inspiration
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Why
the
potato? Humble gems of the underground and a long-time food staple of common folks, we choose the brown dusty orb as a symbol of sharing art, life, food, and friendship. Why the Potato Eaters? We believe life is about what you do with what you've got. Food, shelter, clothing, tools, work, nature, and relationships are all represented in Van Gogh's painting The Potato Eaters. We want to pay homage to everyday things and the low art of living. We want to enjoy and share the fruits of our labor without pretense. Why Dig It Baby? Dig It Baby means...Don't take yourself so seriously. Dig It Baby means...Don't be afraid to get a little dirty. Dig It Baby means...Do the work. Dig It Baby means...Look deep for the roots. Dig It Baby means...Enjoy it with us; dig in! |
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A
major
inspiration
to
our
group
is
peasant
painter,
Vincent
Van
Gogh,
whose
first
large-scale
painting
with
multiple
figures
was
The
Potato
Eaters.
He
spoke
of
the
potato
eaters
as
leading
"a
way
of
life
completely
different
from
ours,
from
that
of
civilized
people,"
and
tried
to
convey
the
idea
that
they
had
"used
the
same
hands
with
which
they
now
take
food
from
the
plate
to
dig
the
earth." |
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Van
Gogh
said,
"It
is
not
the
language
of
painters
but
the
language
of
nature
which
one
should
listen
to...the
feeling
for
the
things
themselves,
for
reality,
is
more
important
than
the
feeling
for
pictures."
The
Potato
Eaters
believe
in
the
process
as
much
as
the
product.
He
also
said,
"
I
feel
that
there
is
nothing
more
truly
artistic
than
to
love
people."
The
Potato
Eaters
believe
in
art
for
the
masses
with
no
pretension.
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| The
1992
Potato
Party,
hosted
by
Rebecca
Stees,
sparked
our
love
affair
with
the
potato.
We
sat
on
the
floor
and
ate
from
a
menu
of
potato
dishes.
Only
potato
dishes.
In The Way of Zen, Alan Watts explained, "Zen. . . does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes." The Potato Eaters believe a peaceful existence requires us just to make art everyday. |
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| Shila
Hibben
said,
"The
potato,
like
man,
was
not
meant
to
dwell
alone."
The
Potato
Eaters
need
each
other
and
believe
sharing
leads
to
growth. |
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| We
are
using
this
quote
from
Richard
Dattner, designer of
the
award
winning
historic
Adler
Park
adventure playground in Central Park,
as
inspiration
for
the
type
of
environment
and
experience
we
want
to
create.
The
Potato
Eaters
believe
in
discovering
inspiration
in
the
everyday. |
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| "Experiences for every sense are needed, for instance rough and smooth objects to look at and feel; light and heavy things to pick up; water and wet materials warmed by the sun; soft and hard surfaces; things that make sounds...sounds of all varieties...shiny, bright objects and dull, dark ones; things that are both huge and tiny; high and low places to look at and from; materials of every type, natural and synthetic, thick, thin, and so on." | |||
| ©2001 The Potato Eaters. All Rights Reserved. | |||