ART OF STAINED GLASS
NAIVE vs. SOPHISTICATED



Naive notions in art
Many "naive" artists are actually quite sophisticated in their graphic vocabulary and attention to color and detail; we are not concerned here with naiveté in art as it pertains to the naive art movement, but of our personal, artistic evolution, from humble beginnings, to how our sophistication will be increasing in the future.

If you ask a kindergarten child to draw something, anything, chances are you will get the following:

(o) blue clouds against a white sky.
(o) a tree.
(o) a house with a single triangular roof.
(o) green grass.
(o) stick figures representing the family.

None of this is surprising given how we are programmed to seek shelter to raise families, enjoy an environment with some greenery, and how the sun dominates our natural lives. At some point, the child realizes that the sky is blue and the clouds are white; that the stick figures can be given volume by drawing the members with two lines instead of the single one, etc. This is a progression from the naive to the more sophisticated.

Most people beginning to work in stained glass will begin to experiment with naive notions before embarking on a journey.of exploration and discovery.

Here are some simple guidelines that you might wish to consider, that could in some instances make your work appear more sophisticated:

(o) Place your subject off-center.
(o) Try an extreme close-sup, Georgia O'Keefe style.
(o) If, for example, you have 3 colors, don't have them all in the same quantities, Have one that dominates (2/3), one that supports (1/4) and one that accents (the rest).
(o) Don't abut elements. If you have two bottles, have them touch side by side. Place them apart, or one a bit in front of the other.
(o) If you have warm colors and cool colors, one should clearly dominate the other.