Still or Stijl?
Poll Still or Stijl?"The source of his art is himself, the deepest, not yet fully known or controlled self, from which, by thought, proceeds creative power of every kind. In his case the sense of inward sight is extraordinarily vivid. The drawing of himself removing the curtain from the mirror, and calling attention to what is seen therein, is as near possible to a precise image of his feeling about his work. Technically, of course, he identifies himself with it. If it is good, he feels striven to make it so; if it is bad, he must seek to remedy the failure. If with all effort it fails to be expressive of the effortless vision, he is the critic that destroys. But on 'good' or 'bad' qualities in his design other than aesthetic he has no self-criticism to bestow, though he is as ready as though another hand had drawn them, to dislike certain more violent and repulsive of them.
"Austin Spare's attitude is the normal and healthy attitude of the artist, but we are, most of us, so beset with self-consciousness that it is improbable we will ever be generally dissociated from what is morbid or extravagant in his art, or not be held to show immoral tendencies if his art expresses no moral judgements. But I think that he himself, in steadier and more complete realisations of true vision, will dissociate himself from characterisation of the foul and horrible. The unimaginative reason which assigns the appearances of things to categories of good and evil is a law of prudence, not of creation, and therefore inoperative in art." [R.E.D. Sketchley, The Art Journal, ? 1908]
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"He was the man who could draw like Michelangelo, but sold his pictures for a few pounds apiece in local pubs." [Catalog copy, Maas Gallery]