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Beauty and the Beholder

Posted on 5/18/2008 9:30:32 PM by Martha Faires - 1 Comment
Topics: eternal beauty

"Roses at the Fence" oil pastel
"Roses at the Fence" oil pastel

It may sound radical, but I disagree with the statement that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” It is rather preference that is in the eye of the beholder, otherwise why have rules of composition or color harmony?  If beauty is not based upon an absolute standard, then we as artists are left either floundering in a structureless neverland or we are left so helplessly without form that art cannot exist.

Edgar Whitney, in his classic Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting,   says “Emphasis must be placed upon what  must be the artist’s greatest single concern every time his brush touches paper –––design. . . . . There are too many students who do not know that competence can be learned and taste can be educated into us.”  It seems, then, that to grow as artists we must grow in both competence and taste.

Aspiring to a higher standard of beauty makes me appreciate the gift of art as a means to getting more out of life. 

Comments

1 Response to Beauty and the Beholder

I'm not sure I understand your statement, "beauty really lies in the eyes of the beholder if a person wants to see the good in bad he sees that," Can a person see "the good" in "bad"? Are we speaking artistically or philosophically? Can I see beautiful color in a poorly drawn work or lovely line work in a weak composition? Certainly. But the lovely color or beautiful lines show beauty in themselves, not in the whole of the art.

Philosophically speaking, can people find good in their bad circumstances or see some good in an otherwise selfish person? Certainly. But the good does not change the fact that some things are bad.

My point here was art. Reading Harold Speed's THE PRACTICE AND SCIENCE OF DRAWING and Betty Edward's DRAWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN helped me know how we should "see" as artists. If there is no standard of beauty, then there is no purpose in trying to create anything beautiful. Art can point out bad things--like the horror of murder or the sadness of death--but it can do so with beautiful composition, color, value, design and be much better received and understood than by a poorly executed piece of art.

Thank you for a thoughtful response. I hope this helps clarify my meaning.

Posted by Martha Faires · via marthafaires.com · 109 months ago

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