While we spend a great deal of time on the ‘techniques’ of writing, we must never forget that writing is as much an ‘attitude about life’ as it is a set of skills.
Challenge: Pick one of these quotations about writing that catches your eye. Offer a reaction.
Length: 7+ sentences:
Option 1:
“What I don’t write is as important as what I write.” — Jamaica Kincaid
Option 2:
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” — Scott Adams
Option 3:
“I have nothing to say / and I am saying it / and that is poetry / as I needed it.” — John Cage
rabbits and cheshire cats 
I chose option 2.
I think this quote is true, and it resonates in my writing. I know I make mistakes in my writing all the time. But sometimes you can’t find the right word to describe what you are thinking. You have to put a ‘filler’ word until what you really want to say comes through. It is an art to decide what to keep and what to get rid of. If you delete the wrong phrase the thing you are writing could take on an entirely now meaning. However if you add something it could distract from what you want to say. It really is an art and a balancing act. The mistakes you allow yourself to make when you write are what allows you to take your writing to an art because you have the opportunity to fix them, and make your writing better.
(Option 2
This is a great quote; art is all about mistakes. It would be silly for everything in art to be perfect and exact, because why not just take a picture of the actual thing with a camera? Mistakes are what cause ideas. Like that apple falling on Galileo’s head.
One time I had a big beautiful drawing of a dog that I had finally finished; pastels are the hardest media for me, and I had spent days on this particular piece. I was proud of it and left it on the counter in the kitchen so I wouldn’t have to file it away in some dark storage place where no one would see it. It sat there for a while, and one day, I noticed that some black stuff had gotten onto it somehow, perhaps from the air vent above. It made a few little black specs on the dog’s perfect white muzzle. I got upset about it and tried my hardest to carefully scrape away the black stuff. Then I looked at it and saw that the spots looked like little freckles, and they gave the dog some character. I actually got out a black pastel and added a few more. Now I almost always give my dogs little freckles. A terrible mistake, and it caused a great idea.
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” — Scott Adams
Some of the best creations, the best features of our known world have come from mistakes. Some people call it a ‘happy accident’. By typing the wrong word, by choosing the wrong color, or by painting the wrong line, you can entirely change the direction of your creation and could end with a result far better that the one you could have ever hoped for. Did Jackson Pollock mean to splatter that first bit of paint? He might have spilled an entire bucket on a canvas of an in-progress painting and liked the result. Giving us the wonderful, colorful, and artistically messy paintings that are heralded today. However, many people see mistakes as bad, they discount the possibilities held in mistakes. Only a truly creative, inspired person can let a mistake just ‘take them’. Many will want to go back, rescind the error, and continue on with their original focus. If a creative person sees a good mistake, they will let it flow through their art and embody that mistake, because it may produce something for more creative, far more imaginative, than human perfection ever could.
Option #1
I really like this quote because I think it describes how I think and analyze things. What he’s really trying to say is that sometimes the best way to say something is by not saying anything. Making your audience read between the lines can be a useful strategy. I like using this form, because it gives thew story a cool effect. I’d like to read some of his work, now. This quote has gotten me curious as to whether or not his writings have this method. I wish I could use this method a little more when I write.
This is a great quote and immediately caught my eye. I believe this is completely true in reference to the arts. This is true because everyone has creativity within them but those who are able to pursue careers in the arts or truly influence people through the arts know when an influential work has been created or when something is simply over the top or not conveying a true message. In acting I think this is especially true because actors are continuously going through character analysis and trying to relate to their characters in a new way, and with this process many times a director will point out that an actor has interpreted a scene wrong or chose the wrong instinctive blocking. This is when true works of art can be created because though the actor may make multiple mistakes with the help of the director they are able to choose which of those choices were not mistakes and work well for their character. Also this is definitely true for artists who paint or create sculptures because they go through many drafts and pieces until they find one that truly embodies the mood or feeling they were going for. When people claim that anyone can act or anyone can sing they are 100% correct because yes anyone can do that, but those that are true artists are the individuals who can decide when to cross stage left or when to crescendo so that the piece is of maximum impact. Creativity does not always equal a work of art and this quote truly conveys this fact. Though creativity in itself is fantastic to be shaped into a work of art means that others can be affected and moved by an artists view of the world or an actors interpretation of a scene.
Quotation 2
Within writing, we must try new things. This part of the quotation is the “creativity”. If we keep on writing the same way we always do, we might not have a beautiful piece of work. Trying new things, such as format, vocab, etc.., we may have a good piece of work. From there, we go to the “art” part of the quotation. We gather the new creative pieces put in our writing that made our work good and combine with the regular ways you write. There, now we have a masterpiece.
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” — Scott Adams
For some reason this quote really stuck out for me. I think it is because I have problems with making mistakes, I hate doing it and rarely allow my self to. However, if I don’t make some mistakes I have nothing to learn from so it is a cycle which will never end. 🙂
Also when I write or do anything, sometimes it is what I didn’t mean to say that makes the most impact, which leads to the first quotation about how what you say is as important as what you do not. It seems to me that the people that can be the most creative and artistic are those who are not afraid to make mistakes. That their work always seems to come out better, more thoughtful. I think the reason this quotation spoke to me is because it offers a reminder that life is about making mistakes, and what makes it good and worth while is knowing which mistakes to make again.
I chose to comment on John Cage’s quote:
“I have nothing to say/ and I am saying it/ and that is poetry/ as I needed it.”
I thought this quote was very profound in its own way. I think John Cage is preaching the importance of writing what you have to say, as opposed to writing something that sounds good but you don’t really mean. If you have something to say, say it. If you have nothing to say, say it, so long as you stay true to yourself. It can be inferred that in order to be able to stay true to yourself, you would need to be secure in who you are and what you want to communicate to the rest of the world. A lot of people will criticize what you have to say and some may like it and some may not, but no matter what its important to stick by what you write. I’m sure John Cage received some criticism arguing that if he had nothing to say, then why waste everyone’s time with such meaningless “poetry”? But like John Cage pointed out, it was “poetry as [he] needed it.” Its important to remember that it doesn’t matter what other people may say about what you do, its only important that you stick to what you believe in. Even if some don’t get what you’re trying to say, there’s always going to be someone who understands what you’re trying to get across.
Writing is an expression of life. Who cares how your writing is perceived in the public eye. “What I don’t write is just as important as what I write” means every thing in writing. I feel like my best writing comes out when I am not required to write something. It is so much easier to sit down and write for fun when you don’t have to worry about a grade and grammar. Although it may not be grammatically correct, it seems to have a flow that is unlike any formal writing. And usually what you don’t write is the stuff that is most important to you. The things that you don’t want people to read. The truly important things.
Option 3:
“I have nothing to say / and I am saying it / and that is poetry / as I needed it.” — John Cage
Poetry allows the poet to admit that what is written does not have to be a brilliant work of epiphany, perfect stanzas or even incredibly poignant. Somewhat like Option #1, sometimes writing “nothing” reveals a whole lot of something. The author is saying that poetry (and its quality) should be defined by the writer. Cage’s line “…as I needed it” reveals that he is more concerned with how each particular writer should focus on what needs to be conveyed to the reader, even if there is “nothing to say.” This quotation leads me to believe that Cage is less concerned with how literary critics will measure his work. He is more in tune with how he feels about his own poetic prowess. Cage’s attitude towards individualism as it relates to his poetry comes through loud and clear in his last four words. In today’s literary world, this is a novel notion. Most writers, poets and authors are seemingly most interested with how their work is reviewed and ultimately endorsed. Positive (or negative) evaluations can make or break a writer’s professional success. Cage is unscathed by how others will perceive his poetry since he appears to be the only judge who really matters.
Option 3 really caught my attention bc I love poetry and I think it can change someones life.
I love the idea that when you don’t just have words to describe something that if you can write in the words of poetry it makes it a lot clearer and easier to grasp. I write poetry to express who I am and what I’m saying. I think that many find poetry hard to do but if you write what you are feeling, for me, the words just flow out. I really belive that one can find greatness in their own writting. I think that people all have there talents sometimes getting the words to make sense is hard. Poetry can be written and understood in many different ways, it all depends on how you want to take it.
Option 2
I could not agree more with this quote. You have to be creative in order to make beauty and that is exactly what he is trying to get across here. You have to be creative to produce art, but to be able to be creative, you have to risk making mistakes. Adams is trying to say that you have to make mistakes to be great, or to get anywhere. I think that this was very wise on his part to create this sort of analogy. Everyone, although maybe not intentional, is selfish at some points in their life. I mean who do you look for first and/or look at the longest? You. Its only natural. Adams is helping more people understand this fact by relating the subject to them, in this case it would be to more artistic people.
“What I don’t write is as important as what I write.” — Jamaica Kincaid
This quote really caught my attention. I agree with what the author is trying to say about writing. I think this quote is saying that you can tell a lot about what a person is talking about by what they write, but just as importantly, what they don’t write. Sometimes not writing something can be more powerful than coming right out and saying it. I think this statement is very powerful, and can be influential to other writers as well. It can teach them a different style of writing. I think all great authors have done this in books at least once. I hope to one day be able to write like this. I think Jamaica is probably a very respectable author, and this quote makes me want to read some of her works.
Option 2
I think the most beautiful art is created after someone has made many, many drafts. And the first draft starts off very distasteful! And by the final draft you have a beautiful piece of art. Everyone has a creative side to them, and making mistakes is the base of gratefulness! Without making mistakes no one grows, or makes corrections to something. Mistakes are what let you stand out and be different from the crowd. Art is just this; a mistake could lead to a beautiful piece!
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” — Scott Adams
I love this quote, it’s very true, and it applies to a lot of people.
This actually applies to more people than I could think. In a sense we are all artists, not exactly in a form of an art class, but more of an artist of our own life. We don’t all have to be creative in a sense of artwork once again, but creative in what we do with ourselves and experimenting with our lives.
Every one of us is an artist painting our own life. We all make decisions in what we want to do with ourselves and those decisions are what make each of our paintings different. Our creativity is applied when making those decisions. Our creativity is how much we’re going to live our life and far we can go with it. Not all of our decisions are very smart, but they all are necessary for the final product. The art of life is determined by your own personal creativity and by what you do and don’t do. The art of life is learning which mistakes have been key to your final product. Many of them have changed you in ways or made you a stronger person, which all really adds up to your art. Everything we do in life is important whether it’s wrong or right.
This quote is really useful at all the time. Everyone makes mistakes all the time, and it doesn’t really matter. The thing matter is about your manner. The successful person is always the one who never give up. When you are trying, the mistake won’t beat you. Only you can beat yourself by giving up, the mistake just like a teacher who teaches you something. Next time you get in this kind of situation, you won’t get freak out again. When you are successful, no one will care about how many mistakes you make, but how successful person you are.
Option 1
I choose option one because I agree with his quote. Everything that isn’t written down doesn’t mean its not as important as to something that is written down. Most of the feelings people express aren’t always written down. If you want to express your feelings and let people know how you feel about something you can speak it show it or write it. Don’t always think just because you can see it in words doesn’t mean it is as important. Expresing how you feel in words could be even better than putting it on paper. It could show people how passionate you are about that subject and it means a lot to you.
I am responding to option 2.
I love this quote and feel that it totally describes my writing. As a writer, you have to always be willing to change things. You have to read and re-read and cross out and circle and every piece of writing should be considered a draft. There is always something that you can do to make it better. I think this quote is also really relevant to the poetry project that we just finished. Since we had to include drafts, you pushed us to really analyze our work and improve it. I know that I personally kept going back and forth and would cross a whole section out and then go back and use bits and pieces from it. Never completely disregard a ‘mistake’ because it may turn out to be just what you need in the end.
“What I don’t write is as important as what I write.” — Jamaica Kincaid
I think this is a very wise statement. I usually end up talking or saying more than I really have to when I am trying to make a point. That’s one thing that hinders me in my essays. I say too much that isn’t really pertinent to my thesis or point.
I also like this saying because sometimes we just need to stop talking (or writing) and listen. What this world needs is more people just genuinely listening to others and trying to understand different people, not just trying to throw information or damnation at everyone.
I also agree with some of the other students that wrote about this statement. This could be a very productive and effective style of writing.
I could maybe see myself writing something that is very overdramatic about a subject that I disagree with. If I make it so dramatic that it’s almost comedic, people will see how silly and time wasting something is.
I’m considering that now… thanks Mr. Long! 😀
When I saw this quote I automatically knew it was the one I should write about. I have actually thought about this quote before when I make mistakes and end up keeping them. My first email address was actually a typo that I ran with. But this quote is more important than third grade email addresses, this has happens to me when I write now. I’m not an artists in the general definition of the word unless you count stick figures and bubble clouds, but I think that writing should be considered an art. When I’m writing without any restrictions I can just keep writing about irrelevant topics. I takes real skill to weed out all of the unimportant fluff and to realize when you’ve found something truly extraordinary.
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”
Scott Adams
The statement by the creator of comic strip Dilbert, Scott Adams, is quite profound. What he says, to me, is “Practice makes perfect.”
At first glance, it may seem like practice has nothing to do with creativity, but it does almost completely. To make anything worthwhile, one must practice. When one is practicing, he can and should make mistakes. For example, good professional golfer is said to hit 3000 balls a day. I am sure more than a few of them go astray. I am sure sometimes the golfer even misses the ball altogether. When you practice a lot, you are hitting the balls every which way, perhaps creating a different way to hit every time. After a lot of practice, the successful tries should stick to you. Repeating the successful tries is art. That is what you bring to the contest and what is as near perfection as possible. So I like the concept and the statement. It encourages you to practice, make mistakes, and then remember the good tries.
option #2
That is an awesome quote. I agree with it in so many ways, it’s very interesting and completely true. Art is often time not what you intend it to be. When you’re being creative your’re gonna make mstakes, the mistakes often times turn out to be a masterpiece.That’s what I like a bout art. I’m not very good at it, but what I really like about it is that your best work is often not what you meant it to be. Art is spontaneous and really cool. You never know what’s going to happen when you’re making art.
I chose quote #2.
I really liked this quote because I thought it was interesting how the author said creativity is keeping the ‘correct’ mistakes. Does that therefore mean that all the beautiful art we see is based on mistakes? Furthermore, is the idea of the art based on the mistake, or do the mistakes evolve once a perfect subject has been chosen?
I also like the part that creativity is imperfect. By saying that imagination is flawed, Scott Adams inspires us. We are no longer striving for the perfection we think we need and feel depressed when we cannot achieve it, but are now trying for a uniqueness afforded by the mistakes we make. Essentially, because we all make mistakes, then we can all make art. Is what separates us from our fellow humans our mistakes? Do all 6.75 billion of us make completely different mistakes? Maybe instead of trying to forget our mistakes and cry over them, we ought to embrace them and accept them for they make us who we are.
“I have nothing to say / and I am saying it / and that is poetry / as I needed it.”
By saying nothing at all, you can say everything, with just a look in your eye, or a touch of the skin. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but it has no voice to speak them. Poetry is not just a rythym of words being put together, it is a portrait of something close to the artist that they would like to share with you. Poetry is also a way to get the point across with so few words needed. You don’t have to write a 20 page paper, but 20 lines to describe your feelings. The world would be a totally different place without amazing writers to fill it. Poetry is one of my favorite hobbies, which is why I love and chose this quote.
Option 3:
“I have nothing to say / and I am saying it / and that is poetry / as I needed it.” — John Cage
This quote caught my eye because it was different than the others with the slashes but still seemed to have the same meaning as the other 2. I thought it was interesting how these quotes could be examples of what we have been learning to do all year. Since we read our very first piece of literate we have been learning to analyze literature by pulling ideas and meanings from areas past the concrete details.
Before this year I didn’t exactly understand what ‘reading between the lines’ meant but now it has become something we do every day. It is interesting to see the infinite ideas that each book or poem can hold. In the case of this quote the slashes immediately catch my eye and it’s funny how the writer is telling us exactly what he does in his literature and it still causes me to wonder. The slashes make me want to think that something is missing in the quote but at the same time I am confused by the author having nothing to say.
***
Mr. Long: The slashes simply mean that it comes from a poem; those are line breaks.
The first quote really stood out to me.
I see this meaning, what you think is just as important as what you write. Whether it is something you write personally but you never publish it or something you are thinking but can not think of a way to write it out. I can really relate to that because I often think of an idea for an assignment and can’t articulate a way to write that captures exactly what I am thinking. It could also be talking about what you tell people. Your story could be spread by telling people, but you never wrote it down. Although you never wrote it down, it does not make the message any less important. Like always, this quote embodied my thought but in a way I could never think to say it.
What I don’t write is as important as what I write.” — Jamaica Kincaid
I am in total agreement with this quote. I often judge a book, not only by the plot but the impression it leaves. If something doesn’t leave an impression than it really wasn’t that great. I like books that leave you thinking about them, and wondering what’s going to happen next, or what could have happened if something had been changed. I also think the overall feeling of the novel is important, and often that’s not what written down in words, it’s what is in between the line and what you perceive it to be. What you take from the work is just as important as what it gives. And often what it gives is not just the interesting plot written in small printed letters.
I pick option 1.
To put it in simple terms, it’s true. Even in the most basic of nursery rhymes that what is being said has just as much importance as what is not being said. For instance, if someone decides to write about a red teapot then the unwritten words that could be linked with the ‘red teapot’ are just as important, because those unwritten words do say that it is not a green teapot nor a broken one. The sentence that is written illustrates what your mind is supposed to imagine, whilest the unwritten phrases are of importance by just emphasizing the necessity of the written words. The invisible words that connect to the visible ones on paper, are the words that make you wonder, would the story have been different if the teapot would have been green? The phrases that are left out are the ones that make us ponder the most for those are the words that our minds add to the story and therefore make it a much more memorable expirience and make the same story individual for each person.
I chose option two. It is very deep. It defines the difference between art and creativity. Art is shown as a more sophisticated way of carrying yourself. Creativity is seen as a gateway to art. As we venture through this gateway we find a new sense of knowledge and enlightenment. Through creativity and expressing ourselves, we reach new goals.
I chose option 1.
This quote is absolutely true, from my perspective. Everything said as well as not said is important. You can change the word write to say or listen and it can still have the same meaning. This quote really stood out to me as soon as I read it because what you don’t know could help you in the long run. But if not heard, then what is the harm of not listening? If a poet wrote a great poem, people will be impacted by it. But if the poem is not published will the impact be even greater, for better or worse.
Option 2:
I really enjoy this quote the most. I never thought of creativity in the way he has described. To believe that mistakes can be made from creativity until we look at it in a whole new way. When we see that new way, it changes the way we think until we realize it’s the right thing we want to do. We then add it into the art until we create something beautiful. Then we can repeat the process to create more and more works of art. From here we are able to teach ourselves so many lessons for our own benefit.
I chose Quote 1, for it makes a lot of since to me.
What you do is just as important as what you write. If a very famous writer, say Peter Ackroyd, went and decided to go paint a mural that depicted the election of Barack Obama. That would be just as influential as if he decided to write about it in a book. What people do is like writing without words. The way there attitude shows, the way they dress, how they act, shows what they are trying to say without saying it. To me, saying something without actually saying it, is a lot easier than actually saying it. If you say something but, you give off the wrong tone, someone could take that in a wrong way. Like a simple nod of the head can mean a great many of things, like a greeting, or telling someone to come to you. The phrase, “Our actions speak louder that our words”, comes to my mind when I think about this quote. They seem to go together, and I understand both of them.
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” — Scott Adams
I think this quote shows the mark of a true writer. Sometimes the mistakes you think you made are actually important to what you were subconsiously trying to say. Like in a first draft, sometimes you make mistakes and your’e think it is actually better than what you meant, but when you sometimes read exactly what you meant to say, you suddenly have second thoughts and question yourself. Finding the mistakes your’e meant to make is an art that you develop once you learn about yourself. This quote is kind of saying that everything that we do is a mistake, but some mistakes are not mistakes at all. It is kind of confusing but, so is life and the whole quote revolves around what we as people consider to be mistakes. Being creative is only half the battle, you have to accept the risk of making mistakes and the knowledge that mistakes are sometimes whst make art ‘true art.’
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” — Scott Adams
This quote tells a lot about writing and art. I think most of the time the bets pieces are actually accidents. I know that certain photographs I have taken on purpose with an intention don’t usually turn out that good. But then the ones I have taken on accident turn out absolutely amazing. So I think this quote is referring to that you make lots of pieces and drafts and then choose the best. Choose the best one that is intentional or not. So to be creative you must not worry about any mistakes you might make. But you should embrace the beautiful mistakes you do make and use them!
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” — Scott Adams
This quote really stood out to me. There have been many definitions of ‘art’ and ‘creativity’ in the past. A vision the individual sees differently than others, a perspective that differs from the norm… these are varying definitions of ‘creativity’. Mistakes define progress and change. Risks allow you to explore past your safe zone and experience or see things you’ve never experienced before. Nothing is absolutely one hundred percent intentional… there is always a little slip somewhere in there. Without a small slip or mistake, how would an artist know what NOT to keep, or what TO keep? Who’s to say one version is better than another if there isn’t a mistake or past version to compare it to? As the saying goes, a great artist is able to turn his (or her) mistakes into part of the art. Creativity is all about exploration. There is no perfection in exploration, just finding and experimenting what is better than the last. In this case, what mistakes or trials are worthwhile to keep.
Option 2
I feel very familiar with this quote because of our recent poetry assignment. Like most of my classmates (I’m guessing), I’ve never expressed myself through poetry. This quote relates to my decision not to work with a laptop in our given class time to work on our poems. I simply chose to jot down small compositions in my journal. Then as I composed the final draft, I was able to piece together my poem and really express my place in nature. Not only with what I was feeling at a certain moment but over the course of several days. I think I did well on the poem, and I know it’s art, the key to me was drafts and taking a little bit of everything to make it my own. Kind of like my genetic code, all the best part of my family members balled into one person.
I liked the first quote because it was the only one out of the three that I could in any way analyze. Sometimes silence is a powerful tool, but I think if used in excess it may backfire. What people spend time actually writing down or speaking shows what they really care about. This being true though, not everything that is written can be believed. It is the combination of both of these elements that show the truth. Being not only the words that we choose to say, but those that we choose just a decidedly not to say. It doesn’t take much to analyze something written, but it takes a great deal of skill to realize the absence of words.
“What I don’t write is as important as what I write.” — Jamaica Kincaid
This quote really caught my eye in a positive way. Its saying that what you write is important but also what you imagine is just as important. Without either one of these your writings wouldn’t have that special spark. Being able to “not write” or imagine is having the ability to create endless works of writings. Also, its saying that what you think is as important as what you physically write down. Both are two different components to writing but both are very important. To imagine is a key factor in the thoughts you write down. Each are equally important.
I chose option 1.
The first thing that came into my head after I read the quote was that it means being able to read between the lines of a poem but I know it can apply to others including books and stories. What an author doesn’t tell you makes you want to know what is going to happen next. What does not tell you could also be important on how the story ends. This quote is also true when watching commercials and applying for a job. For a commercial, it tends to leave out the problems that their products has if possible. That way, more people will buy their product. In your application and/or resume, you want to write down all the good things about yourself and try to leave out the bad parts so you will have a better chance of getting accepted for a job.
“I have nothing to say / and I am saying it / and that is poetry / as I needed it.” — John Cage
John Cage who described music as a “purposeless play,” is saying that he has no great message or meaning. He is simply composing what he feels, nothing more. He is just composing what he is composing, and it is his poetry. I think in many ways this describes me. As a writer, sometimes you have no greater goal. Sometimes you have no message or desired reaction. As a writer I will often feel the words well up within me and just write. Not because I have something to say, but just to say it; and that’s all I need.
Option 2
This quote I believe is completely true. As people try new things they make mistakes along the way, no one is perfect. Example in practice I try new moves and try different escapes but they dont always work as I planned it to. I learn from it and I change it up to try and fix it, I experiment. Maybe if im lucky after several trys it might work and ill use the move in the future if im ever in that position. Mistakes are never bad to make as long as you learn from them. I make mistakes over and over but I learn each time and try to correct myself. After i’ve find a good method go for the task of perfecting that move.
I chose option one:
I completely agree with this statement to start. Everyone has their secrets, things that they want to keep to themselves. But, who’s to say that these secrets are not as important as things that are out in the open? True, things that are writen down do have more of an effect on others, and are much more significant than things that are kept inside. But that by no means translates into those secrets not being as important. I think that everyone has something that they keep to themselves and inform no one of. But, that would not necessarily make it less important? I completely agree with this quote in the fact that everyone has their secrets, and everyone has things that they love to share. But irreguardless of whether it is out in the open or kept to themselves, each fact is just as important as another.
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” — Scott Adams
I picked this quote because it somewhat describes the philosophy that I believe in. No matter what you do in life you’re going to make mistakes, but you shouldn’t let that slow you down. Use that mistake and learn something from it that will benefit you in the future. Just like it says “Art is knowing which ones to keep” you have to accept the fact that things aren’t always going to turn out the way that you want it to. Yet those mistakes might just end up changing your life in a good way in the future. Making a mistake shouldn’t be what you focus on. How you react to that mistake should be what’s most important to you.
I really like the first quote, “What I don’t write is as important as what I write.” — Jamaica Kincaid.
I think it shows the importance of word choice. Each individual word a writer uses is put there for a reason. The way it sounds, the almost indistinguishable differences between it and its synonyms, it all plays a part. There is a reason a writer chooses one word when another of the same meaning would easily fit. Word choice is what makes every poem different. Many poets probably have written poems about the exact same thing as another poem, but his/her diction is what makes it theirs. So for every word written, there are many synonyms that the writer chose not to write, and those are very important.
I am responding to student #15
I really loved how you compared art to actual life. You took the quote far beyond its literal meaning and transformed it into a quote about real life. It is fascinating to realize that it is true that we are all artists, painting our own life. A mistake can be bad, it can hurt and hamper the progress of our lives. Or, you can make a mistake into something better than it was before. You also took creativity far beyond its literal translation. Creativity is how we make decisions because, when you think about it, every decision is creative in some way. Creativity in decision making and allowing mistakes to be made allow you to be a better, stronger person. I really liked how this post went beyond what many people took it to. You took a quote about art and applied it to reality, which is very creative to me.
I am responding to student # 8.
I completely agree that writing needs to be something you want to do, not just something to do. Your entry actually reminded me of an opinion of writing I had formed over the summer but long forgotten because school completely defaces it. This opinion is that writing is only profound and enjoyable when you want to say something. I believe that if you don’t enjoy a topic and don’t want to say anything about it you shouldn’t. (Though of course grades are necessary and therefore writing is required on topics we may hate and not just in English but in all classes). Also I agree that writing has the most profound affect on its writer and therefore ‘meaningless’ poetry about nothing still has value. It is when others can connect with what we are feeling; that writing can inspire what its writer felt to its reader than no writing can ever be truly meaningless.
I am responding to student number 15.
This person caught my attention within the first few sentences. I especially like the “In a sense we are all artists, but more of an artist of our own life” because I completely agree with them in many ways. I feel like he/she got to the point very well and concisely. Originally, when I saw the quote, I didn’t exactly think anything of it. However, when I read this students entry, it really made me think twice about not only what Scot Adams was saying in his quote, but actually putting myself in the picture and thinking twice about where my life is leading. I really like the analogy of us all being an artist painting our own life’s, because its true. We make the choices that lead to the left path not the right, we pick the red pill or the blue pill that will decide our future. I think this student definitely got the whole picture and helped others understand the quote more deeply.
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Mr. Long: I’m quite fond of the “artist of our own life” motto, too.
I’m commenting on student #10
When I first read this quote I thought about how writing nothing is actually saying something. I didn’t really read that much into it because I wasn’t responding to it. However, I didn’t think about was if Cage cared what people thought about his writing or not. That was impressive for you to see this quote in a different way than the obvious. Now that you mentioned that I actually see it in the quote. Cage may say nothing, and by that he is saying something, and he doesn’t care what others think about his lack of saying anything. To master this is an art in itself, I’ve been told not to care what others think about me for my entire life and I still care from time to time.
I’m responding to Student #15:
I really liked your entry. It was very apparent that you put time and effort into and even some of yourself also. I thought that the whole idea of being an artist, painting the picture of your life was very profound and very true. I had never before considered equating life with a painting, but the comparison fits perfectly! Some of the greatest paintings to date were nothing like the artist had originally planned, and that’s what makes life so great. Even when you think you know where you’re going, life has a funny way of taking you somewhere you never knew was there. I really thought your quote was cool and I just wanted to extend my appreciation for your comment.
I am responding to Student #19
Your response really caught my attention. I completely agree with what you said about writing essays because I do the same thing! I also really liked that you mentioned what the world needs right now. I agree 100%. The world does need more people who have understanding towards others, not people who, as you put it, throw damnation at everyone. When you said that, I knew I jut had to comment on your entry. You really helped me understand this quote more, and I can tell that you took time to actually think about the meaning of this quote. I think you did a great job analyzing it!
I chose student # 18
I agree with your statement that everything is a draft. I think that those drafts are vital to the writing process. They tell you what works and what doesn’t. And sometimes you need the things that didn’t seem to originally fit. Because those may fit after you change some things or they may be something for you to go off of to get to what you want to say. I really liked your last line about a ‘mistake’ being what you need. It is so true and a reminder. Things may not always seem perfect but they can turn out that way in the end.
In response to student #15
I completely agree with you. There are people who say that work of art are perfect, when in reality some of the greatest works are mistakes. I like how you say we’re all painting our own life. Very interesting to say the least. It’s correct that every mistake we make is a step closer to achieving what the final product of our life will be. A mistake can be that one thing that we learn from or ignore and possibly completely destroy the canvas we painted our live on. Now in some cases, those mistakes whether good or bad a different perspective is what that person might want. Maybe there are people that just want to piss away their life and have no ambition. If that’s what they want than who are we to deny it.
I mean Picasso’s art were “messed up” right? Bad reference there… Well anyway I’m jut going to sum this up now and say you did a very well thought out entry.
I am responding to student #21.
First of all I really like the way that you wove facts into your analysis. I totally didn’t know that Scott Adams was the creator of Dilbert. Cool! Also, I thought that you had a really great analogy. In a way, you made me see this quote in a new light. I agree that one should never be ashamed or afraid to make mistakes. I also had never thought of the quote as saying that practice makes perfect but that is so true! The best way to master something is to never stop trying. No matter if you are trying to become a better writer, or a better athlete, or whatever it is that you are trying to improve. Plus you never know, you could stumple upon something amazing that you never would have seen otherwise.
I’m responding to Student #27.
Wow, this is a really cool paragraph. I definitely agree that books aren’t that good unless they leave an impression. My friend often makes fun of me for reading profound books like that, especially this one in which the main character suffers a very sad and ironic death (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas). But books like that are the best because they make you FEEL something!
I also like to think about what could happen next and what would have happened if something were changed. If only someone had seen Bruno crawl under the fence! If only that letter had made it to Romeo! If only Isildur had just thrown in the Ring 3,000 years before! If only…
I’m responding to student #28
I agree with you. For what are words without the imagination to bring them to life. The are just symbols, shapes without the mind piecing it all together. What is not said is what adds to the picture, what makes it individual. I also agree that the words unsaid are the ones that make us ponder, and make the experience individual for each person. Someone that has gone through something similar to the character of the story sees the emotion and the feeling that is left unsaid, for it can not be expressed. Yet for another they could totally overlook those same words, yet find significant meaning somewhere else. What we see in between the lines makes reading something a personal experience. Basically what I’m saying with all this is that I think you are right and that I agree with your opinion and evaluation of this quote.
I’m responding to Student #38
I didn’t do this blog, but I read the quotes. I agree with what you say about quote #1 (option 1), yes imagination is as important as the stuff you write down. I mean without imagination we wouldn’t have any of these great books. Shakesphere did way too much imagination to where he created over 2000 words maybe more. Yes imagination is equally important as physically writing down things, but who writes down things at random without thinking besides taking notes. I mean wouldn’t you have to think or imagine something up before writing it down. I think the imagination and thinking process is the root of all the stuff written down. Which is why I think maybe imagination is more important than just writing down things physically. In the end imagine something good, legal, and unique, then write it down, then share it. Who knows you may get an award, or cause something revolutionary. But think about it first, and plan it well.
I’m responding to student number 12.
I totally agree with what they said. I too responded to this quote and I basically said the same thing. It’s nice to see someone else had the same thoughts as me because I thought I was way off base. Interesting about what they are saying about who you look at first…yourself. It’s bad to admit but that’s so true. We all do it when we look at pictures our eyes immediately go straight to ourselves and analyze ourselves first. Interesting thought I never would have crossed my mind but it makes sense I guess.
im responding to student 4:
I think it is cool how you can say that you wish you could write a little more like him. I also like the fact that you say reading between the lines is a useful strategy. Also i didn’t choose that quote but i loved that you did because it gave me a different outlook. i think it is awesome how you figured the quote out and gave it meaning instead of just rephrasing it. I also liked the way that you said that making the audience read between the lines gives effect, i think is so true. Its almost as if the master behind the scenes is making someone else help him to explain his purpose without saying anything but simply participating. I think that sometimes getting the audience involved makes the best writings.
I am responding to student #27
When I first read this quote I did not understand what it meant by ‘What I don’t write is just as important as what I do write,’ however this interpretation has shed light on the quote’s meaning. After reading this entry I came to understand what it meant to read in between the lines, and to really piece story together individually. I also came to realize that what is read between the lines is different for every person. I completely agree with your interpretation of this quote and the lasting impact of a book mentioned in this entry reminds me of how I feel about movies. My impression of movies has always been that if I can’t stop thinking about a film in my mind, not about the skill of the actors but the story itself then that movie really was very powerful. I think this is true with any type of art in a way, from paintings to poetry and theater, art is meant to be self-expression and if it’s good enough then it will make an impact. I loved this response and thanks for helping me understand such a great quote.
I am responding to student #15
I did my entry on the same quote, and I have to say I never thought of the quote in that sense. I think relating a quote that most people just considered to be about art to life was really creative and quite true. We all make decisions in our own life and sometimes those decisions turn out to be mistakes, but it molds the rest of our lives into what they are supposed to be. The creativity of ourselves is what molds our decisions are what make all of us diffrent, you say and that is completely true. “The art of life is learning which mistakes have been key to your final product” is my favorite line in your entry. It is so true that you have to choose the mistakes you want to go with the flow on, and sometimes it is hard, but you have to learn the art. This is a corny example and all but maybe you flunk out of medical school and now don’t know what to do with your life and you discover you love dance and you become a dancer. Some mistakes we make may seem like the end of the world, but they lead us to other paths that may even be better for us, which I think is what your’e basically saying. Overall your’e analysis on the quote was very profound and really caught my attention.
I’m responding to student # 37’s response.
When I first saw that quote by Jamaica Kincaid I didn’t know what it meant. Looking through all the other responses I thought it was about listening more and talking less. All the blog entries were talking about how it is better to listen than to talk.
# 37’s entry goes against what everyone else said. By doing this he got me to look at the quote differently. I like his perpective on the quote and I agree with him. Over all I really like the way he analyzed this quote.
I am making a few statements refering to Student #5. 🙂
As I fellow dramatist, I have to say I agree with you! Last week, that quote really didn’t effect me much. I mean, I thought about it, and debated with me, myself and I if I truly agreed with it, but I wasn’t that compelled to blog about it. You related the creativity/art quote with something I think you really like. I agree that “those who are able to… truly influence people through the arts” have grasped the true concept of ‘art’. It is meant to be seen, heard, felt, and it is meant to be inpirational and thought provoking. When any of the arts cause a raised eyebrow and a wondering mind, I am satisfied as the actress.
I now agree with this quote fully, because as the actor, we have try many different approaches to our characters, and see which choice fits the best. And that, my good friend is true talent. True Art.
I response to student #2
You are right, nobody was perfect, and everybody will make mistakes, even it is very little. It is the same way in the art; no art was perfect, because no artist was perfect. In the real life there had a lot of perfect things had less value than the silly one. Just like the pianist, now had a lot of computers can play the pianos, they are perfect, every song they play was perfect and doesn’t have any mistakes, but why a lot of big hotels still using the real pianist and pay them a lot of money? Oh because the important thing was called “mistakes”, a lot of people don’t like perfect, a little mistake can compare to the perfect, and it also can make people feel better. So mistakes are not all are bad.
This is a Response to Student #3
I think that student #3 is completely right in his/her assessment in the nature of mistakes. Indeed, many of the inventions and arts that we may take for granted were the results of mistakes. If it weren’t for mistakes, humankind would be a species devoid of any sense of imagination or creativity. For when one is committed to duplicating perfection, one ignores that little thing in us that urges us to stand out from the pack. They ignore what they really want to do in a piece of art or literature. So, when someone does make a mistake, it shows that we are human. And if that same person decides that they like their mistake, then we really do go our own way.
I am responding to Student #3
I really like your line “only a truly creative, inspired person can let a mistake just take them”. Making beautiful, imaginative things in the world isn’t about being the most perfect but how well we are able to accept our mistakes and adapt to them. That makes me think that maybe the great artists of the world, besides having massive talent, are separated by their ability to accept their mistakes. I also think it’s really cool that you comment about the creativity and imagination that a ‘flawed’ piece of art can have compared to a perfect portrait. We always strive to be perfect but what would happen if perfection wasn’t the best thing out there? I guess that if everything was perfect, then everything would be the same and boring all the time. But, obviously, art is not stagnant and similar and it is those tiny mistakes that make it so different. Your entry really makes me think that maybe we should all do things in our own style, and accept whatever mistakes follow as they invariably will make our project more unique and creative. Cool beans.
I am responding to Student #10
I thought it was cool were able to “translate” each line of his. When I first read the poem, I didn’t know what to think. Your belief in how poetry should only be about increasing your skill as a poet, not for money, really interests me. I agree with your thought. Poetry sbhould be about oneself and their skill of writing. Money and endorsements should be what come because of your work. Your work, in the end, should be how you want it, not the way to earn money/fame. Cage is one of those poets who doesn’t care about critics, as you say.
I am responding to student number twenty two.
I found your argument very interesting because I too am not so great at art. But what you said about your best art is accidental really caught my eye. I really liked how you incorporated that into the quote. I found it very interesting how you also implied that mistakes make masterpieces. This is not only true in the art department, but also in that of the real world. It really made me think about if you could metaphorically say that art symbolizes the world, which is really cool. Overall I really liked what you did with the quote. Keep up the good work friend 🙂
I’m responding to student 2.
I at first didn’t really understand the quote to be quite honest.
My first thought was, what? Isn’t art all about figuring out the mistakes and then not doing that? But you gave an amazing explanation on how the quote was right and now I get it. I’m gonna be really honest, I get it. And now I can conjure up a million of the same instances with my own sketches and drawings. I really also liked your style of writing, it is very simple and easy to get. Which is very good in terms of people tend to like simpler explanations compared to an elongated, major detail, old English explanation. In a nutshell, really great job.
Oh, by the way, I thought it was Isaac Newton who the apple fell on…
I am responding to student 43.
I really like that you try to live your life like that. I like how you accept that you are going to make mistakes but know that you will improve from them. I sort of try to live my life like this also. The fact that you just keep going after you make the mistake is the cool thing. I wish I could do this more often. I always make a mistake and dwell on it, instead of improving the mistake.
My favorite part is your last sentence though. “The way you react to the mistake is the most important.” That is awesome, if only we could all learn from are mistakes instead of get frustrated about them.
I am responding to student #3
I completely agree with what you have to say. A mistake to me might be a master piece to you. They lead to other things that before a mistake you would have never had the opportunity to experience. The fact that you also knew of an artist that this might have occurred to shows that you actually have evidence to back this up. I looked his paintings up and I actually really like his artwork. He truly could have accidentally splattered paint the first time, and liked the result. Now his paintings are famous and liked around the world.
I am responding to Student #10.
I thought your response was well thought out, well developed, and very original. I liked the way that you related more than one quote in your response. I didn’t even see a connection between any of the quotes before. I guess the third quote is a little more literal than the first in terms of “saying nothing.” I had never even considered your point of view on this quote before I read your response. After reading it though I’m going to have to say that I agree. I thought it was really interesting how you interpreted him as saying that the words of critics don’t matter, it’s only the writer’s feeling about his or her works and how they convey those feelings to the readers that matter. That’s probably something that all serious writers should consider. Don’t write for other people, write for yourself. Even if not as many people enjoy it, it’s honest and you’re doing what you love.
I am responding to student # 14.
I agree with student number 14 about art. It is true that some of the best pieces of art were either based on a mistake or one that has been repainted/redrawn many times. Everyone sees art different and that is a true blessing. You wouldn’t want to walk through an art galleria and walk by a hundred pieces each looking similar. That is why it is so good that everyone has a different view in art and different creativity. Everyone should want to stand out and be different. I also like when student # 14 says mistakes make you grow. If you never made a mistake and learned a new lesson you would never learn anything new. It is true about there last sentence, one drawing that could of been just a rough draft could turn out to be the final piece of beautiful art!
student #9 brings up a great point.
Writing is an expression of life. It is all about what you make of it. If you care what you are seen as, you’ll change what you do. It is true that you best writing is when you don’t care and just write. Writing is about being free. You also have to love writing. If you don’t, you wont enjoy it.
I am responding to Student # 27
I really like how you took that phrase and put in terms that we could all understand. I agree with you and Kincaid. Something or someone might have a million words to say but is it that other 2 million words that went unsaid that matter more? I love the whole idea of it because its true, it’s what we don’t say that gets people’s attention. A book that tells you everything isn’t going to be as intriguing as the one that leaves you with questions. I could talk about how much I really like somebody and how much I care about them or how special they are to me, and all they would wonder about would be if I loved them. Everything we say is just a clue to what really mean I feel like. The majority of us is also afraid to what we really mean, well atleast I am. People see me completley differently than what I really am like, but it’s what we don’t say because we’re scared of other people’s thoughts. I don’t say what I really feel because I know people would be shocked but it truly is everything we don’t say that really matters. It’s why we don’t say it that truly suprising though.
I am responding to Student #21
I also chose this quote but I had a totally different outlook on it. It’s funny how we can all look at the same quote and gained something completley different from it. I liked your opinion on it though, I feel like it’s very true, and this quote is very versatile. It seems to apply to many aspects of life. Everybody got something different from it. Your view was very simple, but simplicity is very refreshing. Alot of people took this quote and dug something deeper out of it, but I felt like you looked at what it was really saying in the words. We all molded this quote into something different, but I really liked your vision from it.
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Mr. Long: As the directions explain, you can ONLY get credit for 1 response to an entry (even if you do multiple responses as you did here). I will publish all of them — because they are well written — but I can only give credit for 1 of them.
I am responding to Student #35
In many aspects this all very true, I liked the end of your response the most, I felt like what you were really trying to say was all right there. You are correct with the process of mistakes, without mistakes we wouldn’t make progress, and artists wouldn’t know what to keep or what not to keep. I also felt like the mistakes in the piece of work, is what completes it. Without those mistakes we wouldn’t know what was better or what was worse. Those mistakes can also be new ideas which open new doors. I liked your response to this quote. It was different than others.
Mr. Long: As the directions explain, you can ONLY get credit for 1 response to an entry (even if you do multiple responses as you did here). I will publish all of them — because they are well written — but I can only give credit for 1 of them.
I am responding to Student 18
I also agree with your opinion of that quote in the belief that a person should use their mistake to benefit them. However, I thought it was interesting how you interpreted that quote. Although we both have the same idea, I feel that you interpreted the quote in an entirely different way than I have. I like how you expressed your logic by using the poetry project that was assigned to us. It was actually a pretty good example after I thought about it. I never really thought about “changing” a mistake that would happen per say. Instead I only thought about how I could USE the mistake, not change it.
I picked option 1 because it seemed to be something that I would say about things.
Poets such as William Blake are all about what is not saying. The message is in the poem but not in writing, its what you have to think of. You have to find the hidden message with in his words. So writing is like that, its all about the message behind the story. This quote is so true and universal. That’s why I chose it it makes sense for everyone.
Student number 8
There seems to be a rebellious side to your tone in your analysis of John Cage’s quote. Pointing out the criticizers made me feel as if you would back up Cage if he was being ridiculed. Also you seem to really believe what you are saying which can be key if your trying to stress write what you believe in. But, isn’t there a fine line in saying what you believe in? You wouldn’t want me submitting a poem denouncing your differences, would you? I wouldn’t say John Cage is saying write anything you want or feel, but write what is relevant and appropriate to the situation and believe it. Not necessarily something like, Mary had a little lamb, and I ate it because I’m the devil. But in this day in age it might actually be accepted. A deeper discussion can arise from this say what you want theory.
I’m responding to student #7.
I think it’s cool that this student takes responsibility for making mistakes. I really liked the statement about not making mistakes. This is a very good observation that if you don’t make any mistakes, you can’t learn from anything.I completely agree that some of the most artistic people aren’t scared to mess up things. I would also say that they can make some of the biggest mistakes. I think that many times the works with mistakes left in them are definitely more thought out.
My absolute favorite thing about this entry is the last line. If that was a mistake it was the perfect one to keep. I LOOOOOOVVVVE that last line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am responding to Student #13
I am in complete agreement with you in your comment about Jamaica Kincaid. I agree with you that she is saying that what one doesn’t write about is as powerful as what he/she does. It tells a lot about the writer. For sure, it tells something about what the writer’s interests are. For example, Hemingway would not write much about suburban American love stories. Rather, he talks about conflicts and events in Africa, Spain, and other exotic places. His stories are not “sappy” and flowery, but short, to the point, and “manly.” One can tell a lot about the man Hemingway.
But having looked up Jamaica Kincaid, who is called “the most important West Indian woman writer” by some, I think she is talking about the failure of some to write what needed to be written. For example, if a white person wrote about the British Empire in the eighteenth century without mentioning the slave trade, or if a German writer wrote about WWII without mentioning Jews, their omission would speak volumes about what they really are writing.
It’s a good quote and I like your comment. I also found that Jamaica Kincaid wrote a book called Annie John, among many others that might be interesting.
I am responding to student #9
I think what you said about it being easier not having to write about a specific subject is true. When you sit down and just write it flows so much better then just writing about one topic. I like the fact that you also see writing in a way that the information that you dont write is what is truely meaningful to you. But writing should be a way to express yourself. You dont have to be straight forward about it but reword it in a way that can have significance and inspire your readers. Every person does have there own way of writing though. It’s also such a relief when you write and its not graded. You make mistakes but its alrite cause your just writing just to write.
I agree with #1.
Sometimes i can never find a word to describe what Im saying. It frustrates so much because i put so much work into what im writing and then doesn’t feel right. Usually because Im in the mode I just leave a big gap in the sentence. I then go back when I am stumped in the subject im writing about. Other times a write in parenthesis of what im trying to describe. Like I put words similiar to the word I want but cant remember what it is. So I completely agree that it sucks when you cant find the word you want but its rewarding at the end when you find the perfect one
Responding to student #13
This quote caught my attention also. I agree that it is more powerful to come right out and say it instead of writing it down. I think that this quote could be interesting to other people as well as writers. I agree that it can teach them a different style of writing. I am not a person who might want to read many books, but I will also want to read some of Jamaica’s works. I like your comment about this quote.
response to #7
I fully agree that mistakes are the best way of making things happen. i think that some of the best things in life come from mistakes. I make mistakes every day(probably more than most people haha) and I love it. I think that life is the best when it is wild. i have never tried to live or pretended to live a perfect life and I love it. I think you should cut yourself some slack and allow yourself to make some mistakes, it gives your life charachter rather than being the same as all the others who try to be perfect and uniform. Each individuals mistakes are as unique as the person who makes them so i think the world is much more interesting with mistakes. I hope you allow yourself to make errors in everything you do from now on, I think it will make everything more fun.
I’m responding to Student #21
The connection between the golfer and the quote had an excellent flow to it. I really enjoyed what you were trying to say. You’re thoughts to me were absolutely right. People practice to make mistakes, and when they become successful, they keep it. Once they get that rythm down, then they are able to accomplish more and more things. I do believe that making mistakes is probably the best learning process out there. Doing what you enjoy and constantly can only make you better. I like the concept and the quote very much also and is a lesson that can be learned.
I am responding to student #6:
The way this student responded to this quote really stood out to me. I found it really interesting that they saw the mistakes part of the quote and their train of thought went to trying new things. I completely agree in that if you continue to do the same style of anything, especially writing, you can never really move forward, learn anything new, or as they said “have a masterpiece.” I simply enjoyed this person’s response. Although it was short, they got to the point and it was clear what they thought about the quote. I also thought that their idea of combining new methods with the old ones was really creative. I’m not really sure if the last line was referring to their response, but if so, I really got a kick out of that. I really just loved this simple, yet strong, response.
This is in response to Student#35
I really like your exposition of creativity and art. I thought it was in depth and well thought out. I like the idea that mistakes define progress. I also am interested in the connection you made to risks, I never thought of that. The supposition that nothing is completely intentional is also bold and provacative. The proposition that mistakes define the art is also a good interperatation of the quote. I think your examination of a ‘great artist’ and the role their mistakes play is both important and correct. The conclution that there is no perfection in creativity is also thought provocing and well voiced.
I am responding to student #3
Very well put, Student 3. I didn’t choose to respond to that particular quote the first time around, but now I feel like I have a better understanding of it. I liked your analogy to a photograph. Mistakes are what make art art, and not just a picture. I also really enjoyed your reference to Jackson Pollock. I agree with you and I think it is probable his first works were unintentional. Creative people work with mistakes instead of fighting them. The best artists and writers are the ones who just go with the flow.
I am responding to student #5.
I like that you poionted out the distinctions between creativity and work. Creativity is not enough by itself. It is a long process to develop a character. Some mistakes have to be made in the long process, most of which are thrown out. However, sometimes the mistakes make the original better. It takes true talent and practice to create art or act or sing. Mistakes are just bumps in the road, improving your technique.