Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:47:58 -0500 (CDT)
From: Charles Taylor <cecetaylor-AT-verizon.net>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: [Puptcrit] red velvet draperies


I appologize if this is received twice.  The first time it came back 
because of what I think was a rejection of elipses. I used Elipses 
because I wanted to focus only on two parts of Mathieus interesting 
letter. I left out other parts so as not to cause readers to have to 
repeat everything that was not material to what I wanted to add.  My 
appologizes also to Mathieu who posed an interesting discussion.

Mathieu said,  "Some of my first-time customers in the past I realized 
were not "trained" to deal with visual artists, or take visual 
decisions. I think they were indecisive because they did not have the 
vocabulary or precise references to express their needs. All they wanted 
was something that worked for their purpose, and would have a life of 
its own (elipses)

(elipses) If I am fully satisfied with the result, the customers usually 
love it even more, and hire me again in the future. When they have dealt 
with me once, they know what to expect, feel more comfortable and 
interact some more in the process.

There's a wonderful kind of special satisfaction when customers come 
back for more.

It's a kind of validation that is hard to beat!"

Mathieu, along that line I want to say:

Decision making, that's what artist do!  I wish those that make 
curriculums for  public schools understood the importance of art in 
developing decision making skills. All life long, one must make 
decisions in areas one is not otherwise prepared. Instead of cutting art 
out to make more time for reading, writing and mathematics, the arts 
should be expanded which supports the two "Rs" and one "M". That's my 
belief after forty five years of teaching elementary school.

My wife is constantly asked by friends to  help  redecorate their 
houses, set a table, arrange pictures on a wall or make something 
interesting. She is constantly telling me that what she might consider 
an ordinary accomplishment they, her friends, will say, "How did you do 
that? How did you think of that? What made you do it that way? It's 
wonderful!" As she says, " And other such over exaggerated compliments".

She doesn't take compliments well because she thinks her talents are not 
that extraordinary, contrary to everyone that knows her. Never mind the 
fact that she has a B.A. in art, was a designer and display artist for 
department stores and is incredibly creative, intelligent and talented. 
Her humbleness doesn't allow her to recognize that others are sincere in 
their compliments or that her ability is extraordinary.

I try to tell her that people not familiar with the arts are  bewildered 
and in awe of those with artistic talents and temperaments.  They think 
in totally different ways.  Maybe it is true about left and right sides 
of the brain being developed. It's one explanation.

The point is nonartistiic people, if there is such a thing, don't know 
how to make artistic decisions.  That was an early discovery of mine.

When I was about eleven years old I built a puppet stage. It needed 
draperies.  I found a beautiful red velvet  at the fabric store. A yard 
and half cost  six dollars, my total savings.  With a rush of excitement 
and daring I bought it.  But when I got it home, I could not cut it into 
two pieces to make two draperies for fear I would make a mistake. 
Perhaps a year went by and I realized that if I didn't chance it, I 
would never have draperies that would open in the middle.  I took a deep 
breath, folded the fabric in half and with scissors cut it into two 
pieces.  Voila!  Eureka!  I had curtains that opened in the middle!

Believe it or not, THAT was my  first big lesson in the art of puppetry! 
Just do it!  I learned from doing.  Then I learned others gave me 
praise.  Wow, the  more I DID the more praise I got!  And I learned that 
there was NO competition in my small circle of life.  It distinguished 
me from my genius brother and smarter friends at school.  I was the ONLY 
puppeteer. At least that lasted through high school.


But what an adventure was in store when I joined the Los Angeles Guild 
of Puppetry and found other colorful, exciting and talented people. 
Then the real learning began.  But none of that would have been possible 
with out that first step with scissors in my hand and a piece of red 
velvet cloth.

Charles
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