Good art theory must smell of the studio, although its language should differ from the household talk of painters and sculptors.
Interpretation
Art theory should be closely connected to the practical experiences of artists but needs to communicate in a more refined manner.
Rudolf Arnheim emphasizes that while art theory should be rooted in the real-life experiences and nuances of artists working in studios, it requires a level of sophistication in language that sets it apart from casual conversations among those creators. This distinction is vital for the development of a deeper understanding of art that transcends everyday language, focusing instead on a more analytical and structured approach to discussing art.
In practice
During a lecture on art theory, one might reference this quote to illustrate the balance between practical artistry and academic discussion.
The dance, just as the performance of the actor, is kinesthetic art, art of the muscle sense. The awareness of tension and relaxation within his own body, the sense of balance that distinguishes the proud stability of the vertical from the risky adventures of thrusting and falling--these are the tools of the dancer.
Nothing is more humbling than to look with a strong magnifying glass at an insect so tiny that the naked eye sees only the barest speck and to discover that nevertheless it is sculpted and articulated and striped with the same care and imagination.
Once it is recognized that productive thinking in any area of cognition is perceptual thinking, the central function of art in general education will become evident.
Man's striving for order, of which art is but one manifestation, derives from a similar universal tendency throughout the organic world; it is also paralleled by, and perhaps derived from, the striving towards the state of simplest structure in physical systems.
The arts are neglected because they are based on perception, and perception is disdained because it is not assumed to involve thought.
Variety is more than a means of avoiding boredom, since art is more than an entertainment of the senses.
The genesis of a poem for me is usually a cluster of words. The only good metaphor I can think of is a scientific one: dipping a thread into a supersaturated solution to induce crystal formation. I don't think I solve problems in my poetry; I think I uncover the problems.
Whenever I sit with a bowl of soup before me, listening to the murmur that penetrates like the distant song of an insect, lost in contemplation of the flavours to come, I feel as if I were being drawn into a trance.
There is something about riding a unicorn, for those people who still can, which is unlike any other experience: exhilarating, and intoxicating, and fine.
A drawing is essentially a private work, related only to the artist's own needs; a 'finished' statue or canvas is essentially a public, presented work - related far more directly to the demands of communication.
A method of painting is a natural growth out of a need. I want to express my feelings rather than illustrate them. Technique is just a means of arriving at a statement.
Whoever does not visit Paris regularly will never really be elegant.
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