John's New Year's Resolution

Holland Glade #1, (2008) Pastel Painting, 12” x 14”
[This particular painting has never been exhibited]

I’ve always had an aversion to self-aggrandizement, partially because I know my place in the universe, and partially because I don’t own my talents. Talents are God given, an accident of birth. As such, it is a terrible wrong not to develop and use them, but use should also be tempered by a bit of humility. So, in my journal/blog “The Art of John Bittinger Klomp” I hardly ever write about my art. Most often I do a monograph about architecture, someone else’s art, Art, the Art World or Art Theory as in Metamodernism v. the other “Ism’s.” In the past and present I’ve also written about politics and illustrated those journal entries with my own graphic art. However, due to processes beyond my control, I’ve discovered that I should write about MY ART more often. It is absolutely necessary that I put my work first, and by way of a New Year’s resolution – I will put my work FIRST!

If I don’t show my work, discuss my intent, processes, techniques, and ideas, who else will? In this current climate of economic distress, the contemporary Art World is bent upon the work of a few “masters,” past and present that it can make increasingly valuable through exhibition, press, and discussion in other institutional venue. That discussion often promotes the art of the past (immediate or historical), and/or “cutting-edge theory-based art” by younger artists that art institutions themselves promote and purchase. A secondary and older artist like myself, who has already had his two minutes of fame as a much younger person has no chance to become more established against such Institutionalized commodification aimed at a very rich conservative audience, and/or the Art institution itself.*1

Thus, in the future the reader will find more entries about MY ART, instead of so much theoretical musing about Art and other artist’s work. That is not to say that I won’t write about Art, Art Theory, as well as contemporary works of art – I can’t stop my over-loaded and cluttered mind from its rambling contemplations about art in general, and I will want to share those thoughts with others. Never the less, there will be more self-promotion flowing through this computer keyboard and out into the "cyber-void" in 2012."*2


Notes

*1 Unlike Andy Warhol's statement that "...everyone will have 15 minutes of fame," I may have had 2 minutes of almost fame in the late 1970's to early 1980's with the hyperreal graphite drawings of contemporary and historic iconic motion picture personalities. See journal entry this blog for Wednesday, September 21, 2011, titled "Marilyn Monroe Sighting at Characters Pub, Lancaster, Pennsylvania," http://jbkart.blogspot.com/2011/09/marilyn-monroe-sighting-at-characters.html.

*2 Cyber-void is a term coined by Isaac Stolzfuts in his Weblog (2003-5) at http://zacstolzfuts.blogspot.com/2003_12_01_archive.html. Viewed, 11:01 P.M., EST, Tuesday, January 3, 2012.