Something that just caught my eye - I went on the Rodmaker Magazine site (link at left), and noticed all the cover photos of Past issues. I find it very interesting that all but 3 covers have photos of rods with decorations on them.

Billy - have you ever tried to take a picture of stealthy performance? LOL!!!

Artist: 1. One, such as a painter, sculptor, or writer, who is able by virtue of imagination and talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value.
2. A person whose work shows exceptional creative ability or skill: "You are an artist in the kitchen."

Billy, I find it almost absurd you are having to defend this. If you build a fine quality wood chair from plans in your work shop, you are a crafstman....if you take one of the "rod kits" and assemble a rod with compentant skill, you are a craftsman. If you do a decorative wrap that someone else designed and you are assembling it per instructions even down to the colors, you are still IMO a crafstman. But when you start adding, changing, re-designing, in-laying, embellishing...you start becoming an artist (and I think Billy is at the highest level of artistry and creativity). Different grip configurations, colors, threads, wraps...all created to acheive a certain look, is artistic in its self. When you start creating something from your imagination you stop being a craftsman. I think the ones that say the decorative wraps are not art believe that whether they like it or not comes into play. There is nothing in the definitions that says it has to be good for it to be art. I have seen many "Art" exhibits from some really hyped up artist and I think it's junk, rediculous, and even ugly....but my personal opinion doesn't keep it from being called art. It is an aesthetic evaluation and is subject to each individual's own taste, but it's still art.

I do also agree that it takes talent to be a good craftsman and it also takes talent to be a good artisan (most don't possess both). Golf is a great example of people not having to be very good to play, but you have to have talent to be great. No matter how much you practice, takes lesson, watch tapes,...if you dont have a God given talent to do something, you can acheive a certain level of competance, but will never achieve the highest levels. My ex-wife always wanted to paint oil paintings. She took lessons, practiced, had the attitude, but her stuff s@#$ked...they were terrible..flat..muddy colors..no perspective...But she loved her work and at the end of the day, she was happy and enjoyed the process of painting.
I think we all lie somewhere in between where she is and greatness. if you are good enough, and others like your work, you can sell it. You can even become a professional. If you can't sell them, then you have to assume your imagination (and/or skills) aren't appealing to anyone else. If you can sell them, and choose not to be a professional, that does not distract from the quality of the work in the least or mean that it is not art.

This is almost like the thread debating whether a rod that is not made for someone specifically is not custom! lol ;>D

just my 2 cents...Terry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2007 09:41AM by Terry Jones.

Rick, funny you should ask me that. While my "Art" photos get plenty of comments, my Function photos go ignored. Now I have to figure out which is it.... I really stink at function, or function is not very interesting.

This pic was a Fuji tip top designed for a Telescoping rod which is made out of some plastic. In my quest for building a high performance rod, and my hunger for being unique - I went for it and used this tip top.
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Not only trying new materials, I modified a reel seat. Notice lack of thread, and lack of interest by the Photo BOard comments
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Another pic of trying to do something different and more functional than the standard. After fishing for a while, this test failed.
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Rather than use a standard graphite blank for an extension, I used one of Emory's Titanium tubes to save weight. Thanks a lot!! I wish I had more though.
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Billy,
If you would have weighed that titanium you would have found that it does not weigh less than a comparable diameter piece of stiff graphite. It weighs significantly more than comparable graphite. I have made a couple of dozen rods from pieces that extended as much as 2" beyond the reel seat but I no longer use it because of its weight even though I probably have 100 pieces of it remaining.

Well, there goes that theory, lol. Thanks for the update, I Was not aware it was actually heavier, although I'm sure it varies depending on teh size of the blank you use as an extension.

Arguing over terminology like this isn't really worthwhile. You can't change what it is by the name you use to describe it. By any other name, a rose would still smell as sweet. Quite true.

It really just doesn't matter.

...................