[作業-學習心得]Visiting Martyn Barratt

Martyn Barratt, a professional sculptor, welcomed Jerry and me to his work studio with his warm England milk tea. His clothes tells us that he is a wood sculptor, and his manner shows that he is an English gentleman. However, he does not regard himself as an artist.

During the conversations, he emphasized that he did not try to be an artist. He holds two kinds of attitudes towards art. First, he regards art as his job. He was employed by somebody, and he works everyday, just like other people. I used to think being an artist is unstable, but after talking with Martyn, I could directly feel a sense of tranquility. I realized my thought about artist was just a prejudice.

Second, he thinks himself is playing wood, just like a fifteen-year-old boy. When he was young, he went to the church and got interested in the decorations of carving, and determined his life career. Until now, he still keep the courage and genuineness in his mind.

Jerry and I both found that Martyn is different from local artists in that he did not have many explanations of his artworks. He just lets his mind decide the next step. I wish I could learn his attitude toward life, which is an art itself.