Democracy or excellence?

It seems to me prizes at a workshop are not really necessary. One is there presumably to learn. My feeling is that the ones who get the prizes go away from the experience with a warm, fuzzy feeling and may take the workshop again, while the ones who didn’t may not feel the experience was worthwhile for whatever reason, and won’t repeat it. You’re then stuck on the horns of a dilemma which is most easily solved by not awarding prizes at all.

The handing out of prizes to young people just for having shown up is kindhearted but misguided. We have a generation of kids showing up in the workplace with a sense of entitlement that will keep many of them from being dedicated employees. Somewhere along the line they have to be taught that showing up is admirable – you can’t win unless you play – but there are some who for some reason or another will be the prize winner. This is an opportunity to also teach kids how to recognize a well-earned prize, and how to have the character to congratulate the winner. It also teaches them that sometimes the ass-kisser gets the award even if they didn’t deserve it – and sometimes life is unfair, but it’s not the end of the world if they don’t walk home with an award. I learned in girl scouts that there were mothers who would do the work to get their daughters as many badges as possible – they were the ones who boastfully wore a sash full of badges, but despite the praise they got from the adults, we knew it was bogus and that there was inauthenticity in action. I like the idea of giving a small, inexpensive gift to all participants – a small token to thank them for participating – and then have a first, second and third prize. To this day it makes my heart heavy to not get into a show of paintings, but the lesson that much of art is subjective, and while one judge may not think your work should even BE in a show, another judge could give you best in show. I do wish I could have had a better handle on that concept years ago, because not getting into a show would close me down for weeks or longer, disgusted with myself for thinking I was doing something show-worthy. But I’m gradually learning to just suck it up and take pride in my work even if it didn’t get into a show.

As a speech therapist, I was taught to use prizes as a way to motivate my students. I did this for a number of years, until I realized that I was setting up a false economy and that the communication has to be rewarding enough. I try to make my sessions so fun that they look forward to the next enough to pull them to me. I do give points for two things: a group that gets to my office without me having to “call” anyone and homework that is returned. It’s coming again and again that improves the speech and language.

I think it wrong to single out one or a dozen and one. Workshops are a learning process both visually and internally. You should not add a competitive element in the learning process. Sorry, I thnk you are definetly wrong.

OMG. I’m not just surprised, I’m kinda shocked. All learning is its own reward. Giving children candy for learning, when children (all humans) are programmed to be joyful as they learn, cheapens the experience. Same for adults. Put yourself in your students’ position: minimal-experience and no-win so far. You paid your money and your work doesn’t win. How encouraged/joyful do you feel? (And besides, who the heck are you and your daughter to judge?) A critique in which a trained art educator who knows the recent-technology questions to ask the artist and who presents the critique to the group as a constructive-criticism-only celebration is democratic, encouraging, and produces exciting, innovative, and original art. My wonderful teacher always came up to his adult students at their easel and quietly and gently asked, “What are you working on today?” and a higly respectful and positive conversation ensued. My teacher wanted to know what the student was after so that he could be the best possible guide on his students’ journey…not on the teacher’s journey…nor an art critic or judge who puts the kibosh on someone’s personal quest for expression. Please, just be available for technical advice, give your students exciting projects, show them you are available for technical advice, and get out of the way!!!

I struggled and struggled for the right words and in so doing returned to read more of the existing comments. I then realized that I could not improve on perfection. WELL SAID TO ALL OF YOU!!

Awards at a workshop? Oh, Robert, how could you!!! What’s important in a workshop is the “learning experience,” and that is surely different for each student. Yes, for some students it might be artistic improvement that is reflected in a finished “product.” But for others it might be an opening up to new ideas or a boost in confidence or a clearer understanding of creative work habits or any of a dozen “aha” moments they’ll take home with them and build on. All equally valid learning. An award, however well-intentioned, is a judgment on a finished “product,” something that may or may not reflect the real learning that took place within a student. And beyond all that, I just think awards are discouraging to those who didn’t get one. Let ’em go, Robert, let ’em go.

I wouldn’t go there in my jewelry classes but….there is a delightful custom we found living overseas. Playing bridge with the Japanese Charge de affairs, there would always be a prize for the most points and a prize for the least, so as not to humiliate the loser. I thought it was delightful. I guess if I gave prizes I would give to everyone just for wanting to make art and showing up, that of course is when all the chocolate I provide is not enough.

I struggled with this as my son was growing up. When he was really little, everyone got a prize and they were all so happy with it. A lot of people/parents did not agree with this. They thought that only the best of the best deserved a prize.

Prizes for adults in a workshop change the nature of the interaction. I would not attend a workshop if I knew prizes were to be given. Adult attendees are already motivated to do their best. The words of the instructors are surely reward enough.

Robert, as a student I am looking “up” to you for instruction, guidance and mentoring. Prizes mean my efforts may or may not meet your criteria of excellence. Why attempt to conform to your criteria, when I only want to improve on what I am doing?

Of course excellence should be encouraged, and I applaud your efforts. Rather than “democracy” I would use the word “diplomacy”. There are diplomatic ways to award for excellence in children – perhaps broadening categories, or finding something special each child did & prepare a small prize for each for their accomplishment. For example… Johnny Smith acknowledged for his colour mixing, and Mary Brown for effective composition. The grand finale could then be given to the three “winners” for their multiple skills/accomplishments. It would then become a learning experience for the children. The last class could be used for the awards (although I’m not a fan of children competing in art as they all have their creative abilities . It is our role as teachers to draw it out.) Perhaps instead of “awards”, the concept of “critique” could be used. It encourages a spirit of cooperation and introduces the children to the process.

I just returned from a Master class workshop and the instructor gave us all small raw umber painted sketch he did for each one of us as we requested, (eg. a guy fishing, people under an umbrella, etc.) He also sold some of the demo pieces he did during the week for a fraction of the price of his original works – almost everyone bought something. They were wonderful mementos of and perhaps worth a more to than receiving a prize for our own work. We did get strict instructions though – not to sell these items on ebay!

I cannot imagine giving prizes for art.. to me it is just not even possible. It can only cause problems in both short and long term. Give a raffle instead.

To choose to be encouraged by winning or losing, instead of discouraged is a sign of maturity and is who you are hopefully setting an example for, by choosing a few for prizes. An award or recognition of that kind, loses its “Specific Specialness” if everyone gets one.

Why worry, the deed is done. Stick with your 7 best….the rest have something to aspire to. We artists compete with ourselves every day. Makes for tougher skins than some.

I think such a competition does more harm than good. Making art is not a competitive sport, and judging work is very subjective. Art is about self expression and so it should be self improvement that should be acknowledged and applauded. We need to teach artists how to assess their work and how to receive and give constructive criticism to others. From my perspective, I strive, not for a prize, but for enjoyment through the creative process and results that show improvement over time.

I wouldn’t like it if I didn’t get a prize. I wouldn’t like it if the teachers chose “the best” paintings (I mean, what’s the point of that?). I would like it if the teachers pointed out things that worked in everyone’s paintings. I would like it if everyone got encouraging feedback (which is not to say that you ignore parts that don’t work).

One thing that bothered me as a former teacher was seeing colleagues gleefully handing out stickers for everything from good work to breathing. I tried to encourage my students to feel rewarded by knowing they did their best. I mostly rewarded with words of praise.

Excellence is usually worked for (except for the Mozarts et al) and should be rewarded for what it is. Otherwise, what is the point of striving to improve ourselves?

I would leave the prizes for juried shows where the artist has willingly put their work up to be judged. Workshops can put seasoned artists out of their comfort zone, and less experienced artists probably left that zone when they got the courage to sign up. The best “prize” I ever got at a workshop came in the form of a whispered compliment, something shared just between the instructor and myself. Or, in one case, a small shell that he found and thought I would appreciate it, again given stealthily. I have it to this day. You can have democracy AND excellence without singling people out, negatively or positively. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Your workshop attendees have the prize and win of making it go right to have a master instructor. No other prizes are needed. I noticed that being complimented by Sonia King when I attended her workshop validated me far more as an artist, without antagonism from the other students a prize might have engendered.

Those with the lowest self-esteem or the biggest egos will covet awards. Honing one’s art abilities need not be a contest. I think competition may actually inhibit budding artists. It may spur some on, but please do realize we are not all made of the same stuff. There is not “one size fits all” when it comes to learning experiences.

There is merit to both “everybody gets an award” and “some people get awards” . . . also to “nobody gets an award”.

Some would argue that children should all get awards for “showing up for an event”, but that’s not the real, adult world, and at some point kids will become aware that the real world is a very competitive one in which years of learning, practice, and hard work pay off. I was just speaking with the president of the National Watercolor Society and was thrilled to hear the him tell me that my recent submitted painting was “amazing” and that I’d earned my long hoped for signature status. Yes, I paint for myself, but kudos in the form of awards given me by my peers and mentors is part of the reason I work hard and strive to improve with each painting.

I show dogs and I also paint. In conformation dog shows, dogs are judged according to a “standard” that describes a perfect specimen of the breed, in both looks (conformation) and temperament, and they are judged by how closely they conform to that standard on that day, taking into account the biases and personal proclivities of the judge. The process isn’t much different than the presentation of art: a work is presented for criticism by the audience (or workshoppers). Some get prizes, or are purchased, as the case may be. Perhaps on a different day, in different lighting or in the company of different work, or under the eye of a different critic, another painting (and its artist) might come out on top. Sometimes, there is a zinger that everyone agrees is a “champion”: a work with both style and substance – something that comes close to achieving a universally acknowledged standard of excellence. While there are few barriers to entering a purebred dog in a dog show, over time, it is usually the best dogs that win. The rejects still make wonderful pets.

One of the things I like most about work shops is that I’m not being graded or judged by my performance.

I say ‘no’ to prizes. There is usually some thing good you can say about each students painting. Pointing out what you liked and asking the class to do the same. “Work”shop says it all.

I have never seen prizes awarded at a tapestry workshop. As a student I would feel embarrassed to receive one, and perhaps annoyed if I was left out. As a teacher I feel it is unnecessary and sort of beside the point. It’s not a question of Democracy or Excellence: when I teach a workshop it’s a question of Learning. It’s true that some students, for whatever reason, learn much faster. That is its own reward, but does not necessarily mean they will stick with it long enough to achieve excellence. I would hate to discourage the slower learners in the group. If I were to offer some kind of evaluation, I might take a cue from my soccer coaching days, in which I offered every player on the team (privately) one comment about something they were doing well (YES, everyone has one!), and one comment about something that they should work on to improve their game.

I teach piano, so this letter is close to my heart.

Tripped over the self esteem fallacy did we Robert? Educators have been struggling with it since some ‘expert’ invented it and too many got on the bandwagon. Prizes for all are a joke. Prizes for adult competitions are appropriate. In learning situations … not a good idea. For kids … not at all. The element of competition implied by prizes does not belong in every human endeavour. It is especially negative when working with children. Our local art guild got conned into adjudicating a children’s poster competition several years ago. The experience was deadly and after the event a motion was passed to never do that again. See, the winning entries were painted at least partly by the child’s mother. Every child in the school knew that. Someone’s grandchild clued in the guild later. Some guild members had been skilled enough to recognize the adult’s hand in at work in key passages but the rest voted for it regardless. Result? One happy mother, possibly her ‘winning’ child … but no one knows for certain … I suspect she was embarrassed. For the other young participants, what? Some disappointment and cynical laughter at the expense of the many adults so easily gulled. I am certain that in every childrens’ art class the kids know who are the ‘best’ or ‘top of the class’, the most accomplished. They recognize that if there are prizes those in that top group will get them and the rest have to smile and act pleased. They also know that when everyone gets a prize the prize is meaningless. For children, arts competitions of any kind should be discouraged and a sense of the value of life long learning should be inculcated. Teachers should praise personal achievements but avoid comparisons and eschew competitions. Adults can take disappointment it better (maybe) but those of us not in the top rank still get tired of watching the top ranks get yet another trophy for the cabinet … we can all recognize the most accomplished work, so why state the obvious. I suspect that reasonably confident winners get bored with prizes as well. Nope I think prizes for adult competitions are best … you don’t have to join if you don’t want.

I don’t understand the concept of everyone getting a prize. It degrades the meaning of the award granted. When I grew up there were normaly 3 prizes: 1st prize with 2nd and 3rd runners up. It had some value to win such a prize. Those who failed to win at that time were either stimulated to try harder next time or to find some other interest to excell in. As to those who have practiced the discipline for years losing to a whippersnapper it sounds ludicrous that someone who has enjoyed the making of art for so many years would be in it for the learning and not for the prizes awarded n a one time grouping of amateur and professional. In this case, art, should uplift and not induce a sense of bitterness. I am not for awarding everyone something. The chance to work and learn amongst a group of like minded participants should be enough. And with that group the encouragement through prizes should be a welcome appreciation of this one moment together.

“Mediocrity or Excellence?” should have been the title of this article. I thought a democracy meant that everyone gets a vote, not everyone gets a prize!

For me, curiosity prevails and I really like to see which work the teacher sees as most successful – I find it educational. I have no problem with prizes – seeing others get them or myself getting them. I don’t see what’s the big deal. Roberts usually does these things in style.

It really surprised me that you would give prizes in a workshop! In my opinion, workshops should promote risk taking and experimentation, with the idea that you will return to your studio and make better paintings in the future with what you’ve learned — not that your workshop efforts will be judged as finished paintings (or judged at all, beyond a candid but constructive critique). Second, giving prizes encourages an emphasis on product over process, which is the surest way I know of to discourage the kind of risk taking that is required to develop one’s own authentic voice. This is not to say that awards are never appropriate — in a juried exhibition, say — but even then it’s hard to deny the erosion of creativity and, potentially, integrity that can happen when striving to win becomes more important than striving to grow.

Being one of seven founders of a small art gallery – two of us were asked to judge the paintings of first graders in our local school. The children were very excited to see their art up on the schoolroom wall. I could not judge them. In their own way – they were all wonderful. I told them that and they were happy.

We artists are pretty insecure already; I would hate to attend a workshop and feel that I just didn’t learn enough to turn out a painting worthy of an award. In fact, I’ve never attended one where there was a prize given. It’s a nice thought, but it does have its drawbacks.

I’ve never even considered that I might receive a prize at a workshop. In the workshops I’ve attended there is usually a critique and students as well as the instructor look for something that works in everyone’s painting. It is about what you have going on in your painting and not a comparison of your painting with everyone else’s. The non competitive aspect seems to foster a spirit of generosity during the workshop sessions. Participants are often generally supportive of each other. I doubt that would be the case if workshop was featured a competition which involved prizes.

I have gone to several art workshops. A couple of the instructors drew numbers at the end for their demo works (which we students prized) — I happened to be a fortunate draw. And I never would have won anything otherwise! All instructors had an art ‘show’ of the student works and commented on each piece with positive as well as ways to improve a work….all this is much appreciated by a person who loves the painting process but not her finished work!! Prizes might be somewhat painful for me even though I am aware of my limitations. I always enjoy your letters so thank you for taking the time and energy !

I appreciated this piece and the thinking behind it. As an attendee or many art workshops, I find that the pieces I produce during the workshop do not reflect what I am learning from my participation. The value of the workshop learning comes later as it gets synthesized into my intellect and skill set. During the workshop I am trying on new approaches and suggestions – just like the first time I make a new recipe. So I don’t think folks should feel disappointed if their efforts during the week aren’t that successful – it’s what happens afterward that’s really important. I also think those who don’t get awards learn critical analysis skills by seeing what you have chosen to reward.

I think the Greenburg quote says it all. I don’t participate in workshops to compete with the other participants but to improve my own skills and knowledge. I think giving prizes defeats the purpose of taking the workshop.

Prizes become meaningless if everyone gets one for simply showing up. Well meaning parents have been giving these sort of awards to kids for years now in fear of otherwise damaging some one’s self-esteem. What they don’t realize is that self-esteem is built by having real successes, not fake ones. Meaningless awards become an unconscious insult to our intelligence and we all know it on some level. You are doing the right thing by rewarding real achievement. The best real consolation is to the one’s who didn’t win is to say something like, “I’m sure you’ll do better with more practice”. This is an encouragement to work harder to be better, instead of coddling failure.

Do you feel like a winner if everyone gets a prize? I really don’t. What I like is for the judge/teacher of an art event to do is to make a comment. It makes every artists feel good [and this is what it is about, isn’t it?]to receive some personal attention. Make some kind of positive comment…why does this look good, I like this part, or some statement to address each student’s art. Really have you had your student’s add to the comments with some input? At the end of the event, of course. YOU can see which ones are better and which ones could be better with encouragement. They all go there for a reason.

Why in the world do you give prizes? Words of praise from you would be enough and encourage me to try even harder. They, the words, also would not discourage the other folk in the workshop. When I go to a workshop I go to learn not to have a competition. And to be, sort of, ambushed by a competition would stop me from taking that workshop again. It will be interesting to see who signs up for your next one in that area. My guess is that the folk who got a prize will be there, front and center, and maybe not too many of the others who did not come for a grade, but for a learning experience. I look forward to seeing what other folk have to say on the subject.

I have taken many workshops in the past, and am now going to be teaching some. You are so astute on so many levels, but my opinion on the prizes is “man you are way off”. It really came as a surprise to me that you would be doing so, given all your other comments over the years — it just seems out of character somehow.

I really am tired of the whole judging ethic. Just hang the dang paintings and let people enjoy. It’s just one person’s opinion on a certain day, or if a panel of judges, a compromise. If a teacher or mentor could privately give a note of encouragement to an artist who’s painting they think is particularly successful, that should be enough.

In a competitive world, giving everyone a ‘blue ribbon’ causes the ribbon to devalue for those who are competing. That being said, I think everyone deserves a prize for just Being There and for Working Hard. It never hurts to reward and encourage that. What was learned by many will take months, maybe years to absorb. As you already know, because you share of your knowledge so generously to all of us, teaching rewards are long term. We may never know how much we actually influenced another person, but they will never forget what we gave them. Joe Abreccia told us all, at a Pro-Art Workshop in Montana, “the most important thing you can do when you paint is to BE there!” I have never forgotten that and he probably has never known how much he influenced me, with one comment, for the 25 years since he said it that day. That is the REAL prize!

After years of being judged and being a judge I have, in my late years, come to the conclusion that judging is a disservice to the participants in the show, and most of all, to the public. Rather than picking and choosing (mostly what the judge likes best) wouldn’t it be far more educational to have a comment sheet for each piece? We pay judges a good stipend…let them work for it. I curated an art show for four years three of which I discouraged judging. Last year the committee hired a judge who, I am not lying, spent less than 30 minutes to choose the awards. I resigned from the venue.

People do not go to workshops to receive awards for efforts in workshops. If workshop instructors decide to give awards making a workshop “a competition” Instructors will lose ground and students. People come to be taught what they do not know already or in hopes that they will learn something new. Some are already intimidated and often do not do much painting while in the workshop so if you introduce prizes, give undue attention to individual student you will definitely be doing a major dis service to your students. If you do not give each student individual attention and only favor a few with your personal time you are also doing a major disservice to your student. So you either need to give attention to all students or give attention to none and just teach.

Robert, I think you blew it this time.

If we consider this, using a different analogy, awarding every participant would mean that every professional football player would be awarded a “Super Bowl” ring, and every journalist would be awarded the Pulitzer Prize, and every radio or TV show and announcer would be recipients of the Edward R. Murrow Award.There would be no need to keep track of team stats, and standings could be abolished.

Prizes at workshops in my opinion is a very bad idea. To me the purpose of a workshop is to feel free to try new things, to see with new eyes without the fear of failure hanging inhibiting creativity. Giving out prizes implies that the most successful workshop participants are those who produced the “best” paintings not the ones who learned the most or had new experiences.You are telling your workshop participants that a few people succeeded and most failed. If I had gone to your workshop where you gave prizes, I would not come back for another even if I had gotten the blue ribbon.

I believe (as I am sure you do too) that there is something magical in every artwork, be it a line, a smudge or an accident. I learned this from a group of seniors 80+ women whom I taught at a Seniors Home. They all started off by saying that they could not draw and had no talent in art. At the end of the session, they were proud to show their self-portraits to the others in the home. Each of the paintings displayed a particular style either because their hands were shaking, their fingers curled or their vision was not perfect, something like Van Gogh, Lautrec and Monet. There was no good, better, best. For me, it was another lesson in life.

I do believe in prizes for achievement. I don’t believe in awarding everyone regardless of quality or ability. In life, we all have a niche to fill. When we practice and work hard, we are often rewarded with a quality product which others will pay to receive or acquire. Mediocrity should not be rewarded.

Thank you so much for your letters! I began my artwork later in life, and it’s wonderful to be guided by a gentle hand through the sometimes tangled paths of creativity.

“…most artists left our workshop without a prize, and Sara and I are starting to worry about it.” – I consider this an astute statement on your part. It shows that you are looking at this situation and its cultural significance with an open mind. You also gave the Yamaha School’s approach of awarding every student as a counter example, in particular Billy Puff’s surprising award.

I feel strongly that you should give no prizes. Why did you feel that you and your daughter had to make a judgement? It takes the thrill out of creativity for everyone, even the winners once they get over the temporary egoic thrill.

While giving awards at a workshop may be great for those that get them, I think it could be demoralizing for the have nots. In a workshop environment, and speaking from personal experience, artists are very vulnerable. While some artists enroll to have fun, or explore a new venue to paint, most artists want to learn. Learning increases vulnerability. And not winning an award can increase feelings of inadequacy.

Why do you two feel compelled to give awards?

I would not like to feel that competition was involved in a workshop. No matter how insignificant the prize, it is the public “judgement” that bothers me. I find workshops difficult enough and my best work is not done there because I am trying to learn new concepts and getting them executed in a short period of time. I often leave a workshop exhausted and feeling confused until I can practice the concepts and techniques later. The best prizes are encouraging words from the teacher.

As a fervent “taker of workshops” and have given a few myself, I’m not all sure that awards /or re-wards are the way to go. A workshop is a stimulating, friendly, and rewarding experience in itself. When awards are given out, the prize becomes the “reward” and not the experience or enrichment. As with children a little “stroke” goes a long way to excellence!

As Manet wrote: “Competitions are for horses, not artists!”

I doubt that you will make or break anyone with your prizes for the best of the week. I think we all know that we have some more successful days and paintings and some less. In concept at a minimum we are all adult. But it might be more of a challenge to you and Sara to find the things you want to say you find remarkable, memorable, or commendable or worth honoring in each student. That way you let each go home with something to think about and treasure from the week in addition to the substance taught. When I have taken the time and trouble to do that for students of mine, some have been truly touched by the notice given their individuality. I don’t think the choice is democracy or excellence, in other words. If you cast the question that way, you already have your answer, when you are talking to artists, at least.

I have been active with a county wide arts organization for almost 15 years. I think prizes are fine as long as the criteria are clearly spelled out in advance. For juried shows, we make sure that everyone understands that the juror’s own criterion determine the choices, not the quality or “worthiness” of the art. For one of our annual shows, we allow “Viewers’ Choice” awards. Most people realize that the viewers in this particular venue (an arboretum) will chose the “best”, most realistic artwork. Those that do fabulous abstract know that they won’t win in this show. As for classes, that’s a bit trickier. I’d say, that unless you announce ahead of time what you are doing and why, it may leave a bad taste in the art mouths of those who felt that they really worked hard and excelled in what they did.

I don’t think awards are a good thing in workshops whatever. When artists are in the learning process, one of the things they should strive to discover is the inner ingredient of individuality that makes their marks their own, unlike any other. It seems that having awards puts them all into the same boat, the boat of sameness, when in reality we are uniquely separate. To discover that inner individuality is the point of doing art.

No matter how old one gets it is nice to be rewarded but excellence must trump democracy. As a teacher for more than three decades I have seen too many awards given for mediocrity. That leads to an awards systems that is meaningless. It was drummed into us to be certain to compliment students on a continual basis. One person said the only thing he could think of for a young lad I’ll call Billy was to tell him he did an excellent job of punching Bob’s face. Also, by giving awards to average work it builds esteem that is not later rewarded in the so-called real world. When Billy tries to get a job but his best skill is pugilism neither he nor society will benefit.

These were GROWN UPS you were teaching, right?

I feel an award is not what you should be taking home from a workshop.

I’ve done some teaching myself and I have been blown away by some of what has turned out in class time to be some pretty incredible work. And as a participant in workshops, I’ve been one of those people who on occasion turned out some very nice pieces myself. However, that being said, I would never have expected any prize, nor as an instructor would I consider giving any. My reason is this: everyone shows up to gain more knowledge and experience for improving what they are currently doing. Most people are in a learning curve in a workshop where there is new technique, tools, etc. and their best work usually comes later. That is generally my experience and that of many others I know. I need time to assimilate what I’ve just learned and then put it into practice. The reward in class is in the doing and the best ‘prize’ I can receive is the instructor being able to help my process with good comments and visual examples while I’m there. That also goes for me when I am instructing and I try to reciprocate that experience for them.

Re: your painting workshop at the “alternative lifestyle” Hollyhock resort, were any of the classes in the buff, too? of course reminded of the old cartoon where the model poses fully clad before a bevy of naked artists.

The incredible place where time stops and with pen in hand, a sheet paper and a model before you are all that exists. A vision that immerses one in another dimension. A timeless creative space is the “reward” and no physical prize compares.

Giving everyone a prize isn’t democracy it’s more like socialism. Don’t worry about those that didn’t receive a trophy, they know it’s just your opinion. How valid can that be if you didn’t select their work?

Hate to disagree, but I don’t think workshops are the place for prizes of any sort. Workshop sessions are times/places for trying something new, for risking (and failing, and risking again). They are not about competition or achievement. Introducing such a level of self consciousness and competition undermines the point of the exercise. There are plenty of opportunities to be judged against your peers — keep workshops as safe spaces for exploration and play, without criteria or expectations. Otherwise, you limit the potential for growth because people stick to their tried-and-true methods of doing “good work” in order to shine for the teacher.

I very much think that everyone should have gotten some sort of award, be it in letter form or something tangible, OR, the option of no awards at all. At the end of the only class I’ve every taken where I spent a week painting (it was in a very simple country setting in France with a very perceptive teacher – there were only 8 of us, I think), there were no awards, only what we carried home with us as memories of comments and help, and, of course, our paintings. There was a 30+ minute comments time at the end of each day where we displayed what we had done, and the teacher spoke to us all about each of our efforts. By the way, there were many levels of proficiency in painting but that only added to what I learned. My output after that class doubled, thrived, thanks to the teacher’s involvement. I did not feel that anyone was singled out as better than the others. In fact, we ended up encouraging each other as the days went on. Oh I wish there were more classes like that! As to you and your daughter, do not feel bad. You’ll work it out the next time you do a class together and I’m sure everyone learned a lot, award or no award.

I’m sure the workshop was a valuable one, but I don’t think any prizes should have been given, for the reasons you mentioned and more.

What happened to “at ta boy?” I think anyone going to your workshop, would have glowed in the praise of a job well done from a respected teacher. I remember reading an article about John Carlson going to a summer art program in Woodstock New York for the Art Students League. Everyday there was a critique and the “best” painting got the prized spot front and center on the wall. Everyone tried to get that spot the next day, or the following day. I think you are better off not giving any awards. Sure you made the week for everyone who received them, but slammed everyone who didn’t. And for what purpose?

I agree with what you and your daughter did. Why? Because we have enough quantity in this world what we really need is quality. You need to let the people who did outstanding work know they did. If you gifted everyone equally how would they really know they were any better?

I think individual sincere creative positive words of encouragement for their achievements and targets for their improvement to every single student is so much better than picking out some for prizes. This is how we as teachers write our reports and each student glows with the praise as it is obviously personal to them and (some) follow up with tackling their targets so it sets them on the right track. It does take longer and I do spend hours ensuring I am saying the right things but if you keep a notebook with a page for each student you can always pick out pertinent and memorable things to say to each of them. it means so much to each one. love your letters – every one has something good to think about.

I would hope that when an artist takes a workshop they are not expecting to be told only wonderful things about their work. In the real world not everyone wins an award. The last time I got a blue “participation” ribbon I was in kindergarten. Since then the cold hard world has dealt blows to my ego on a regular basis. Just this week a renowned Canadian artist, that we all know and love, looked at three pieces of my work and said, “one and three are rather wonderful (that’s nice thank-you), the shack a bit garish and amateur. “(ouch).

Absolutely no prizes at a workshop.

I think that giving prizes to everyone makes the prize meaningless! If you want to give everyone a small gift, go for it, but don’t call it a prize.

While teaching I learned this; often awards are given in the real world for the “best” and if those are the parameters that are set ahead of time then great. However, in a class where everyone comes with different skills and levels, its hard to pick the best. Someone who started at 80% and finished at 95% made a 15% gain, however someone who arrived at 20% and finished at 60% made a 40% gain. Who is taking the most home from the class? When I taught, I always concentrated on what the student did right and rewarded his improvement. There is a time and place for competition, but only when the playing field is even, and everyone comes in with the same skill set.

I spent my working life as a physical educator where the issue of prizes always raised its rather unattractive head. Trophies tend to lose their initial glitter with time. Perhaps the relationship between the terms “a trophy” and “atrophy” is not coincidental. It seems to me that workshops are not intended to be competitions, although some participants undoubtedly see them as such. Given that workshops are learning experiences that should involve mutual sharing rather than besting others it seems to me that prizes are not only unnecessary but inappropriate. The “names-in-hat-lucky-draw” system can add a bit of fun to an already enjoyable experience. I suspect that somewhere there is an anti-gambling individual who is opposed to even that. In the final analysis it will be the kind words, pat on the back and constructive feedback that will be remembered long after that large tube of Titanium White trophy has been used up.

At workshops, if I were the teacher, I wouldn’t give out prizes at all. People can see quality without prizes telling them which are “better” than others. People who need a prize would probably be better off getting some private help with insecurity issues….I say that with compassion. People who don’t get prizes learn nothing from the ‘rejection’ experience….they are painting out of love….think of yourself being rated as a husband by your wife! People who get the prizes learn nothing either. They know who they are. If a teacher feels he wants to tell someone they are destined for glory and wants to share his enthusiasm for the workshopper’s work, he can always speak privately. The ‘market’ or a person’s family and friends can be the arbiters. What I want from a teacher is specific guidance on how to do things I don’t already know, and a kind word of encouragement now and then! That’s all!

Why diminish the hard work of some. The stats are that more of our teenagers and young adults suffer from depression. Could it be because our education systems cut out any competition and our young people do not learn how to handle failure and have nothing to gauge their progress, in learning, against.

I had a rewarding experience a couple of months ago after a week-long workshop with Gerald Brommer. After the workshop, he had every one of us place our works at our tables and, as a group, we went around to each table. He is truly a master. He found something valuable with every person’s work and then found areas of growth for every person’s work. Each one of us could easily recognize and celebrate the outstanding works, but never felt diminished by their excellence, because we truly felt that we are on a journey and we’re each at different stages of development. Gerald had emphasized this fact continuously during the week. As a result, the “critique” was not only painless, but affirming to every single person there. I had never been so impressed, and this critique occurred from 3:00 – 5:00 on the Friday. No one felt the urge to leave early. I need to emphasize that he was not just being kind. The comments were valid.

Prizes and awards are always a matter of opinion — but when it comes from the “teacher,” the person in power, they have more force. The non-recipients may be thinking, “Well, that was the opinion of someone who should know — he’s the teacher! He/she must be right!”

I only want a prize when there are few given. If I was to get an award or a prize where everyone gets one it wouldn’t mean anything. Anyway, I think rejection is good every now and then, it helps me focus and like the saying goes, “what doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger.”

I am going to have to disagree with you on this one. I do not think it is appropriate to give prizes to the students unless they were aware that there would be a competition before they entered the workshop. I understand wanting to reward hard work and talent but it is subjective isn’t it? I go to workshops to improve and learn and not to be in competition with other artists. We compete with ourselves enough as it is.

I don’t care for prize awards at a workshop. Participants pay to gain knowledge, benefit from critiques, and the like. They are, in effect, buying a service/product. Unless the workshop is advertised as a contest or competition (“The best/most improved artists get into our juried show!”), I think it’s off-putting. When I attend a workshop or artist retreat, I want to concentrate on my process and incorporate what the instructors advise. I don’t want to compete. And since one of my own challenges is dealing with fear of failure, I would not appreciate sitting through an awards program while internally sinking into the mud. My reward isn’t being told that I’m the best (or one of the best). It’s the support and encouragement I received from colleagues and teachers, and the satisfaction of knowing that my work has improved. The prize thing just seems to cheapen that.

Everyone likes to receive recognition for their work whether it be a grand first prize or just a simple certificate or small token that they were there and participated.

If it is true that what you have said many times about the glut of less than spectacular art on the market in any given location, I think you did the right thing in giving out awards to those you felt were most deserving of them.

Many now believe that child rearing has gotten completely out of hand with over-rewarding.The basis of this was to build positive self esteem. The backlash is that we may have a generation of kids that have no skills in their bag for accepting criticism. As artists accepting criticism is a major part of our job, albeit hard to accept sometimes, it can also help us grow. As an artist we can completely ignore the advise as a subjective opinion as our own armor to keep us painting, but we all know it creeps in anyway and we mull it over with hopefully positive long term results.

Having come from a hard working farm family, where from childhood we were enrolled in the school of work hard and earn your reward, I think that contemporary thought, which touts handing out the kudos to everyone regardless of merit, borders on criminal. Participating in this practice has robbed folks of the development of work ethic, critical thinking skills, development of craft and pride in achievement. This may also contribute to the hugely inflated egos freely floating around these days. Quite honestly, I would rather feel that I had done my best and earned the recognition than to feel that I had been pandered to in any way, shape, or form.

I don’t understand what is wrong in praising those who excel. This constant “build their self esteem” of the last 20 or so years hasn’t produced greater achievement but people who have been taught that they are wonderfully creative and intelligent even though they are quite ordinary. There’s nothing wrong with being ordinary and just having fun creating art. In the latter years of my teaching (art and English) when I announced who received the highest marks on a project , test or exam, and said words to the effect of “let’s give them a big hand” some students said that I wasn’t being nice because it made the rest of them feel bad. I did praise individuals when they were doing well in certain areas, ie. choice of colours.

Competition is a tricky thing.

I’m on the side of No Awards for workshop participation. At the poetry writing workshops I’ve attended, there are no awards handed out or expected. The group and the instructor make plenty of comments during the workshop sessions, so the feedback is ours to cherish (or ignore). Everyone gets to participate in a reading — sometimes a collection of one poem from each participant is printed as a memento. There are usually plenty of take-home handouts for everyone — so our rewards are great, but a-wards none. At local art association workshop I’ve gone to there were no awards, either — same rich and helpful comments from instructor and group — one-on-one comments with instructor are really precious — sometimes we each received a helpful little “tool” — a gum eraser, a spongy “brush”, a spray/mister or such. So — democracy during the workshop, pursuit of excellence afterward, with sharper skills for a competitive edge. Just thought — a no-prize demonstration of how you and Sara WOULD judge 2 or 3 of the participants’ paintings IF this were a juried show, might be very useful for everyone to show something about what judges are looking for, are not likely to be impressed by, how personal or objective the process can be, etc., etc.,

NO…you should no be worried. Prizes are meant to acknowledge achievements and both the recipient , and non, should take away whatever message was intended. If we, as painters can’t see the value in critical thinking we will never improve. Coddling anyone for the wrong reason is a big mistake.

When I first retired back home to my birthplace, I had resolved to spend my time polishing my watercolor painting skills. I signed up for a workshop with a very talented Boston watercolorist who summered in Maine. I had a wonderful time, meeting new people, learning new skills – such as bringing pliers to open the screws on my Heilman box, which had swelled up during the foggy night, making it impossible to open.

Firstly, prizes are bogus and not worth the material it takes to make them much less receive them. I, like many others, have a drawer full of them. Secondly, your angst is misplaced since you know that not everyone in life gets “rewarded” for their efforts. It’s one of the quirks of nature. This point should be very clear to a seasoned artist as yourself. Thirdly; and I say this with all due respect and kindness; the amount of years you paint teaches you many things but does not necessarily make you a good artist. “The lessons in losing are probably more valuable than those of winning.” If not getting an award shows anything to anyone who is worth his/her salt, its that you must keep trying to get better. This too Robert you should know if you’ve ever entered any shows (which I believe from a past clickback, you stated you haven’t) – Remember the adage -“On another day, with another judge, your winning work today will likely go unnoticed tomorrow.” This has happened to many before and will again. So, relax, Robert/ Sara, don’t beat yourselves up too badly and remember tomorrow there is another show with it infinite possibilities.

The suitability of the prize thing is that it depends on what you are trying to foster in your students. Process or product. Seems to me that prizes go more with product and personally, I believe that most of us need help getting out of our own way which is more about process.

You were absolutely right to award few awards. The idea of seven awards was great, since it amounts to one a day, even though there might have been two or three chosen from the same day. At any rate, I have a strong belief that, when every child given an award, the idea of excellence is lost. This leads to mediocracy I think, and is not a favor to any of the children. Don’t cave in to those who want a totally homogenous, boring society.

First, thanks for your column. As a wannabe artist who never seems able to gin up the time or enthusiasm to properly study, your columns provide a wealth of information that I hope to one day put to good use.

I love this line of questioning. I was writing in my journal just yesterday about this exact subject. I understand being competitive with oneself, but being competitive with another seems trivial and unproductive. Ego is what brings us the ‘want’ to receive awards and ribbons. But what that does to those that don’t receive them as you pointed out in your article is complicated.

Having been to Hollyhock (and I concur with your description), I must say that I went there to paint and not to win prizes (it didn’t even occur to me as I was very early in my attempts to do watercolor). Dianne Bersea was the instructor (a Cortes resident and wonderful artist), and the prize I “won” was a friendship and communication with her that has lasted 10+ years. I made friends – I basked in the beauty of that island – and I learned not to be afraid of the paper or the pigment. And the food was terrific, too!

Sorry, I completely disagree with giving out any kind of prize. Workshops are for learning and taking away what you learned, mulling it over and growing from it. Not getting a prize would negate all that that and leave a person feeling that, no matter what, they didn’t quite measure up. If you want to give out something, I’d suggest something like a print to everyone or all names in a hat for a random draw of demo pieces. The whole point of art is that it is a journey and we are always students. Prizes and workshops don’t belong together.

I don’t think I’ve ever attended a workshop in which the instructor gave prizes, though during critiques it wasn’t hard to tell which paintings were his/her favorites. Since workshops are meant for stretching, learning, and practice, I don’t believe it’s the time and place for awards. However, I do think positive (or encouraging) comments from the instructor can make a huge difference in a student’s motivation and resolve.

Ah yes, winning and losing, life’s difficult lessons! We all would like to be winners of course but one may just as well get used to facing rejection – especially as an artist! For me the problem comes when I don’t know why one painting was judged over another. Perhaps, and you may have done this, if there is an explanation of the strengths of the winner it would help the other contenders see and learn. Another approach might be awards based on best composition, color, spirit, brushwork etc. Losing out has just made me want to try harder. I do appreciate that you care about your students feelings. At the same time, I resent a pat on the head and an instructor just saying “that’s nice”. I would prefer to go home in tears with determination to do better.

Unless there is a competition where you give everyone the exact same subject… say a model standing in front of them or a plein – air scene then I don’t see how one can judge that this artist is better than that one.

Prizes can be useful in competitions. But, in a workshop, by awarding prizes to ‘winners’ you automatically creating ‘loosers’. Assuming you want all participants to leave on an elevated note, in my workshops I have found this to be dangerous technique.

I used to teach classes for credit at an art college, and my dad was also a college professor. Early on, I said to him, “My students are all so good, how can I grade on a curve? I think I’ll be giving them all A’s and B’s.” He said, “Be thankful that you can. When you need to give out lower grades, you’ll know.” So grading is a kind of awards systems that helps young students work harder than they think they can, but after they graduate there are no grades. So we just have to nurture them on their own individual path.

Forty years ago as a fresh, young art school graduate I taught art in Jamaica. The students were young adults at a teacher training college. Depending on their secondary school education some of these students had never, ever had any exposure to art.

An interesting read. It sounds as if you are seeking redemption from an error in judgement.

Oh Sheila Norgate, thanks so much for your comment! Nothing like a deep insecurity, is there!

Just a little comment on prizes – what a lovely idea, especially if they don’t happen at each and every workshop, or for the same reasons as the first time. The trend here in South Africa seems to be tending towards the politically correct ; ie a prize for everyone. Well, while this may keep the masses happy, it does render the prize rather worthless. More importantly though, it effectively kills off the need to compete, and the inspiration of maybe doing a better job than the next guy. So we end up with a bunch of mediocre painters, lauded for the least of their efforts.

Giving everyone a ribbon or trophy renders the prize meaningless. I have been to art shows where ribbons have been given to undeserving artists just because the organization has purchased too many ribbons!!! The fewer the ribbons the more enticement to work harder to try for a coveted ribbon next time. At least that’s my point of view.

I read & enjoy every letter you produce & enjoy them all. My thinking on prizes? DO NOT GIVE PRIZES TO ANYONE – It demeans the whole experience. We paint for ourselves. The prize is participating in the workshop – the place, the time, the instructors & the fellow painters!

You bring up a very interesting point in your last newsletter re. handing out of prizes just for “showing up”. Some years ago, my friend Wayne Arthur, a well-known Winnipeg sculptor, and myself were asked to jury a woodcarving competition. We dutifully awarded prizes to the best, second and third and of course the remainder would receive nothing. This bothered me somewhat for some of the entries were by youngsters of high school age and quite good. I imagined that not being recognized would discourage them. I decided to write short notes to all non-winners explaining what could be improved upon and why the winners’ work was deemed best.

When my students complained about my frank opinion of their efforts, I replied, “Shall I hurt your feelings or your future. You choose.”

While I admire your guilty conscience because some of your workmates didn’t merit awards I wouldn’t be too concerned; I’d be more concerned about creeping political correctness upsetting your pineal gland and would do all I possibly could to thwart that invasion. Pineal upset can cause the formation of beta-amyloid plaques which cause Alzheimer’s, poorly functioning kidneys, reduction in melatonin leading to sleepless nights (GCS, guilty conscience syndrome); reduction of lipid and purkinje cells and, worse of all HUTB, Hide Under The Bed syndrome, which usually takes place around 2am. Such things as these will definitely upset your circadian rhythm, reducing you to seek membership in a Reggie band in the Caribbean. If you enjoy Reggie and the breezes of the Caribbean islands I would advise you to nurture your PC conscience and thus enjoy a peaceful life painting the natives and tropic topics of those environs. Meantime I wish you the best of luck and sincerely hope you are able to control those abhorrent urges to give everyone a prize. If you are unable to overcome I would be most pleased if you would put me at the top of your list of award recipients as artists need recognition now and again, as you know, to keep us standing at the easel, or sitting at the easel as the case may be. Thank you for your consideration,

Your concern about prizes is shared by artists in all disciplines. Before giving up playing professionally in a symphony orchestra I also did a lot of teaching and had the same dilemma. I think if I were to do it over again, I would either give nothing but a friendly smile, or perhaps give out ‘tokens of recognition’ instead of ‘prizes’, and perhaps try to find enough categories to acknowledge everyone, from something like ‘most inspirational to other attendees’ to ‘most improved’, ‘most creative’, etc., but with nothing ever in PRINT — just SAY what the prize is being awarded for to the person who receives it, and then everyone goes home with the feeling that you were at least aware of them being there and were paying attention to what they produced, but give them a small and useful prize that doesn’t hang on the wall, need to be dusted, can’t be pasted in a scrapbook, and does not have any engraving at the base. Maybe even give prizes that suit the wording — a scrubbing brush for the most improved, a roll of plastic wrap or small bottle of irredescent fluid to the most creative, etc. so you can have some fun thinking up what the prizes would be. I loved your analogy — a brass object the size of a Volkswagen, indeed! I am hoping that this business of handing out prizes/grades/recognition to all entrants so they can go home feeling good about themselves is grinding to a halt. Attitudes promoted in education are responsible for a large part of that to the point where kids are encouraged even in areas where they have absolutely no interest or talent, because of a) ‘no child left behind’ and b) we no longer teach children, we teach Standards of Learning. When a student came to me and wanted to play the violin, the first thing I did was give them a pitch discrimination test. If they couldn’t tell me which of two sounds was higher in pitch than the other, there was no way they could ever learn to play it. Many times I just ‘said no’ and for most of them, it seemed to be the first time in their little lives that someone said they weren’t born with the skills to be successful at it. I often suggested they try piano or a ‘fixed pitch’ instrument, where such a form of hearing was not a requirement, but that also usually earned me a blank stare at best, and one that was less than blank but not full of warm fuzzies either, at worst. . . I never said they were failures as human beings — but the look on their faces and also their parents, told me that such reality checks were not often given elsewhere. If little underweight Tony wanted to go out for football, why then he should be encouraged to do so, never mind that he could have made a terrific soccer player but was more likely to become the football than be a valued member of such a team. I had a reputation for turning out good students, but a large part of that was because I weeded them out before I accepted them. You don’t have that luxury when you give workshops, and these people aren’t all trying to become professional artists, they just want to improve. For that reason, giving little tokens of appreciation for attending seems appropriate.

Actually it does raise a whole number of issues really doesn’t it?

On the subject of Prizes, I usually repeat my favourite anecdote.

I am a faithful reader but have not written before now. I just returned from a week-long workshop with an excellent instructor and all levels of watercolor participants. For what it is worth, words from the instructor are much more important than prizes in the workshop setting. It isn’t a competition. Every one of us wants that one special message from the instructor to praise and encourage. If I ever get to take a workshop from you, that is what I prefer. When I teach small beginning classes, I try to give individual attention equally to each person. I know that is hard with 30+ students. But five minutes of your undivided attention is worth more than a prize!

Billy Puffer might have gained more insight into his ability with a musical instrument had he been told sorry Billy no award this time. Study, practice and work harder and maybe next summer you will achieve an award. I personally don’t believe that treating everyone as if they have equal talent or ability does not help them but instead leads folks to expect that they sometimes deserve more than they really do. We should pursue a craft not based on an award that isn’t deserved but rather because of love of the craft, whatever it happens to be. Encouragement in the form of corrective criticism is worth far more than a useless piece of paper given for showing up. I think your way of ending the workshop is correct. If someone is discouraged that easily than they probably shouldn’t be painting anyway.

I remember one workshop I attended and the final “acknowledgment and gifting”. The leader passed the hat for us to add our names for a draw for some of her demo sketches she had done during the week we spent together. She also had a small “art gift (3 water soluble wax crayons + eraser or brush and pencil sharpener)” that she gave each one of us and mentioned at the same time what she valued from our contributions to the total group experience. I think all of us felt appreciated and encouraged to continue with our learning.

Why give prizes at all? Verbal praise and constructive criticism are more valuable and beneficial. I would suggest either dispensing with prizes altogether — or take the Yamaha approach and give something to everyone, which is a nice gesture but perhaps renders all the prizes a bit meaningless.

Prizes?

I can’t tell you for sure (now that I’m older I don’t know anything for sure) but I think prizes are situational. There is a place for prizes…and a place for learning. I think workshops should be non-prizes. If your painting looks really bad, you’re probably trying to learn, is.e. do something outside your comfort zone. If you are thinking, even subconsciously, that you’re going for a prize, you’ll revert to the thing that’s gotten your awards, kudos, even kind words in the past. Looking back, the workshops where I’ve really learned, I’ve turned out some really marginal (ok, maybe awful) work, but then I think on it and work on it and I’d incorporate the new stuff with my own stuff and improve. Obviously, when you’re in a show, you’re working to be ‘the best.’ You’ll put nothing out there that’s even a little marginal.

I have done a few critiques for art groups. About 3 years ago I was doing one for maybe 15 people at a local art center and decided ahead of time that I was going to be forthright and honest but as positive as possible at the same time. Each one of those artists had their own level of experience and their own approach and I looked at each piece presented for what it was and the artists intent, tried to look at what they were trying to do and gave specific advice on solving problems. All except for one, which I saved for last. One glance told me that this was an insincere effort intended to what? Impress me, impress the group? I did not know and I said that. The artist admitted that she did not really know what was going on etc. and was embarrassed. Two years later I was asked back for another critique and pretty much the same group was there. The woman who had the insincere effort came back with a very much improved piece and was rightly proud of it. I think my honesty benefited her. If I had gone too far to find positive things to say and did not point out my concerns then I don’t think she would of made the progress that she had.

All people need encouragement, especially at artistic endeavors. Everyone in a class would benefit from encouragement. If you are going to give something the students may prize – consider a certificate of recognition for completing the class, or a 8-10 print of one of your works which may continue to inspire the student.

Short and Sweet – prizes spur a competitive spirit, which can sometimes be a useful goad, but at other times turn things quite ugly. You need to define the goals of your workshop more clearly – even for the adult, putting “eyes on the prize” can lead to some very healthy competition – but isn’t that besides the fact of what you are trying to teach?

I think that you and Sara are feeling the way you are for a reason….there is something uncomfortable about the prizes that is speaking to be done differently or at least reflected upon. This is why we have emotion – it’s another source of information. The trouble with prizes are that they potentially move the motivation to paint from intrinsic to extrinsic and if the prize distribution is inequitable it also introduces an element of competition, and in the more vulnerable perhaps a sense of “not good enough”. As a facilitator I have trouble figuring out what value is added by these kinds of rewards to the overall experience of such a workshop to all the participants. In this type of environment I would expect that the reason for choosing to participate is purely for the joy of the activity and the learning inherent therein. Personally, I wouldn’t risk losing that as the main focus by putting the attention on outcome.

Why make your workshop into a contest?….isn’t what you have to give and what they gave back enough?

I think those of us who gravitate towards teaching want to reach and inspire EVERY student. To do so is not possible, however. Each person is a unique individual who must be approached in a unique way in order to find the key to helping that person improve. Great teachers are magicians of intuition. In a small class perhaps you can perform this feat and send everyone home glowing and happy. As the class size increases, that likelihood decreases exponentially. The pace becomes too fast. Intuition is surpassed by survival mode. I’m not a big fan of over the top ‘esteem building’ myself. It places way too much emphasis on the rewards coming from the outside rather than the inside of a person. Too many artists and would be artists paint for the approval of others entirely. There will never be enough awards or trophies for this person to fill that gaping hole they need to fill. THey become sad and depressed in the end. At the other extreme, those without any esteem who have been given no encouragement, end up in the same place. As with many endeavors in life, balance is the key. Balance is impossible to quantity. It’s intuitive and mysterious….just like painting.

I think you’ve answered you own question. Awards at a workshop seem inappropriate to me. Learning is the goal and the prize in all the workshops I’ve attended. It should be a period of intense growth and no competition. Artists have enough competition in their lives the other 51 weeks of the year. If the teacher has worked as hard as I have during the week, I leave happy and rewarded with my new-found skills and inspiration.

I don’t pay tuition to win a prize. I pay an instructor to teach me something new!

Fifteen years ago I was teaching in a small elementary school attached to an agricultural school / working farm in the heart of India’s Deccan Plateau. Most of my students were children of the staff who worked at the school; a few children came from the village adjacent to the farm.

Somehow, awarding prizes to everyone seems to downgrade the value of the prizes that should have had some worth. What’s wrong with setting a standard of excellence and providing the framework to help those willing to strive to meet that standard?

This is an on-going situation constantly discussed by academics in the field of art education.

Excellence always Robert. You and your daughter did the right thing. Most adults are willing to honestly evaluate themselves and see through the lie of egalitarianism in art. You gain more respect

I don’t think prizes are appropriate in a workshop setting – save them for competitions. They are at the workshop to LEARN, not compete .

I have enjoyed your newsletters for the past few years. I have written some of your words of advice in my sketchbook to reflect on when times get difficult. I have never written before but I do have an opinion about prizes at workshops. I have studied in studio classes and workshops for the past 8 years. What has always meant the most to me are written comments gifted by my instructor. That personal communication is the prize/reward for my opening up to the point of vulnerability and for taking chances with new techniques. I understand that the number of participants in your workshops might not make that sort of written critique possible. A quiet personal conversation about my work would be the next best thing.

I am an early elementary educator in Brooklyn. A painter friend, Susan Shoemaker, recommended your newsletter several years ago to me. I am also a writer and photographer and so enjoy getting your newsletter, keeps me inspired about my own creativity.

Robert: I offer a small tale with some parallels to yours.

Art awards in a working course – no way. What I remember from any course are comments spoken to me quietly while I was working. Not patronizing ones but good critical but positive reinforcement. Those 7 people would have enjoyed that just as much and the others wouldn’t have to feel or think they didn’t make the grade. The classes are small so why not a framed photo of them working such as you’ve put on the clickback.

Forget the prizes.

I’ve attended many workshops and none awarded any kind of prizes. Learning was the goal, and the critique at the end helped us to understand how much we still had to learn even after all our hard work. I always come away having learned some new approach or having conquered some obstacle I was having difficulty with – but always feeling I’ve moved forward with my art. This in itself has been reward enough for me.

While teaching high school art, I pushed every one of my students to enter a piece in the annual Congressional art competition. I told them they had as much chance of winning the show as they had of winning the lottery, so don’t shoot for prizes ( sounds mean but there was method to this madness); enter your work so that it can be seen by people who you will never meet but will wonder who you are. It takes a lot of courage for a delicate ego to face rejection, but most of my kids stepped up with their best works and in they went. My secret was that the Congressman’s office would issue beautiful certificates of participation to each student who entered. When the certificates were delivered at the close of the show, I would see looks of surprise and pride. Parents would call, in shock, they never knew their children had “talent”.

Maybe awards, voted on by students themselves?

Children aren’t stupid and neither are adults. Receiving the same “prize” that everyone else gets is just frustrating or meaningless. I deplore the educational philosophy that children’s egos can’t bear the rejection involved in competition and will never develop self-esteem unless competition is eliminated. On the contrary, they will never develop self-esteem if all they ever experience is high praise and rewards for everything they do, regardless of its merit compared to their own demonstrated abilities and efforts or compared to anyone else’s. Phony rewards are not a worthy substitute for thoughtful encouragement.

Give everyone a certificate of completion – and let the workshop participants vote for the “prizes”.

I assume most of your attendees were older than 10…probably can handle the lack of award for a great week of work & inspiration…

Dear Robert, I’ve been conducting workshops for several years with the number of students ranging from 8 up to 18. I give prizes too but mine are just for fun and not for excellence. I have students pick numbers out of a hat and there are usually three prizes each class day. They are simple inexpensive art related gifts and meant to add some fun to the day. The students who don’t get one don’t seem to mind at all – it’s all the luck of the draw.

As a workshop instructor, I find it quite hard to praise anyones’ work, without distracting everyone else away from their own journey.

It sounds as if you gave a prize to those paintings you liked best – you might find that just telling people you thought their paintings were in the top 10 would work just as well. However your other stated option of giving prizes to everyone diminishes the whole experience. It all depends on your objective (encourage everyone, weed out the faint of heart, promote more painting in a style you prefer, stimulate more painting, give anyone who has a ‘yearn to learn’ the support and tools to progress). Once you have that clearly in mind you can judge how best to accomplish that goal.

I think the way Yamaha school acknowledged each child’s efforts, is the way to go. At your workshop, why is it necessary to judge an end product? Why not just revel in the joy of creation? We are such a goal-oriented, thing-oriented society!! Those who “win” may feel validated, but those who don’t might be discouraged. Why not have each participant evaluate their own work? Because in the end, it’s what we know about ourselves that counts. Unless this art is being produced solely to be sold, which in itself would be sad, the focus ought to be on struggling with one’s own talents, struggling to get that picture out. Awards? Who needs them? I don’t need someone elses opinion – I just want the joy of creating. This is what we do to kids in school with grades. Who knows how many Picassos we stifle????

I’ve taken many, wonderful workshops and have never yet had any prizes awarded at the end. I’m a little taken back that someone who knows that art is in the eye of the beholder, and the painter, would give prizes in this case.

Well, I’ve never attended a workshop and I probably never will but if I did… I would want a refund if I didn’t get one of those prizes.

For John Ferrie. First of all, your parents sound like winners! What wonderful parents to provide you such support and encouragement. My daughter is severely dyxlexic, too, and she’s never regretted it, either. She, too, is a talented artist.

A note to Brigitte Nowak: Hi, I saw that you were a premium member, decided to look at your artwork, and found that your website “has expired.” Thought you might want to know in case you didn’t realize it : )

The first statement is not always true. I work for the U.S. Courts and have taken copyright law classes, and I believe that if you hire a photographer to do a job specifically for you, the resulting photographs then fit the category of “work for hire” and YOU hold the copyright to the resulting images — unless you sign paperwork giving your rights to the photographer. Many photographers may require you to give them your rights to the images as a condition of doing the job, or they may demand some arrangement in which they are free to use the photos you ordered to promote their photography business, but that is a matter of contract law, not copyright law. Now, if a photographer FIRST takes a photo, and then someone offers to buy the photo, the photographer holds the copyright (unless the photographer merely duplicates another work that is already copyrighted to someone else). The key issue is whether the whole process of taking the photo originates with the photographer or the customer.

To judge was not your ultimate role, you are the teacher. You are there to teach skills, encourage, suggest and direct. The biggest down fall I see of workshops and classes, is where the students walk out of the class and all their work looks just like the teachers ! Ugh, that’s really not successful teaching.

I “shoot” my wife’s paintings with a good quality point & shoot camera at the highest possible resolution. I download them into Picasa, make sure they are square and then crop. I can send them as Jpegs and I use them to print good quality greeting cards. You must have a very good quality printer and use good card stock for the cards.

When I go to a workshop it is to learn a new technique or for experimentation with a different media, not to be praised, or feel like I am in a competition trying to make better art than those around me. I am a somewhat experienced artist and I sell a lot of my art. I often do ‘better’ work or catch on quickly to something introduced by the instructor at the workshops. I feel its distracting and uncomfortable to be praised above other attendees, especially since we are not trying to doing our ‘best’ work there. That happens mostly alone in the studio or onsite. Its really nice to be encouraged but all workshop attendees should be equally encouraged to do their own thing. Let the learning be the reward. No prizes.

I remember running home from third grade with a certificate I received from my favorite teacher, Mrs Craigo. I was so overjoyed that I was included in receiving a coveted paper when awards were given out. My Mom framed the certificate and was just as overjoyed as I was. It didn’t matter that the certificate read “Participant” but rather that I was made to feel special. Although I have diploma’s and degrees, I still feel the joy of that special certificate so long ago. The spirit of the giver does much to fuel the development of the learner.

I am staunchly against awarding prizes of any sort to students. Here is why: prizes are irrelevant. The real reward comes from interacting with your mentor and experiencing your progress. Prizes are demoralizing for those who do not receive them, and redundant for those who do. Prizes reflect the taste of the award-giver, although I’m sure you and Sara rise above “taste”. I once ‘judged’ a show of amateur work where I was instructed by the sponsor to give everyone a prize. What’s the point? Keep your ribbons and give your students the most sought after prize of all — your rapt attention.

Award is inextricably linked to judgment. Unless there are financial or prizes included, I believe in your case a detailed individual critique may be more helpful. Not because you’d miss the opportunity to recognize a new painter with a great future, but because of the possibility, no matter how slight, that the overarching subjectivity attached to evaluating the creative process might deter those with enormous potential.

Prizes? why bother with any? Who needs another bit of ribbon in the junk drawer anyway?

OK people, so you are saying that you would rather get a warm and fuzzy comment from a collector than have your work purchased? You can have your egalitarian private world, but once you are out of your studio you are in the real world, which is about competition, which is not a dirty word. Competition did well for humans indeed, it pushes progress and an award is a symbol of it. Those who don’t win an award are still rewarded by learning about the winning process. Don’t hide from it, but learn to embrace it. The bitter feeling of losing is meant to instill a desire to do better, so embrace that as well. According to the responses, this medicine is widely needed. Do a research about Nobel prize winners – the few that rejected it were mostly extreme leftist politicals. Awards have a valuable purpose that should be noted and recognized in all walks of life including the classroom. When you pay for a learning experience, you get it the way your chosen teacher intended. If you think that you know better, why bother take the class?

Art is one of the few pursuits where you can only be in competition with yourself. Who else knows how to paint with your vision (insight)? To be better at finding your own true way of seeing than anyone else might be possible, but it’s never done by trying to paint like someone else, nor holding up a comparison.

For professional artists, comparison is important. For other, not so much. It all depends on what is one’s ambition in the art world. Robert’s startegy is excellent for people who aspire to be professional artists.

A competition or awarding of prizes seems to me to seriously inhibit the learning process of a workshop. A workshop should be about trying new ideas, new ways of seeing, composing, and technically managing the medium, not trying to make the “best” product, whatever that may mean. I know, no one wants to be embarrassed at critique, but if you’re just going to paint the same old picture,the same old way, you can do that at home.

So experiment all you wish in a workshop – no one stops you except a childish grudge if someone else wins a prize. An adult should be mature enough not to be like that. Most of these comments say – if I don’t win, I don’t want anyone else to win. It’s shocking how many people have this stance.

As a student in Robert and Sara’s workshop, the small prizes that they gave for a few of their personal favorites was a complete surprise to me and I think everyone else. What harm can a bottle of wine, a tube of paint, or an extra panel to paint on be? It was just a lighthearted point, it seems to me, that added to all the other lighthearted and serious points that made this such an amazing workshop and different than others I’ve taken. I did not receive one of these little prizes, but it did not bother me (too much).

Love you, your paintings and your letters. Constructively speaking, and since you asked, I would recommend that you don’t continue to offer prizes or awards at workshops. While it is great for the recipients of prizes, it is very discouraging for those who don’t receive one. There is such a great learning curve with painting and, wonderfully so, there is always so much more to learn. But it’s also easy to just give up when a painting isn’t turning out well and then to not receive a prize – well that just confirms the feeling like a failure part. I think a demo plus one-to-one attention works best. Constructive criticism is always where the most learning occurs and even if there is only one small positive comment about a great reference photo, a brush stroke or colour that worked well, coming from you – that is a prize in itself, therefore everyone wins.

A memento given at the end of a workshop to all participants is probably a good thing. Prizes, I think are not. There are complete amateurs and budding professionals at workshops, so there is no level playing field, as far as experience goes. In many cases, if not most, prizes would be awarded to those who have already done the heavy lifting, and thus it would not be much of an encouragement to the rest. It would be honoring previous success, in a sense. For a workshop experience, I would think that the ability to be present, to paint and to learn, should be all the reward anyone needs. Laurels can be distributed in a different venue, if at all.

It’s unlikely that I would enrol in a workshop that advertised prizes. If I did not know the instructors I would tend to assume that they were silly people who have little to offer in terms of real teaching. (Robert, I know this is not true of you.)