"Arch" skrev i melding
...
I hear or read something similar to the subject sentence all the time
and I wonder if it it says something about us. When I behold a gorgeous
sunset or a lovely woman my appreciation isn't enhanced by knowing how
they were made. A need to know about fusion of atomic nuclei or fusion
of sperm and egg adds nothing to my pleasure and probably detracts from
it.

People who have no idea of how turnings are made probably are able to
see them as pure objects of beauty better than turners can. No matter at
what level, all woodturners are craftsmen. Objects of art aren't
begotten, they must be made and we are properly concerned with "how did
you make it?". After all, rcw's middle name is 'crafts'. I just wonder
if the "Wow" has to do with a turner's appreciation of inherent beauty
or is it in awe of outstanding craft.

I think that there is a difference of perception between the laymen,
those who do not know the "craft" piece, and the craftsman who "knows".

I had some education in film and filmproduction in my younger days, and
that did for ever spoil the fun of film as entertainment for me: Anything
strange or new or difficult in the production technology, and I lost track
of the story, to muse on "wow, that's a great trick; how'd they do it?"

So, quite often, when I se what ought to be a good movie, I long for the
"good old days", when a movie was just a movie.

I think maybe artist between them have the same problem: analyzing the other
artist's mode of work or use of motif or use of colour tends to get in the
way
of pure artistic experience; if there exists such an animal.

Some of you think that time spent wondering is time wasted, but I don't.
Anyway, when we see a wonderful turning, we want to know how it was
made. I just wonder if laymen are able to appreciate it better than we
turners can?

I am quite sure that wondering about how things are made is one of the
things that separate us from the animals:-)
Only, when you _don't_ know the how of it, you are more free to fantasize,
and that is often a better _feeling_ than the musings of "how".
But I think I would choose the "how" any day, anyhow.

I think?

Bjarte