Hah hah – you sure made me smile Valerie!! And I’m chuffed that the article has affected you, to look a bit deeper into the creation of your own work. Remember, you don’t have to attach a meaning to your work – your meaning may just be to share the glorious shaft of light or a beautiful sunset. Viewers will add their meaning and understanding.

And thanks for sharing your thoughts about what Michele’s piece briought to mind for you.

What book…?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this painting Abby. I had hoped someone would talk about the label “stockman” and here you are! Love it!!

I saw a blue collar worker seamstress and the precision of the craft. I mean wow looking at the painting of the measure tape. I think I will be looking at art a little more grown up now.

This was a great article. Id also love to know about that book.

I too did not know about the artist’s actual intent and it does open up the meaning of the piece even further. And I enjoyed reading the others interpretations as well.

My thoughts centered about the fact that there was no actual human figure attached and that the mannequin was labeled as “stockman” – androgynous. That society has now become where labels and identities are not important and have now become blurred for everyone. That labeling is not important that we’re all the same.

Earlene, wow! I love your alternative reading of Michele’s piece. Which just goes to prove my point! Thank you 😁

Thanks Laura for sharing your thoughts about Michele’s piece. And for sharing what you read about the instructors advice to students. That’s exactly it!! Amazing indeed. Certainly, artists don’t own the meaning of their work!
I’m curious about the book….

These are wonderful thoughts Jill. Thank you so much for deepening our relationship with this painting!

I read something interesting in a book about an instructor telling his students about the way an artist wishes to tell the story, sometimes subject, sometimes medium, sometimes colour. But even as the artist finishes, the story does not end. Because the viewer takes the piece into their head and they interpret the piece in a different way. You think the artist must have the final say. But the art instructor tells his students they are wrong. Each person who sees the art sees it through the window of their life, the window of their memories, their understanding. So he tells his students the next time they go to the gallery, or view another’s work, instead of asking yourself, “What is the artist trying to say?”, ask “What does this piece say to me?”

For me, I never like adding a story to my work. I think the work should speak for itself. An interpretation in this way lets everyone experience something new. It is the way of magic. The art will become something new in the mind of another. That is amazing, I think.

Hi Carmel, thank you for sharing your thoughts about this whole idea and also how you approach a piece of Art, reading the artist’s intent before going further. Certainly that information exists to help us, the viewer, understand the ideas behind the creation. I think titles can also lead us in a certain direction. And understanding context is also helpful.