I once asked a Cardinal in training how the Church allowed likenesses in art...He gave me a letter from the Pope (printed booklet), that explained 3 exceptions... Veneration, Education, & Decoration....These have been useful to me in a broader sense when making or pondering art...
  I feel this discussion has at its core, a tiny detail that spins the artist's core...
  That art should not be craft, & that craft has purpose...A mug serves the purpose of holding tea or coffee, & this usefulness is somehow abhorrent to artists & art educators...
  In a broader sense, if art is serving the community as a purpose, like holding tea, is it not then craft?
  This distinction holds artists back from making useful things...That purpose could sully the purity...
  I don't necessarily agree, am just putting a microscope to the problem...

http://www.artsjournal.com/jumper/2014/03/can-arts-organizations-be-both-art-focused-and-community-focused/ (The discussion that prompted my reply can be read here…)(can-arts-organizations-be-both-art-focused-and-community-focused, was the question)…

An Observation about the MFA or PHD in art or Not conundrum: I have noticed something, while investigating the “should I get an MFA or not”? question…Perhaps this will help some…(the PHD in art is a new thing…)

Here is my observation:

MFAs show great technical knowledge…They know how to do complex things…Their work is complicated technically…They know tricks & skills that might be harder to learn alone…Pouring metals…Lost wax method…Silicone sculptures…Chemicals & whatnot…They know things…They can move from one medium to another & do…Emotionally, & maturity wise, I find much of the work is immature…Think of a giant Jeff Koons dog-very complicated technically to build, but rather simplistic in message…

People who say they don’t have degrees have great maturity…They have ethical angles…They consider family & community & religion…They read books on their own…Their work has great emotional depth & maturity…They touch upon difficult subjects…These are people who have had time to mature…The work stimulates intellectual thought…Often the technical aspect is relatively simple…Many self-taught artists will learn one technique & stick with that, while using the intellect to vary the output…This is probably why so many self-taught artists fall back on painting, & that in acrylics…It is easier to learn…But the message can be powerful…

Conclusion:Know both…Understand both…Know what you need, either more technical skill or more emotional depth…If you have been painting in acrylics for years, you may need some technical instruction on how to do other things…If your work is about farting or penises or barfing, you may need to get out of school & gain some emotional maturity…

Resources:

Zinepal:slurps your blog & spits out various neat formats

free or $5 if you want 50 posts in one PDF

BlogBooker:slurps your blog(WordPress, Blogger, LIveJournal)

free or you can donate 10 Euros if you are polite

Blog2Print:Can handle a Typepad blog(which is why I used it)

$7.95 for a really beautiful digital book(nicest feel)

Thoughts on copyright infringement:

One way to ensure any knock offs of your work aren’t competition for you is to only post “homey” photos of your work…Yes those mediocre dimly lit crooked messy pictures are the ones least likely to get copied…The only times I get copied is when my pictures have been gorgeous…The slob in me loves this because it justifies further sloppiness…Also, since internet sales have never really competed with live warm human body sales, the prerogative of only showing perfect photos online doesn’t always add up considering the camera investment versus internet sale revenue…( a cogent rationalization I think, smile)…

Open software always always gets updated…It is updated daily…Or at least it feels that way…Blender 3d animation software has gone through what 6 iterations since last year? The result is an entirely perfect up to the minute program…That no one knows how to use, because with every improvement the button sequences change…So all the Blender books, tutorials, blog posts, instructionals, become obsolete…Depreciates as fast as cars…Soon as it is out of the lot it is worth 10 thou less…I feel a little odd with a pile of tutorials only from last year on this Blog, about Blender, & if just one keystroke has changed, it will gum up your, my, anyone’s work…Wanted to buy the discounted 50% off DVD set Blender instructionals, but hey, realized why they were discounted…One comma in code, programming, as you know, & burn baby burn you are s.o.o.l.(sh-t out of luck)…So I’m a little on the fence about all this updating…When is it going to stop? or is it on purpose because as soon as you change a keystroke you can sell a brand new tutorial video? (Same tutorial but name it 8.66a instead of just 8.66)…You can’t make money on freeware but you can make money teaching how to use it…Hmm…I am sounding ungrateful & cynical here…Maybe I should eat dinner & rethink my inner cynic…I apologize…