Interview with Donald Pass

[xanph...@gmail.com]

This is an interview with the former abstract, landscape and portrait
painter Donald Pass. He and his wife talk about their life the vision
that Mr Pass had and the art that he now paints because of it.

Title: The Resurrection of Human Souls
Show: Xan Phillips presents...
Length: 29:53
File Size: 20MB

URL: http://www.xan.co.uk/volume_31.php

[Bill]

Pass "seeks to reveal to reveal something of the great mystery which
underlies existence" ? Good. Maybe in doing so he'll discover the
great mystery which led him to believe that paint smeared on canvas
constitutes fine art.

Have a nice day . B.

[xanph...@gmail.com]

For me art is about the reaction inside; how it speaks to me and
others. When John Rothenstein saw Donald Pass' paintings he "jumed up
and down and clapped his hands with excitement". He then told Pass to
paint nothing else. How often do people in his position react to art in
that way?

If you judge art on how the paint is 'smeared' onto the canvas then
good luck to you. But if you have time show an artist Mr Pass' work and
see what their reaction is.

[Bill]

Who is John Royhhisface and why should I or anyone give a fiddlers
fart what his reaction was ? There is no real standard for judging art
and his opinion is worth as little as anyone else's. Me ? I like to
see individual veins in individual leaves on twigs on individual
branches of individual trees in a forest scene. Green smudges of paint
just don't do it for me. My pet dog can do that with a brush tied to
his tail.
I can't define artistic talent. (Can you ?) But my first
criteria is that the work must be better than my pet dog can do. And
there are mountains of so called abstract art that just dON'T meet that
simple criteria. Moreover I doubt the honesty and integrity of those
who claim to be impressed, especially those who jump up and down.

Have a nice day. Bill/

[Mani Deli]

Until people judge contemporary artwork by what they see rather than
by signatures and what they have been told is supposed to be there,
most will remain bored by the subject and direct their interests into
other things.

PS Be prepared for the usual condemnation about your character from
Bimbo White's prejudice detecting agency. Since that takes up so much
of his time you can't really blame him for not addressing much else.

[Bill]

Yes, I give Bimbo all the attention he deserves. As for
condemnation, I give that NO atention whatever. But isn't it
interesting to notice that raising questions about abstract "art"
strikes terror into the hearts of those who have a vested interest in
promoting it and seling it. MY GOD ! they think. If these people are
successful, in a small way, in restoring common sense to the art world,
I may have to get a job and earn an honest living !!! Horrors !!!! Or
worse yet, I may have to learn to paint, and produce something someone
want's to buy !!!

Regards, Bill.

[xan..phillips@gmail.com]

So Bill, do you prefer a painting that is an exact copy of the subject?

[Bill]

Capturing a scene on canvas exactly as it is in nature can only be
done by a talented artist. So that's a big plus for me. A third
rate painter can't do it, which explains why many of them don't
even try. A person who is good at drawing may develop into a fine
artist. A person who is NOT good at it will NEVER do so. Abstract
art is the white flag of surrender waved by a person who has a lot of
interest in art but no talent Often, he's person who hopes
desperately that the public will not know the DIFFERENCE between
enthusiasm and talent. A scam ? I think the world of art is saturated
with scam artists and scam gallery owners and promoters who have
nothing but contempt for the public. As long as those cash registers
keep ringing.
I have no problem with artistic license leading to added details
showing a scene in a more dramatic or colorful light. Nor do I object
entirely to purely imaginary concepts which convey the artists
"impressions". But he better be pretty damn good to convince me
that his/her impressions are worth my time or money. It's not clear
why an artist believes that his impressions should interest me. I
usually have my own impressions but don't try to foist them on the
public and charge money for them. What is really sad and pitiful is
someone who cannot or will not display any talent, but hopes to win me
by splashes of paint, smudges of color, distortions of reality or by
his assumption that what is new or different or exotic or unusual or
shocking is therefore art. It isn't.

Regards, Bill.

[Mani Deli]

On 11 Oct 2005 00:01:07 -0700, "xan..phillips@gmail.com"
<xanph...@gmail.com> wrote:

>So Bill, do you prefer a painting that is an exact copy of the subject?

I often find that people who can't paint any more than schmiery
abstractions hold the view that the only alternative to this is to
paint "an exact copy of the subject." It makes you wonder if they ever
looked at any paintings.

[s_l_a...@hotmail.com]

Bill wrote:
> Capturing a scene on canvas exactly as it is in nature can only be
> done by a talented artist.

Or a monkey with a camera.

So that's a big plus for me. A third
> rate painter can't do it, which explains why many of them don't
> even try.

But those that succeed are third rate painters as well.

A person who is good at drawing may develop into a fine
> artist. A person who is NOT good at it will NEVER do so. Abstract
> art is the white flag of surrender waved by a person who has a lot of
> interest in art but no talent Often, he's person who hopes
> desperately that the public will not know the DIFFERENCE between
> enthusiasm and talent.

Or simplistic generalizations and informed opinion.

A scam ? I think the world of art is saturated
> with scam artists and scam gallery owners and promoters who have
> nothing but contempt for the public.

Which public are you talking about?

As long as those cash registers
> keep ringing.
> I have no problem with artistic license leading to added details
> showing a scene in a more dramatic or colorful light. Nor do I object
> entirely to purely imaginary concepts which convey the artists
> "impressions". But he better be pretty damn good to convince me
> that his/her impressions are worth my time or money. It's not clear
> why an artist believes that his impressions should interest me. I
> usually have my own impressions but don't try to foist them on the
> public and charge money for them.

LOL ! Well you are foisting your impressions on the public here arn't
you?
You're right though, I wouldn't pay for them.

What is really sad and pitiful is
> someone who cannot or will not display any talent, but hopes to win me
> by splashes of paint, smudges of color, distortions of reality or by
> his assumption that what is new or different or exotic or unusual or
> shocking is therefore art. It isn't.

Ah the uninformed genralization.
Examples?
>
> Regards, Bill.

[s_l_a...@hotmail.com]

Perhaps it might be more interesting to locate the great mystery which
lead you to believe that there are smears on any of the canvases
featured on the website.

In the future it might be a good idea to remember that looking at a
work of art is usually a good prelude to commenting on it.

[xan..phillips@gmail.com]

Thanks for the full response Bill, I think you argue well your case for
fine art over abstract. Although I must point out that my introduction
at the top does say that Pass had stopped being an abstract, portrait
of landscape painter. In fact since his 'vision' he has been unable to
draw anything else but the Resurrection.

If you have time take a look at his drawings displayed at Henry Boxer's
gallery: http://www.outsiderart.co.uk/pass.htm

I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Xan

[artangel]

"The artist does not create for the artist: he creates for the people
and we will see to it that henceforth the people will be called in to
judge its art."

Adolf Hitler

A muse for Mani and Bill?

[xan..phillips@gmail.com]

Sensitive musicians will tell you that music comes through them, rather
than from them.

They are just the medium/tool through which the art flows. They do it
because they enjoy it and it is up to others to decide if it should be
either bought, enjoyed or displayed.

But I would never say that 'that man' was a muse for any one; even in
jest.

[xan..phillips@gmail.com]

[artangel]

We seem to forget that "that man" had great popular support.

Here in the US we are less open to new ideas and seem to have a need to
"protect" our citizens and certainly our children from anything that
may cause them to think in a new way.