From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V1 #693 Reply-To: aml-list Sender: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk aml-list-digest Monday, April 29 2002 Volume 01 : Number 693 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 25 Apr 2002 23:13:22 -0600 From: "Sharlee Glenn" Subject: Re: [AML] Good Young Adult Lit Chris Bigelow wrote: > FWIW, I remember that when I edited _Circle Dance_ for Bookcraft, they asked > me to consider shutting it down even earlier than the manuscript's > then-ending. > > They didn't lop off the real ending, did they? I guess I should clarify this. I am the one who, after getting some excellent feedback (which immediately rang true) from a trusted friend, wanted to end the story earlier and save the conflict over the Twitchell's home for a second novel. I asked Cory Maxwell at Bookcraft (or maybe it was Janna DeVore) about this possibility, but we were already pretty far along in the editing process and so we decided to leave it as it was. It was a mutual decision, although in hindsight I wish I would have been more insistent. Chris, I'm intrigued by your role in the editing of _Circle Dance_. Were you the primary editor or was Janna? This experience with Bookcraft was so different from the experience I'm having with Putnam. At Putnam I have a single editor with whom I communicate frequently. I submit my manuscripts to her, negotiate my contracts through her, and haggle with her over comma placement and character development. At Bookcraft I was never sure who I was working with. Sharlee Glenn glennsj@inet-1.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 03:09:26 -0600 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: Re: [AML] Money and Art This whole state-sponsored art thing is simply a good civic object lesson on the American philosophy. Way back when, the Constitution was written to severly limit the role and power of the Federal government. Then came along Hamilton and his ilk and redefined the Constitution into a more centralized thing, in spite of the history that obviously refuted that interpretation. The problem with the NEA is the same problem with most solutions implemented at the Federal level of government. It's too distant, too wieldy, too beaurocratized and politicized to work well. And it's not the Federal government's role anyway. Dump the Federal level of support for the arts and leave the money saved at the local level where support of the arts not only will work better, be more responsive to the patrons (the citizenry), but also be more in line with the American philosophy and the Tenth Amendment. If there is to be state-sponsored art, its appropriate venue is at the local government level, not the Federal level, according to the Constitution. - -- D. Michael Martindale dmichael@wwno.com ================================== Check out Worldsmiths, the new online LDS writers group, at http://www.wwno.com/worldsmiths Sponsored by Worlds Without Number http://www.wwno.com ================================== - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 03:17:14 -0600 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: [AML] Disney Morals? (was: Money and Art) [MOD: Please note, everyone, my efforts, per requests of some of you, to avoid the word "sex" in the subject line here...] "Eric R. Samuelsen" wrote: > > I was thinking about this last night, while watching Snow Dogs with my eight year old, a film, like all Disney children's films, that's basically about sex. I'd like you to embellish on this provocative throw-away line. - -- D. Michael Martindale dmichael@wwno.com ================================== Check out Worldsmiths, the new online LDS writers group, at http://www.wwno.com/worldsmiths Sponsored by Worlds Without Number http://www.wwno.com ================================== - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 09:05:36 -0600 From: margaret young Subject: Re: [AML] Mormon Literature in Spanish I wish! Nope. I have been in a number of Spanish plays, usually produced by the Spanish department, but I had nothing to do with this theater. With our burgeoning Hispanic population, somebody really ought to try this again! I think it would meet with great success. Thom, I do know of at least one LDS play which has been translated into Spanish (or easily could be, since the author is a retired Spanish professor). If you're interested in doing it in your theater, let me know. [Margaret Young] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 08:04:29 -0600 From: "bob/bernice hughes" Subject: RE: [AML] Money and Art >From: "Ethan Skarstedt" Perhaps my dislike of the NEA stems from a misunderstanding of how much it's involved in my community.Is it?Is that kind of thing mostof what it does? Are all these highly objectionable (to my mind)art things (cross in urine, chocolate and broccoli, etc...) products of local subsidization that have been tossed into the national spotlight and misrepresented? If so, bravo to the NEA for encouraging diversity. > >-Ethan > The generalizations we hear and say that the funds are all wasted is a typical caricature you get on this type of list. A lot of the money in both the NEA and NEH (Humanities) is given out in block grants to local communities or organizations to decide what to do with the funds. For example, the NEA gives a large block grant to the Utah Arts Council to decide what to do with the funds. I met last night with the former development director of the local Egyptian Theater and she explained her sources of funding. The Utah Arts Council (i.e., NEA money) was a chunk of that. The NEA also give grants to the local communities. I am working on a project with a man who wrote the grant proposal to the NEA to help fund the Park City Arts Council (It was approved). You might think that’s money poorly spent, but the fact is the money is going back to the communities to decide what to do with it. Instead of bashing, get on the local boards and influence decisions. And write a grant proposal for your project. Check out the NEA and NEH websites at: http://www.nea.gov/ http://www.neh.gov/ For those in Utah, check out the state equivalents. http://www.arts.utah.gov/ http://www.utahhumanities.org/ Other states and countries, well, sorry I can’t point you in the right direction on that. (Oh, be forewarned: the application on one of these sites was about 55 pages in length.) Bob Hughes - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 09:09:35 -0600 From: "Jana Pawlowski" Subject: [AML] Mormon Environmentalism I keep thinking of the comment reported by the AML-lister of the LDS person who didn't believe in environmentalism because the scriptures say there is "enough and to spare". I think the scriptures also speak of the abuse of the corporate conglommerates, etc. in the last days (maybe?), abuse of wealth and power that diminishes the earth for the meek and humble. Anyway, if anyone in Utah is interested, there is one last chance to speak against N-Waste storage in Tooele. There is a hearing at Tooele High, 240 W. 100 South from 3:30 to 5:30 PM and 7:00 to 9:30 PM ..............TODAY. Sorry for the short notice, but it hasn't been well publicized. You can read more about it here. http://www.sltrib.com/04262002/utah/731619.htm Just participating in something like this would provide fodder for writing (Think of Kirby at the Legislature) about Mormon issues in relation to social topics, whether you're for or agin' it. Jana Pawlowski httt://www.geocities.com/janrand janrand@networld.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 12:32:13 -0600 From: "Jacob Proffitt" Subject: RE: [AML] Money and Art - ---Original Message From: Eric R. Samuelsen > Elitist vs. Democratic Art? Is that where we've gone with this? > > But to suggest that contemporary > commercial Art World is democratic, and non-elitist, is > nonsense. All true. Art is *always* elitist. It has to be if only because *no* art can possibly be absolutely universal. The differences we're talking about is who will be the elites. My personal preference is merely that those who foot the bill should also choose the art. That's all I'm saying. If my money is used to support art, then I should have a say in what art it supports. At the very *minimum* I should be able to find the criteria used to choose the art. > The occasional Thomas Kinkaid Painting of Light > may catch one's eye, but we're naive if we ignore the > calculated cynicism of that particular cottage industry. LOL. Did you intend that pun? Tip of my hat if you did--it's a beaut. (For those wondering what the heck I'm talking about, Kinkaid paintings often feature cottages) > If, on the other hand, our valuable tax dollars are wasted a > tad more prodigally on the Arts, what would be the result? > > [I]f properly subsidized, good repertory > theatre companies could flourish in every medium sized town. > (A town the size of Provo/Orem, for example, could easily > support a theatre, a ballet company, a symphony and an opera > house). Ticket prices would be modest enough that a family > could attend all such events regularly, and could have a > voice in repertoire. > > Museums would flourish, and would maintain very low admission > fees, probably with free admission to school kids. A balance > between great works of the past and of the present would be > part of the regular cultural diet of families. A child who > wished to become a musician, or an actor, or a sculptor, > could actually be encouraged in that dream. It'd be like > deciding to be an attorney or a doctor, difficult, and with > considerable training required, but a viable profession for > someone wanting also to raise a family. So how elitist is > this dream? How democratic? > > Pie in the sky? Not at all. All I've done is describe the > cultural life of Western Europe. Can we achieve all this > without bankrupting our nation? Of course we can. The question remains--how expensive and who would pay? I wouldn't mind *at* *all* if the stupid politicians in Utah took the money they currently lavish on big businesses and shifted that to artistic endeavors. I'd support that initiative all the way. But I'd have serious problems with additional taxes on individuals and small businesses. And I'd have serious problems with Washington dictating the terms of our art. Tell you what, get a petition together to present to Mike Leavitt that tells him to stop fighting for the big retailers' "equal playing field" agenda and take back all the sales, property, and business taxes currently forgiven for those big retailers (to bribe them to do what they'd do anyway--open outlets here). Add a rider in there that those taxes be used to support Utah art and artists. I'd sign that in a heartbeat. If we could do that, we'd have *millions* to support the arts. Or put a petition together that removes the big insurance company giveaways that block insurance innovation in this state so that I can get decent insurance coverage here and I'll even ante up some taxes to the tune I save on insurance. Or tell the transportation lobby in Salt Lake that if they are going to envy Europe, it'd be a lot better to support the arts than our current transportation aspirations. I'd support a transfer directly from light rail to city opera, museum, and theater--including the publicity office and so-called managers (I *hate* that my taxes pay for a lobby group demanding *more* taxes). We need vibrant theater a *lot* more than we need mass transit, hands down. > Some > European economies are struggling, but it's not because > they're wasting money on art. It's because they work 30 > hours a week, with 7 weeks paid vacation a year. Good point. I agree--with the addition of their heavily caste-based stratification of work and workers. I don't like *how* European countries support art, not *that* they support art. > The NEA is under attack all the time, because it's so easy to > pick out a few outre examples of avant-garde extremism and > get people riled up. It's a cheap and easy target. But > let's give this more thought. Let's support the idea of Art. > Because our present state of artistic elitism is, let's face > it, not terribly healthy. I can get behind a re-examination of the NEA. I could even see myself supporting increasing the funding for the NEA and expanding it's role. But a large part of that re-examination, for me, will include oversight and the creation of explicit criteria for funding. Without those two key things for me, I'd as soon see it eliminated entirely so that we can begin a useful debate about the arts without the entrenched interests of current NEA bureaucrats and agenda groups (did I mention that I hate when my taxes are used to lobby for more taxes?). Jacob Proffitt - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 05:50:35 -0700 (PDT) From: Ed Snow Subject: [AML] Re: Snider's Kudos in City Weekly are much deserved, IMHO. Living outside of Utah, I've been reading his stuff as a big fan via the WWW for quite some time. Congratulations Eric! Ed Snow ===== Read free excerpts from _Of Curious Workmanship: Musings on Things Mormon_, a Signature Books Bestseller at http://www.signaturebooks.com/bestsell.htm __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Games - play chess, backgammon, pool and more http://games.yahoo.com/ - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 10:59:54 -0600 From: "Eric R. Samuelsen" Subject: RE: [AML] Money and Art It's become clear that some of us think the NEA is swell, and should be = increased, and that others of us think the NEA is terrible, and should be = abolished. Fair 'nuff. I would simply add one line to those who want art = patrons and not a federal endowment. >The idea of patrons is a dead one in our >country, not because it never worked, it used to do very well, but >because the NEA has taken over the slot. The transition from one to the >other would, in truth, be a painful one but well worth it in my opinion. I would simply point out that the vast majority of art institutions in = this country are supported by corporate or wealthy patrons, who do so not = out of the goodness of their hearts or for any altruistic or aesthetic = reasons, but because they get a tax break for doing so. It's a nice = loophole. Wish I made enough to take advantage of it. So, y'all, you = know that big ugly scupture in front of your favorite museum or office = building or concert hall? You like it? Hope so; you paid for it. Besides, to finally drag this discussion kicking and screaming back to = Mormon letters, we have an instance near and dear to us all where a patron = funds--and exercises control over the content of--lots and lots of art. = Not meaning to criticize the Church, but how many of us really are all = that fond of the institutional art that results. To the extent that = Mormon culture is defined by institutional art, it's a pretty dismal = lookout. Eric Samuelsen - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 13:07:45 -0400 From: Tony Markham Subject: Re: [AML] Graffiti Art When I lived in SLC, I'd walk by Temple Square daily and always look in amazement at the hugely inviting canvas offered by the walls of TS, yet with nary a touch of spray paint. Meanwhile, other areas of the city were awash in graffiti. I often wondered, were there guardian angels around TS who miraculously clogged the nozzles of spray paint cans whenever they were aimed at the Lord's concrete wall, or were there hordes of burly ex-missionaries employed by church security stationed every ten feet or so, just out of sight, or were there a lot of scrub persons who waited until the graffiti was done and quickly came out to wash it off? Inquiring minds want to know. Tony Markham - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 11:17:04 -0600 From: Laraine Wilkins Subject: Re: [AML] Money and Art I'm trying to think through what exactly "elite" means, and how (or whether) it's a concept that can be useful in a democratic process. The definition that intrigues me has to do with art that one might associate with "high modernism", generally inaccessible, abstract, non-representational, exasperatingly non-understandable, and often posited in opposition to popular culture. In addition to making more arts venues available and affordable to more people, I still think that promoting oppositional voices and potentially offensive works is an important thing in a multicultural (at least ideologically), democratic nation. If we have a hard time finding any redeeming value in viewing an image of a urine-soaked cross or a chocolate-broccoli performance, then that is, in part, what such art may be designed to do. It gets us to sit up and think, and forces us to formulate a response, an opinion, an idea, an objection (even a letter to the head of the NEA or one's local Congressman). Some (elites?) would be interested in the subtleties of choosing, for example, broccoli over cauliflower or strawberries. But taking stock of what offends us is a good process to work through. I will admit that I don't have statistics or firm background knowledge to support this, but my sense is that local communities are less likely to support such work. I think the NEA shouldn't exist exclusively to promote "offensive" works of art; but it shouldn't exclude the possibility, either. A cynical point of view would argue that such dialogue about "offensive" works might actually distract everyone from debating weightier issues like having a truly egalitarian society, or our foreign policy in the Middle East. But this seems also to raise the question of what art is really for in the first place. A mirror to show ourselves to ourselves? A place to promote our ideal visions of and aspirations for the world? A respite from everyday life that offers an opportunity to enjoy something beautiful or entertaining? An arena for critical social commentary? A venue to promote critical thinking? A site for working out the contradictions and confusions of our lives (both individual and communal)? A place to promote snobbery? To shape the taste of the public to promote corporate profit? I don't discount any of these. But I guess I would say art -- both elitist and popular -- can do all of these. It takes all kinds of art to promote dialogue both within our country and abroad. State sponsorship of (potentially) offensive art is something I would not discount for a healthy democratic society. - --Laraine Wilkins - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 12:55:07 -0600 From: Christopher Bigelow Subject: RE: [AML] Good Young Adult Lit <<< I guess I should clarify this. I am the one who, after getting some excellent feedback (which immediately rang true) from a trusted friend, wanted to end the story earlier and save the conflict over the Twitchell's home for a second novel. I asked Cory Maxwell at Bookcraft (or maybe it was Janna DeVore) about this possibility, but we were already pretty far along in the editing process and so we decided to leave it as it was. It was a mutual decision, although in hindsight I wish I would have been more insistent. >>> Ah, yes, this triggers my memory. Bookcraft asked me for my input on this exact thing, whether they should defer the home conflict part for a second novel. I think I suggested they leave it in. I remember enjoying the book and thinking the more, the better. That was probably more a gut-level reaction than a scientific study of the book's structure, resolution, or narrative arc. Sorry for any degree to which my input countered your wishes! <<< Chris, I'm intrigued by your role in the editing of _Circle Dance_. Were you the primary editor or was Janna? This experience with Bookcraft was so different from the experience I'm having with Putnam. At Putnam I have a single editor with whom I communicate frequently. I submit my manuscripts to her, negotiate my contracts through her, and haggle with her over comma placement and character development. At Bookcraft I was never sure who I was working with. >>> I was a free-lance editor, probably what you would call a line editor or a copy editor. They never had me work directly with authors. I was mainly to comb through manuscripts for errors, typos, formatting, style, internal consistency, etc. They seemed open to and interested in whatever feedback I could give them, including titles of books. I did mostly nonfiction books, which entailed a lot of source checking, so I enjoyed the occasional novel that came my way. I think I was mainly a safety net for overworked editors, but I didn't really chat much with anybody about how things worked, just did my editing and dropped it off after hours through the mail slot. At one time I was doing freelance editing for Deseret, Bookcraft, and Covenant, but Bookcraft was by far the best match. Deseret mainly had me do some lower-level comparison proofing between documents, and Covenant had me do only one book and then never used me again. The jobs stopped coming my way when Bookcraft merged with Deseret, and I didn't pursue it because I started teaching night school. Now I turn away any freelance editing that comes my way (but I do make referrals to friends whose abilities I can vouch for). I think most big publishers also use freelance copyeditors, don't they? Chris Bigelow - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 13:28:20 -0600 From: "Kelly Thompson" Subject: [AML] Introductions: Kelly Thompson Dear Fellow Listserv Participants, =20 I suppose that it's about time that I introduce myself. I've been lurking= on this AML listserv for quite some time now. In fact, I feel as though = I know virtually all of you. My name is Kelly Thompson and I have just c= ompleted a Master's degree in English from Utah State. My thesis was tit= led "Mormon Women Writers and the Healing Power of Truth." I had a wonder= ful experience interviewing several contemporary Mormon women writers (La= urel Thatcher Ulrich, Louise Plummer, Emma Lou Thayne, Margaret Blair You= ng, Phyllis Barber, and Rachel Ann Nunes) and learned a great deal about = how they balance their lives and their writing. I also studied much about= the lives and writings of Juanita Brooks, Minerva Teichert and Virginia = Sorensen. Had I introduced myself sooner, I'm sure that you all could ha= ve commented on my topic - however, several of you did just that inadvert= ently when you discussed the topic "Mormons as flawed" characters. My the= sis centered around the telling of unpopular truths and how these writers= negotiate that tension. My conclusion was that they do so with judicious= ness, discretion, and compassion. Anyway, I am presently taking some cre= ative non-fiction writing classes at the University of Idaho with Mary Cl= earman Blew, an accomplished non-fiction writer. In the fall, I will be s= tarting a Ph.D. program in English at Claremont Graduate University in Ca= lifornia. I hope to continue my research on Mormon women writers as well = as an in depth examination of the role of autobiography in the English cl= assroom. I've appreciated the insights your discussions provide me and I = hope in the future to be able to contribute. As for personal information = about myself, I am 33 years old and I am not married. I served a mission = to Vienna, Austria in 1990 and enjoyed my first trip back there last summ= er. I am originally from Salt Lake City and that's where most of my famil= y is located. Here's to a future of AML-listserv participation - Kelly = Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.= com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 13:49:22 -0600 From: "Kelly Thompson" Subject: Re:[AML] Competitive Righteousness I'd like to share a thought here. But, what I want to say is, I think tha= t it is very important for each of us to be able to share our stories eve= n if in that sharing we bumble along and sound as though we are competing= in our righteousness. According to one women's spiritual writing theoris= t, Carol Christ in her book Diving Deep and Surfacing: Women Writers on S= piritual Quest, only when women (and I'd include men) share their struggl= es do they "learn to value [their] struggles, to celebrate [their] streng= ths, to comprehend [their] pain." She continues saying that "without stor= ies [individuals] cannot understand [themselves]. Without stories [they a= re] alienated from the deeper experiences of self and world that have bee= n called spiritual or religious." So, for the sake of understand one's se= lf, it's important that we share our stories. Ideally, when a person shar= es his or her story, he or she finds connection and validation on some le= vel, with someone. To nurture one another along, I think that it is so im= portant for us to be compassionate and patient as we all share our storie= s. Kelly Thompson =20 - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 12:53:11 -0600 From: "Eric R. Samuelsen" Subject: Re: [AML] Disney Morals? Well, check it out. >> I was thinking about this last night, while watching Snow Dogs with my = >>eight year old, a film, like all Disney children's films, that's = basically about sex. >>I'd like you to embellish on this provocative throw-away line. =20 In Snow Dogs, Cuba Gooding is a Miami dentist who discovers that his = biological mother, who he never heard of and who lived in Alaska, has died = and that he's been bequeathed something in her will. So he flies to = Alaska, where he learns that she mushed dogs in an Iditarod-like annual = race. He doesn't like dogs. He's from Florida. He keeps falling down. = There's no reason for him to stay there. But then he meets this comely = young bartender girl . . . And so he learns how to mush dogs, two pairs of = which have romantic subplots going themselves. And then his widowed mom = flies out . . . and has a fling with Cuba's bio dad. It's not a movie = about dog sledding. It's a movie about how sexual attraction can get = someone interested in stuff like dog sledding. It's a movie in which sex = drives all the most important major decisions made by all the major = characters. It's a movie about, in other word, sex. I really noticed this in the Princess Diaries. Notice the lovely subplot = with Julie Andrews and the chauffeur? Remember the back story; the = Princess's mother was in love with Julie Andrews' son, the Prince, but = they couldn't work out a marriage because she was this free spirited = artist type and so they broke up, but always longed for each other. So = royals can't marry commoners without screwing up both their lives; that's = the stated premise of the movie. Meanwhile, Julie Andrews has this thing = with the chauffeur. Big state dance; the chauffeur (!) cuts in on the = Prime Minister! And everyone smiles knowingly, because, you know, we're = all decadent Eurotrash royalty and that's how things work. =20 There's clearly a romantic relationship between Julie and driver. Okay, = so Anne Hathaway invites her guy friend to the state dance, and they have = a kiss by a fountain. Nice moment, right? Romantic sighs all around. = Because Anne's learned her last big lesson from Granny. Lesson learned; = if you're royal, you probably can't marry. But if you're discreet about = it, you can have a little something on the side, and everyone will be fine = with it. =20 Sex drives the plots of nearly all Disney children's films. Even good = ones, like Beauty and the Beast; the Beast has got the hots for her, and = that's why he imprisons her. Meanwhile, Gaston has the hots for her too, = which is why he attacks the castle. Beauty isn't solely motivated by = sexual considerations, which is why this is really really good Disney. = But she's rewarded with a total hottie at the end. Don't even get me started on Hunchback of Notre Dame--a nice kiddie flick = about perverted sexual obsession. Or Pocahontas, with Indian Barbie = winning John Smith essentially via a wet tee shirt contest. I see a ton = of these things, and it's true; most Disney children's flicks, the main = motivator for the main characters is sex. That's why The Evil Empire's = collaboration with Pixar is so welcome; it's not so much true of the Toy = Story movies. =20 Eric Samuelsen - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 13:24:14 -0700 From: "Richard Johnson" Subject: RE: [AML] Money and Art - -----Original Message----- From: owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com [mailto:owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com]On Behalf Of Scott Parkin Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2002 8:56 PM To: aml-list@lists.xmission.com Subject: Re: [AML] Money and Art Ethan Skarstedt wrote: >>> Could, perhaps, a parallel be drawn between religion and art? Can the NEA be called State Art? Can its contributions be called irrelevant to most of the folks of this nation? I think the point has been amply made in this discussion that much of the art sponsored by the State Art organ(NEA) _is_ irrelevant if not offensive to most of the people in this nation. And the fact that we're forced to pay for it sans any kind of input is rather similar to it being forced down our throats. <<< Scptt Parkin wrote I know it proves my desperate naivete, but I think we do have representation--or at least we can, if we're willing to jump through the hoops and position ourselves to be involved in organizations like the NEA. It's certainly not easy, but it is possible. Remembering that the fact of representation doesn't mean that our version of policy will be implemented--or that our candidate will be elected. More on that in a minute... - --skip I know, public works projects improve the lives of real people and are knowably worthy causes, but what's the public value of broccoli and chocolate? I can't answer that question except to say that people are inspired to different things by different things. A couple of days ago I decided to take a post to work--Edward Gorey's "The Gashlycrumb Tinies," a sort of spoof alphabet primer featuring children killed in violent ways ("A is for Amy who fell down the stairs; B is for Basil assaulted by bears..."). As I took it out to my car, my seven-year old asked what it was and took it out of my hand to look at. Trying to explain to a seven-year old why dead children is funny is hard, and I didn't do a very good job, especially at explaining the concept of black humor. is so personal as to be very difficult (if not impossible) to legislate. Judge for yourself; but recognize that such a judgment is necessarily specific to yourself. There are few absolutes, in my opinion. sense of what the target looks like. I don't see that as overly helpful. But I think festering resentments are always spiritually damaging, regardless of whether they're justified. So I try to let as many of them go as I can and focus my attention on a few, well-chosen causes, and let others choose their causes with as little judgment as I can muster. Or at least I try. Scott Parkin The words of Scott and Ethan together helped me crystalize my own thoughts. Having drunk at the well, and not only accepted, but agressivly and tenaciously sought NEA money as well as money from a variety of other sources, I should be an enthusiastic supporter of government funding. On the other hand, my own experiences were such that I know that funding from the NEA is not objectively given. One skill that I developed was the mystic process of trying to do what I wanted to do and still satisfying the biases of those who had to decide whether I was going to do anything at all. My first inclination was to join those who objected to the NEA entirely. Indeed, the more dealings one has with that entity the more sense one gets that it is only marginally if at all in tune with the "common man". On the other hand ingenious communties who are willing to get out on the limb and do the work get funding for symphony orchestras that could never be funded locally (and which are completely subscribed and accepted by the community.) Many of the programs for arts in the schools have been eliminated by states and local school boards in favor of a narrowly designed "quality core curricula" and a successful football program (You can tell I live in Georgia)but which still marginally exist only through grant seekers who have enough imagination to go after some money and go out into the schools. (In Georgia, intrumental music will always be taught if only to provide marching bands for the football games- but that's another issue). I do object to government supported crosses dipped in Urine, and deep in my heart I don't think any individual artist (whether painter or performance artist) should receive direct government aid, but if the venues which expose them receive aid most of those venues will also show a variety that could enrich the community. (I hope this post isn't read by the Georgia Council for the Arts to which I am currently writing a grant for theatrical equipment for a new Charter School -- and which, the truth be known receives most of IT'S money from the NEA -Ethan you would, perhaps be shocked at how much local and state control exists over NEA funds that come into the State. Richard Johnson. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V1 #693 ******************************