It's probably merciful that our debates re art vs craft seem to have
evolved into considerations about design. No, not the Intelligent Kind,
just simple woodturners agreeing to disagree about what is good and what
is bad woodturning design and why it might be important to learn and
understand what makes the difference.

Are today's well designed turned forms universally beautiful, the golden
mean between extremes or are they just in style and currently
fashionable? Remember the plaintive lyrics to the ballad "Mona Lisa"?
Do those ornate Victorian turnings, acclaimed and considered good design
in their time, remain so today? Are there timeless ratios that will
always please or just some fixed rules of esthetics that apply for
today, but can retard innovation?
Sorta sounds like the same ole, same ole philosophy 101 midnight
arguments tailored to fit woodturning: 'empirical vs rational',
'thinking with the mind vs measuring with the senses', 'random
observations vs deliberately devised experiments'. I ask you, where
will it all end? Probably with a beer and a hangover. Musings don't
have to make sense, but wottenhell is the COC musing about now? As
usual, he hasn't a clue.

Happy New Year, everyone. May all your
'06 turning designs and ratios be golden.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings