Once again, David Vermette articulates something Ive tried to formulate and express, but have been totally unable to. Ive added my own acedotal proof after this quote: ______________ Read today yet another article with the cliché “turn X from an art into a science.” Sometimes it’s the other way: “X is more of an art than a science.” This contrast misses the science in art and the art in science. It usually privileges science. It wishes to portray art (and probably the people who produce it) as whimsical, unpredictable, stochastic, free, flighty, but creative, while science is serious, predictable, controlled, reliable, sensible and methodical. But art also has methods and high degrees of control and science also has chance procedures and involves imagination. If art is utterly without methods, discipline and rigor, then why did I waste my time practicing music all these years? Why did I go to school and study? I have even been asked “Why would you go to school for that?” (Erm, to learn from people who knew more, maybe?) Or people assume that being an artist is all as easy and free as picking daisies. No, people work at it. And, of course, some of the best science is imaginative and creative. Recommended reading: “Poetry and Mathematics” by Scott Buchanan. _____________________ If I could add a anecdotal proof: I do something that most would consider scientific for a vocation and something most would consider artistic for an avocation. I occasionally am told by those exposed to my work in both areas that they are surprised by what they see as a paradox, or give undeserved praise for having two skill sets. There is no paradox, and they use the same skill sets: creativity (in approach as well as craft), discernment, a knowledge of best practices, a knowledge of the history of the disciplines, and a need for completeness than is ultimately defined by the recipient of the work. They also both supply an equal amount of satisfaction and accomplishment.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 15:54:07 +0000
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