The Cole Furnace: Pimp or Apostle?
The following is the first post of a new monthly ‘column’ called, The Cole Furnace, written by Larry Cole. The monthly post will explore different aspects of the relationship between art and the marketplace (among other things).
There is a question, which has been churning inside of me for a couple of years now. But before I share it with you, I ought to tell you a little about myself. My name is Larry Cole, I am 34 years old, I live in Grove, Oklahoma, and I have been an artist since I was old enough to hold a husky pencil in my pudgy toddler hands. As I grew older I loved to write, but more importantly I loved to create (visual) art. In addition to loving art I also liked to spend money. So, with that in mind, I attended a technical school where I received a degree in graphic design.
I now own a graphic design firm, ColeCom, which I have run for over ten years now. At work, I create logos, promotional packaging, retail displays, etc. I truly love what I do, I love bringing vision and direction to chaos and confusion, but I still have a passion for “fine” art as well. I continue to create “fine” art but in the process I find myself struggling with some conflicting views. When one works creating commercial art, are they pimpin’ (and in the process devaluing) some sort of artistic super power? Or are they actually an apostle promoting the visual arts by utilizing their gift to shape pop-culture and modern society?
If all of this weren’t confusing enough, I opened an art gallery last fall. Now the plot really thickens. I work during most days promoting some retail product or service at ColeCom, and then I go home and create “fine art” with the hopes and intentions of promoting my artwork and selling it. I find this line between “commercial” art and “fine” art distressing, distracting and in the end just a waste of brain cells. (Do we have heart cells?)
I mean who the heck makes the rules and establishes the line where “fine” art begins and “commercial” art ends? And whoever they are, why do we care? At the end of the day I get paid to create visual art. I even get to write a fair amount. Truth is, I feel pretty lucky. I do what I do because it is who I am and what I believe I am created to do. If no one would pay me, I would do it for free. (Please don’t forward this on to my clients.)
So, my question for you is this: Am I a pimp or an apostle? Are commercial artists still artists? Are they building an appreciation for art, or devaluing it? I want to hear what you have to say. I am curious to learn if anyone else can smell what I am stepping in. For now, I have chosen to drop the descriptor. Instead of calling myself a commercial artist or a fine artist, I will simply consider myself an artist.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
i dont really have time to properly comment on this, but i thought I would at least let you know i read it. i have to laugh that you are the only one i can think of that would use the ‘pimp or apostle’ question.
thanks for all you do. you are a good friend. graphic pimp, fine artist, writer and poet - darin
July 16th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Hi Larry! Oh,Yes. I do know the queezy stomach feeling that goes with the question, “pimp or apostle”? After 10 years of trying to be out there selling, I have been getting feed back just lately that blows my mind out. First off ,people say the colors of my murals makes them happy. Then they say the artist must really be happy. Next, they say they personally feel appreciated or validated to see their home town or to see their particular ethnic group contributing to society or to see the very place where they were baptised or married or went to school. Even if they don’t see a personal connection to the picture, they do see the pride and progress of the”family of man” in the stories of California landmarks. They see they are important as persons, as communities, and as cultures. Many immigrants and first generations are absolutely amazed with the significance of their culture portrayed in my murals. Then they feel significant. I see people just blown away about this. They feel loved! And I love them! And I often feel led to tell them, it’s God who loves them and they are personally significant to Him. And, now, get this, people tell me, without me saying a word, they see that God loves them through my pictures. Do you see the point? . The Holy Spirit is alive and well, just doing what the Bible says he will do, convicting men’s hearts even without me saying a word!!!!!! He wants me to paint and he will do the rest, wether it’s with customers, commissioning clients, framers, printers, art store contacts, whoever. I just thank Him that He is on the job, always on the job, doing what He does and I am glad if I can be in the way(if you know what I mean-being used by Him with my paintings and/or with speaking for Him. The benefit to my point of the Holy Spirit working within us and within those around us as He wills, is just this, we can’t help but be His apostles when we are submitted in love and gratitude to Him for His grace in our lives.
July 16th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Nancy, thanks for your feedback. Now I really want to see your work. If you have a web site please email me, or post your site here. I do believe that the Lord directs me, and uses His gift which he hid in me for His glory. However, I have not yet seen how that is going to manifest itself through my “fine” art. My work is highly non-representatioal and would appear to not have great spiritual depth. However, I have to create it. I just can’t turn it off. It is in me, and it has to come out- How weird and Wonderful!
July 17th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Dear Larry, You are weird and wonderfully made. I looked up your “highly non-representational” art work which “would not appear to have great spiritual depth”. My response to your “weird and wonderful” work is quite different than yours.
Winter Rain- Oh, I feel this rain. I want to be in it,forever. I want it to wash my soul forever. It feels orgasmic!
Crash Lamp- My life is crashed. My life’s experiences make me rigid with ice in my veins. Yet there really is a vibrant red-blooded heart in me that wants to pump some hot blood! That white light in the center of the red bulb is just the power that can do it–namely, the Holy Spirit in my temple!
Nature’s Song- Looking through the water of a stream bed. The energy of life. The visual of the Holy Spirit’s energy in me.
Rocky Horizon- My husband’s personality. He is solid, he is steady, like the rock. He has feelings and emotions like the that move like the wood grain.
I love these four pieces! See, the Holy Spirit does His Work without you knowing. npratt@nancypratt.com
July 20th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Larry, This is a good thought provoking piece. I think most creative people wonder where the line is when it comes to defining their work. But in the end I think the gift God puts in us works all the time - like it or not. You really can’t help yourself, your gift is going to work. So why not use it in every aspect of your life? The more you use your gift the more you glorify the God who gave you the gift. It it is used inappropriately at any level, the Holy Spirit in you will let you know. Remember, the “gifts and callings are without repentance.” The search for spiritual significance in what we do is not realized by the gift or the calling in us or even by their use. Rather, spiritual significance is realized when what we do is done with the anointing of God. There are some things we do that are really beyond the scope of our gift and calling. It’s at those times - when we are anointed to use the gift in us - that spiritual significance becomes apparent to us and to those around us. But we are admonished by the Word to do whatever we do as unto the Glory of God. And if we do that, everything we do is spiritually significant, whether we realize it or not.
July 21st, 2007 at 11:02 pm
I wrote this piece then as posting it, I read what Wes posted…. we said nearly the same thing. ……..My personal philosophy is that we are all created in the image of God, who is a creator and the works of His hand are good. Thus, we all have creative genes. Each of us has the capacity to invent, explore and create something extraordinary, thus I believe we are all artists, every man, woman and child has the seed within them. All being all of man kind, it is just a matter of what we use to create , is can words, paint, photography, clay, metal, chalk, or what about chemicals, food, fabric, concrete bridges, or even pecans. Fine art people laugh at folk art because it is so grassroots and from the heart. Folk artist say, “…..and they call that pile of metal in the yard, art? I believe we are to do all to the glory of God whether, its fine art, pimping art, or just simply expressing something inside. When in art school, The fine art students looked down on the crafts, who in turn looked down on the commercial art, no idea why—- it is just what we all were taught. Nevertheless, when we look at it from God’s perspective, He is pleased at anything we do (short of sin or disobedience). It is not a matter if one is finer than something else, but what is it’s intent? How is it executed? Who is the audience and what is being communicated that is the litmus test of pimping or apostle?
July 26th, 2007 at 2:59 am
Sydney Pollack has an interesting take on this topic. Here’s the link to a short video.
http://www.openforum.com/forum.jspa?forumID=300000002&videoThreadID=300000136&vn=2
July 26th, 2007 at 3:12 am
I think if you define the question as “ither art Or commerce”, then you’ve set yourself up for a disappointing and compromised answer. But if you re-define the question to “what’s the right balance between art and commerce” then it’s a much more harmonious relationship.
Even better - define the relationship in terms of “how can I create a good flow of energy between my art and commerce”, and it opens up some exciting possibilities.
July 26th, 2007 at 3:14 am
Whoop, yes, I meant “Either art Or commerce”,