Artsramble Archive                                                                                                                                           

In a consumer driven economy/republic, we get what the majority chooses. The other side of the pie chart: the minority is stuck going along for the ride. Imagine this minority pie chart, the largest slice comprised of a motley bunch of sleeping heads–hairy or hatted, a spectrum of flesh colors on their variably exposed pates, but all motionless. Then there’s the thin slice, the minority of the minority–a study of unrest. Let’s call this group of screamers the Jeremiahs in their wilderness. (Or maybe the Mike Gravels in the debate.) Their screams represent what most screams represent: a mixture of need, frustration, outrage, and prophecy. A few specialize in the brilliantly expressive, and another few are plain looney. Most Jeremiahs are a combination of everything as they take to the streets (or internet or print media) and point out the objectionable.

Whether it’s:
– landscape razed to a developer’s realized business plan
–the questionably and then grimly elected Mr. Bush and his inevitable war in Iraq
–abundant red ink in the books of excellent enterprises whose fare is so out of the ordinary that they find little support from the average consumer*,
the majority consumer-voter/non-voter’s demands are supplied, and the Jeremiahs are stuck.

It is likely that models of Artsramble will be offered again …When that happens, I’ll be a consumer, bagless, working in my studio and willing to participate. Hopefully whatever takes its place will have as inclusive and populist a mission as AR did, but I’m not holding my breath. These kind of things don’t happen very often. Yet still, there will be some type of media attempting to inform about the visual arts in our region and may even seek to connect us all. I’ll sign up and hope for a lasting impact.

Artsramble will remain on the internet for another few months, sans calendar type pages. This is somewhat for your convenience, in case you have a special interest in any archived articles.

However, the real reason to continuing paying the hosting fees has more to do with how I’ve come to regard AR. If it had become what I intended and continued as a website to engage your fine minds, then it would have been worthwhile media. About 3 months ago, I realized that this was not likely happen; but also began to understand that AR was ultimately performance art. It had statement, aesthetic, involvement, a public venue–and now, impermanence. So I held on until now to achieve symmetry by making Artsramble active for one complete year. AR is a whole piece made of all the parts you threw in.

If you have come to recognize the Rambler’s need to cheerlead, you should not be surprised if her boundless enthusiasm for some artist or a gorgeous work spills over to a posted image from time to time–just to get risk-taking beauty in the mix of the web waves.

However I suspect that those who know me may be taking bets on how long I can keep my mouth shut. Already I’ve considered a personal blog connected to my studio website and trounced the idea. How long I can keep it trounced is the question as I am an unapologetically opinionated person.

All I can tell you is that if opinions keep me up at night, I’ll start posting. If you don’t mind, I’ll let you know if and when such a blog makes its first appearance. Yet I’ve never felt comfortable being the prime Jeremiah, much more at home in the company of my fellows, who see the world from a distance. So if this blog appears, it shall be low key, sporadic, the spout for my boiling point; but always with the aim of listening for the others who play host to the niggling doubts about where the happy majority is taking us.

Finally just like the late great television show Homicide, let me end the year of AR the way I began–speaking to the print media–more specifically the News and Observer of Raleigh. You don’t answer my letters, but I know you read AR. It’s documented. Your readers aren’t stupid, at least not all of them, and it’s cynical of you to reduce us to some low standard that you think your market research supports. I have faith that the public will not only rise to a higher level if you publish one, but that many are already there, waiting for higher still.

Hire a Popular Culture critic, but don’t consider him a replacement for Ellen Sung’s spot. Make room for both Popular Culture and then Art, with a writer who can communicate thoughts and stories about visual expression. It should be as interesting as your book section . The N&O is a fine paper, in my mind. I am grateful for such an informative daily. Please don’t sink–instead expand to where we the readers already are.

* Tasca Brava, Raleigh, is a prime example. Here is a restaurant that is uncompromising in its outlook and fine cuisine but unable to survive in the cookie-cutter array of (ahem) Raleigh’s “fine dining.” I identify with them.