#Art Matters | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

weirdly-specific-but-ok · 3 months

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my mum bought me my first neil gaiman book, maggots!!

So, I don't know if you'd call it a book like a story, rather, it's a series of essays by Neil that were illustrated by Chris Riddell. My mum listened to the story of how I was kidnapped adopted by the Good Omens fandom. She was very confused, but since I'm an author and artist, she bought me the book, Art Matters.

And I've been seeing so much beautiful fanart and edits and fanfiction from this fandom, I swear to God or Someone, and it's all reminding me what a wonderful thing fandom is. And art is.

I read the book, and it was amazing, and here's a few quotes from it that I think the ridiculously talented people who created the book and the show as well as every fan who has made this creation grow should hear.

"And remember that whatever discipline you are in, whether you are a musician or a photographer, a fine artist or a cartoonist, a writer, a dancer, a designer, whatever you do, you have one thing that's unique. You have the ability to make art. And for me, and for so many of the people I have known, that's been a lifesaver. The ultimate lifesaver."

"...while you're at it, make your art. Do that stuff that only you can do. ...the one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can."

"And where would be the fun is doing something you knew was going to work?"

Well, you heard him, maggots. Go on creating. You are all so, so important. I came to tumblr because I was lonely and I wanted a friend.

I found a family, instead. In this very strange fandom that kidnapped adopted me. I love you all, and I'm glad to cry with you. I haven't even got to season 2 yet.

Side note...

Welcome, @neil-gaiman, join the maggots in watching me sob over Aziraphale and Crowley. It really is very quiet, gentle and romantic out here.

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cassidyscanvas · 1 year

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One of my absolute favorite paintings by far. I am still learning.

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ravelingbolero · 2 months

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A perk of being friends with an art teacher: I got to play with clay today! I’m looking forward to working more on this next week. (It’s upside down as the feet are too wet to support the weight.)

I remembered several techniques, tools, and terms from my high school ceramics classes and I’m thankful for the education I received. I was fortunate to attend a public school that valued the arts enough to encourage students to take those classes instead of having a study period, supported the teachers enough to give them tools and supplies beyond the bare minimum, and came up with a course schedule that allowed students to take advanced arts and advanced core classes simultaneously. I’m enjoying putting my knowledge to use again!

#make good art #ceramics #pottery #traditional art #art class #art education #artists on tumblr #art matters #arts education #support arts education in public schools #art education matters

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godzilla-reads · 2 years

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We’ve got a lot of… uh… Neil Gaiman here.

I might be on a collection roll….

Top to Bottom

🤍 Fortunately, the Milk

🤍 Art Matters (with Chris Riddell)

🤍 M is for Magic

🤍 Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett)

🤍 Neverwhere

🤍 Smoke & Mirrors

🤍 Trigger Warning

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nokingsonlyfooles · 1 year

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They know what they did. I cannot stress this enough. The entire Walt Disney Conglomerate does not have massive head trauma - THEY KNOW WHAT THEY DID.

They seem to think the MAINLY TEEN AND ADULT audience of The Owl House does NOT know what they did. Well, they promised a full third season and cut it down to a few "specials." The official explanation is that it wasn't "on brand" and pulled in an older audience.

So, if we believe them, "stories matter" only inasmuch as they remain "on brand" and have a very specific demographic appeal. If we do NOT believe them, "stories matter" only if they don't have too many queer people during a contentious change of management.

Do not let them off the hook. Let no fan of The Own House forget that this is what Disney does, and they will do it again.

(I've never Tumblred effectively and I've been away a long while. I'm testing the interface, but I do think this needs saying. More content to come.)

#disney #stories matter #the owl house #dana terrace #capitalism #corporatism #stories actually do matter #art matters #representation matters #queer media #no kings only fooles

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woeandgrowshop · 1 year

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Art is hard, especially lately with continuous attempts to exploit artists and their work. But the reason they are trying so hard to exploit us is because our work is valuable. Don’t forget. Art matters. Artists matter. 🖼️

#art is hard #art matters #artists matter #artist problems #art problems #art struggles #artist struggles #enamel pins #enamel pin #woeandgrow

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put-me-in-a-field-with-daisies · 2 years

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Don’t call me kid,

Don’t call me baby

…..You’re on your own now, kid.

#taylor swift #taylornation #taylurking #taylor #illicit affairs #midnights #song parallels #don’t call me kid #you’re on your own now #kid #decoding #i keep maps #im reading the maps #october 21 #lyrics #taylor swift lyrics #art matters

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potterandpromises · 10 months

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If you were trapped in an impossible situation, in an unpleasant place, with people who meant you ill, and someone offered you a temporary escape, why wouldn't you take it? And escapist fiction is just that: fiction that opens a door, shows the sunlight outside, gives you a place to go where you are in control, are with people you want to be with; and more importantly, during your escape, books can also give you knowledge about the world and your predicament, give you weapons, give you armour, real things you can take back into your prison. Skills and knowledge and tools you can use to escape for real.

Neil Gaiman

#quotes #art matters #neil gaiman #i was wondering when queue'd get here

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theineffabletardisof221b · 8 months

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Listening to another Neil Gaiman audio book, and I don’t have the words to express the hope his works give me for a future. Loaning Art Matters from my local library has brought joy, and motivation to my day. My studies feel more purposeful again, my writing and sketches feel more mine.

Make good art

#neil gaiman #books #currently reading #audiobook #make good art #art matters

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artistamongthieves · 1 year

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A short story about an artist who refused to keep living among thieves

Down By A River

That was it:

Lily died in his arms on a Tuesday afternoon and by Wednesday morning he was back in the big city. He had shuttered up the school bus , pulled the big tarp over it and put a sign that said “please no trespassing —hallowed ground “

he didn’t have any problem picking up his guitar —the songs just flowed one by one by one.

they came out like tears falling out of his eyes . they were fantastic songs that would live on forever.

even though Lily was just a memory now and the baby they had made in their lovely school bus paradise floating somewhere in the spiritual realm maybe waiting to get born again —he didn’t really know he if he believed in reincarnation or if the baby was in heaven —but he wrote song after song after song with all of that in mind .

his first big album came out And was a raging success. everybody thought it was a celebration : the festivities the balloons the champagne the interviews, but in his mind all it was was a tribute to Lily and their baby . They could not have known if it was a boy or a girl, but they named him River anyway deciding that if by chance it was a girl her name would be Willow .

Years and years went by . album after album came out .he fell into a bad place with drugs. he fell into a bad place with alcohol. he fell into a bad place with bad people —some he had to fire ,some he had to run from ,some he had to tell them to get lost.

But every time he picked up his guitar he thought of Lily —even if it wasn’t a conscious thought —for Lily was the one who inspired everything that he became. that wasn’t something he would ever forget . Lily-the sweet kind waitress he’d met and had love at first sight for as she poured him a coffee at opals cafe in the little Midwest town no one even knew about.

when he was finally inducted into the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame in his speech all he talked about was that summer at the school bus by the river with Lily .nobody had ever heard him talk out loud about that time of his life ;in fact, nobody even knew where he had gone all those years ago.

nobody knew about Lily and their baby who died. nobody knew about the water moccasin in the river. nobody knew about the sun that shown down on her golden hair as she lay there limp in his arms ,waist deep in a river ,his eyes crying tears he didn’t even know he had in his head —but where his tears came from is the same place his songs came from so when he accepted that award and he made that speech there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

after that he went away again. nobody knew where. he drove down that long road with green trees surrounding him —his old truck knew exactly where to go.

when he drove around the bend and went down the 2 miles of gravel he could smell and hear the water; he could smell the river weeds .

sure enough the tarp had been bleached out by the sun and was a little tattered from the wind but there it was —

he was leaving all that other life behind : the fame the money the groupies the fans.

it was time to rest . he tore the tarp off and pried open the door to the school bus went inside and was absolutely dumbfounded when he smelled the patchouly wafting from the quilt that he had left on the bed , the quilt that Lily made for them —all the nights they had loved under that quilt ,all the nights they had looked up through the school bus windows to the stars and the full moons of that long ago summer, listening to the river flow by.

he started to cry and then he thought “wait —there’s no need for tears I’m finally home “

so he started a fire and made a pot of coffee .

a song started to get born —just like they always did —he couldn’t help it when songs started coming to him

that day he made a decision he would never again return to the city. he would live out the rest of his days there by the river looking for Crystally rocks and making necklaces that he would send to his friend in the big city . Nobody knew that the sparkly crystally rock necklaces on hemp cords were coming from a famous man, a famous singer, a famous somebody who had disappeared once again into the woods to live out his days by the river.

he died there alone all by himself with just his memories and when one of his friends came from the city and found him , there was a note pinned to one of his most favorite guitars

it read :

bury me when I’m gone it doesn’t matter where I’ve gone to be with Lily now where I can brush her hair our baby is alive somewhere —alive amongst this earth ,don’t cry for me my friend for I died a happy man I had many things that no one ever dreamed could be and here it was I laid to rest don’t cry for me my friend don’t never wonder why I left the city for the woods and never did look back . take my guitar and burn it hot under the full moon sky and when you leave , the ashes take and spread them to the wind I’ve had a very blessed life I might be back again.

Sometimes when you see a star falling from the sky it might be him that famous guy who’s songs could make us cry

#short story #art matters #writing #creative expression #fiction #love story

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kiraleighart · 1 year

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Heya! I saw your post on twitter about artists and it was very moving for me. I just wanted to say thank you for eloquently putting together something that I've been struggling with lately. Idk, sometimes as an artist and creative person I sometimes bang myself over my head with "what's the point?" But...I loved that answer.

I'm so happy to hear that it was moving for you :)

Artists are imperative. We've always occupied the Gift Economy with roles like the welcomer, translator, warner of danger, inspirer, educator, mediator, historian and even activist. (see: The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World - Lewis Hyde.)

A key reason we struggle to find footing is that capitalism needs our output, but doesn't want the ideas that come along with it. Another reason is that capitalism has commodified "community" itself, which is where our roles live. Which makes it a difficult dance, to be sure.

The point is that artists are critical for the health and prosperity of the human race. Always carry that in your heart, OK? Because it's the truth. 💕

#art #artist #artwork #queer artist #trans artist #art matters #facts #art is freedom

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sassmill · 1 year

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Actually going to start sobbing, I’m editing the booklet for the winners of a local creative contest for students from 4-12 grade, and this is a “priority district” aka a low income city where students deal with all kinds of daily hurdles. One of the prompt questions is “what would you do if you were principal” and this student wrote a four page essay that centered on how much Abbott Elementary has inspired them and shown representation of black teachers being there for black students

#art matters #representation matters

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52booksproject · 1 year

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Book 42: Art Matters

Back to the RNG and it popped up 701: Philosophy and theory of fine and decorative art. Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color by Philip Ball looked brilliant, but it only has an ebook version in Spanish, so that was a no-go. So I went with Neil Gaiman's Art Matters: Because your imagination can change the world.

It's a set of a few essays by the renowned author, the first exhorting people to read fiction, support libraries, and encouraging children to read (what they want, not what you want them to). Very much propaganda, and commissioned as such by a library organization, but it's for a good cause- reading and libraries- so it's ok. He admits it's in his self-interest as an author to promote such things, but he says he's more enthusiastic to do so as a reader. (Yeah, right, Neil, we're onto you! After all....)

The other major essay was one encouraging people to make good art. Called, surprisingly, "Make Good Art". I think the message is all well and good, but telling people to make good art- to reference the Simpsons again- is like Mr. Burns telling Daryl Strawberry to hit a home run as "good" coaching. It's easy to say to make something good, but a lot harder to actually accomplish it. I think a better message is to encourage people to just make art. Good art will come and bad art will come and not everyone will agree on which is which.

Incidentally I borrowed both the audio book and the ebook of Art Matters. I'm glad I got both because the ebook is gorgeously illustrated by Chris Riddell. But it's also a fustercluck of some kind of handwriting font that my feeble ADD brain couldn't stick to, so getting the words through the audio book first helped an awful lot.

SHOULD YOU READ THIS BOOK:

Sure, it's short, insightful, and very beautifully drawn.

ART PROJECT:

So, I made art of Neil Gaiman. He suggests making your own art and not copying other people's. Which is too bad, because I generally try to match the style of the illustrated books. So I compromised and did partially my style a little sketchy like the book's illustrations. Is this the good art Gaiman said to make? I don't know, but it is art, and I think that's what's important.