter and I could always share my magic with more people. Like I said though I do feel I am an artist because I have a dedication to the art. I want to thank you Steerpike for starting a great thread and I hope to see you around the forums more. I want to leave you all with a quote. I will not explain it like I have done in the above ones but I will let you take what you want from it.
“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget that errand."
-Quoted by Woodrow Wilson
I am going to use quotes from several brilliant people to explain why I am an artist. Let’s start out with a quote by a German composer by the name of Robert Schumann. He once said “To send light into the darkness of men's hearts - such is the duty of the artist”. I feel that by presenting my magic to people I am bringing them joy. I have performed for many people and every time people always have a smile on their face. Sure there may be those times when you have a heckler but the majority (probably 95%) of the people I have ever performed to have had a smile on their face after my routine and it did bring them that moment of happiness that every performer should try to achieve. I strive to take my spectators into a whole new world for a short time and bring happiness and joy to the person. So in that regard I do feel that many people that just practice their art alone and don’t share it to many people are not true artists. They are not doing anything to advance the art of magic, people need to get out and share their magic (but they have to be ready and make sure they will bring joy and happiness to spectators).
Another quote from an American artist by the name of Andy Warhol goes as follows. “An artist is someone who produces things that people don't need to have but that he - for some reason - thinks it would be a good idea to give them”. People don’t need magic in their lives, they can find pleasure from other things in live but I feel strongly that I have enough artist ability in me that I will affect my spectator in some way and he will gain something from it (like happiness and joy as described above). I want to make my spectators happy and I want to give them that happiness that can result from my magic.
I am quoting Wikipedia right now just to explain who this person is so everyone knows. “Henry Ward Beecher (June 24, 1813 – March 8, 1887) was a prominent, Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, abolitionist, and speaker in the mid to late 19th century”. He once said (this was not from Wikipedia) “Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures”. This quote really explains a lot about creativity and patter. This is where many people who believe they are artists fail at being artists because they are not personal. Many just buy a trick and copy the exact patter on the DVD, book, etc. Like I said this is where many “artists” fail because they aren’t being personal and creating their own style, only stealing someone else’s. To be a true magic artist you need to develop your own patter and create your own style and not copy someone else’s. This takes time to do but any great piece of art takes time to make.
Another quote that basically explains what I said in the previous paragraph comes from Amy Lowell who was an American poet. She once said “Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in”. Therefore if you do not have your own patter and style you are not truly expressing yourself meaning you are not truly an artist.
I know that I kind of defended and fought both points of view in this post but I just wanted to share a few quotes to explain more about an artist. Take it as you want. I do believe that I am an artist. I don’t feel I am a tremendous artist because yes I still do have to create some of my own patter and I could always share my magic with more people. Like I said though I do feel I am an artist because I have a dedication to the art. I want to thank you Steerpike for starting a great thread and I hope to see you around the forums more. I want to leave you all with a quote. I will not explain it like I have done in the above ones but I will let you take what you want from it.
“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget that errand."
-Quoted by Woodrow Wilson
Art doesn't speak for itself. The creator doesn't have to step right out and tell you what everything means. But he does have to speak for himself as a creator and he can't be afraid to put his work out there.
Then what should they be doing instead of cursing me out on a message board?