Chapter 8, Conceptual Worlds Summary and Analysis

The authors note that Henry James asked three questions of the artist, only the third of which is surprising: (i) What was the artist trying to achieve? (ii) Did he/she succeed? And (iii), Was it worth doing? The first two questions are practical, and they help to focus the artist. The answers also help to group artists into schools and understand them in these terms. However, the third question must now be asked. The artist must consider why she does what she does, what she values in her art, and she must structure her artwork accordingly.

The best art will bring something good out of both the viewer and the creator. It should challenge both. One must resist aiming at perfection, but simply achieving challenges. Those who do the best simply aim at the best practice...