AI can try but it can’t do better than this.

Mar 31

Support for artists.

This weekend was The Sailor’s birthday, and we went on a small road trip. Since his parents are visiting today and tomorrow, this week’s blog is short and sweet.

I have been reading recently about artists versus AI. A quick recap, Meta (Facebook) knowingly stole the written works of many writers by using their books to train their AI program. This infringes on copyright laws and they’re wealthy enough that the presumed motive was avoiding the time and cost of sourcing the materials legally.

The other big headline is that ChatGPT’s newest release includes a much, much better AI artists, however, many of the designs are based on real artist works and ChatGPT is not citing or giving credit to those original works, and the people who use ChatGPT are also not giving credit to the original works whether knowingly or not. We’re entering new territory with AI programs and their infringement of art and culture.

Today, I thought I would share some of my favorite works, a chance to shine a small spotlight on the artists, I have come to love over the years. Maybe you have heard of some of them and maybe some of these will be new.

MY FAVOURITE POEM

THE SECRET PLACE
By Dennis Lee

There’s a place I go, inside myself,
Where nobody else can be,
And none of my friends can tell it’s there –
Nobody knows but me.

It’s hard to explain the way it feels,
Or even where I go.
It isn’t a place in time or space,
But once I’m there, I know.

It’s tiny, it’s shiny, it can’t be seen,
But it’s big as the sky at night …
I try to explain and it hurts my brain,
But once I’m there, it’s right.

There’s a place I know inside myself,
And it’s neither big nor small,
And whenever I go, it feels as though
I never left at all.

————————————————————————————————————

WORDS ON GRIEF

“Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love.
It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot.
All of that unspent love gathers in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat,
and in the hollow part of your chest.

Grief is just the love with no place to go.”

— Jamie Anderson

A PLAQUE ON THE WALL

In my Grandma Marion’s house she had this wooden plaque on the wall with this poem on it, I remember reading it multiple times over the years. The funny thing is, when I’m walking with people these words will ring in my head if I find myself a couple steps ahead or behind the other. I’m sure, I wasn’t meant to take it literally and yet, it formed a kinda rule to live by.

“Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead.
Don’t walk infront of me; I may not follow.
Just walk beside me and be my friend.”
— Albert Camus

THE CHIEF WELCOMES YOU HOME

At Grandpa Jean’s and Grandma Sylvia’s they had a painting of an Indigenous Chief that welcomed you to their foyer. I lived with them for many years on and off. I fell in love with this painting, the detail, the texture, and I swear, I thought he and Grandpa had the same nose. To me, the Chief (as I affectionately call him) represented being home. He welcomed me back from my many adventures and I knew I was home.

Below is a photo of the painting as it was displayed at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.

The estate is still trying to sell this painting, if you’re interested in it, click the link in the Artist Name. Sadly, I don’t have enough pennies to bring The Chief home to me.

The Painting Details:

He Shows His Blood

40″ X 30″ | Oil painting | 1998

Artist - Paul Van Ginkel

WHIMSICAL DINNER PLATES

For Christmas 2024, I asked The Sailor for a piece from the dinnerware collection my Grandma Marion had. Over the years, since her passing, I started to miss the set, I thought one coffee jug or bowl or teapot would be fun and something to remind me of her. The Sailor delivered and gifted me a soup bowl (see photo below). I have had the soup bowl on the coffee table with chocolates, on the table with erasers and pencil sharpeners, and just on display with nothing since getting it. I’m not sure what it will eventually hold. Since receiving the bowl, I have fallen even more in love with the pattern. It is colourful, it is whimsical, and it is inspired by a Mexican design. This pattern I took for granted my whole life is being appreciated more and more every day. I love it! I love the design and I love who it reminds me of.

I don’t know if I’ve reached that age (where you start collecting a dinnerware set) or if my love has reached new heights. I asked The Sailor, “What do you think of this pattern?”

He said, “I like it!”

“Okay, I want to make it our dinner set, I’m going to start looking for pieces online and in the Thrift Stores.”

“Okay, like a hobby?”

“Yes, I guess so.”

This is a discontinued pattern. While it seems my Grandma Marion was the only person I knew who had this set, it comes from Luxembourg originally, so being in Europe, is an advantage for my new hobby. I have found many pieces online, I have to pace myself though, and budgets need to be considered. So for the moment, the soup bowl is my only piece.

The Dinnerware Details:

Acapulco

Artist Christiane Reuter

Dinnerware by Villeroy and Boch

Description: A small soup bowl with little rounded handles on the sides. The pattern features a bird (I say Chicken, the Sailor says Pigeon) there’s tall grass and a flower. The design is colourful - purple, green, burnt orange, bright orange, blue, and yellow. Think late 60’s / early 70’s Mexican vibes.

Michelle Bergsma