Reasons for rejecting ideas

When I was studying for my Master's degree in fine art, I made up this list one day, and posted it in my studio. Each item had a checkbox next to it. I set out, over the course of two years, to break each one of my own rules. That is, I tried to make at least one piece of work that went against this list. I figured that was the only legitimate way to test the validity of each rule; did it stand up to the test?

Hint: Most of the rules did not hold up to close scrutiny, but it was a real education about myself and my internally imposed restrictions on artmaking. Breaking the rules made some good work.

As an exercise for the reader, make your own list. What reasons do you use to reject ideas?

Linda's favourite reasons for rejecting ideas:

• It's not controlled/finished use of materials!
• It might damage the workspace!
• The work couldn't be shown!
• The work couldn't be moved!
• The work couldn't be moved with a Chevette!
• I can't afford the materials!
• The subject matter violates my privacy!
• The subject matter violates someone else's privacy!
• It's slight!
• It's derivative!
• It's not serious!
• It might even be whimsical!
• It's funny!
• It's got no content, just formal exploration of materials!
• It's not planned all the way through!
• The materials aren't archival!

Some good advice I received that year:

• "Turn your practice upside-down, do things you wouldn't normally do."
• "Dislocated? Disoriented? Do work about that."
• "Look at the specific rather than the general."
• "Where is the emotion in the finished work?"
• "Think about why you're concerned with 'productivity'."
• "Develop the piece as a whole rather than letting one part get too far ahead of another."
• "You've only got two years."

More reasons to reject ideas:

• It's decorative!
• It's not in good taste!
• It's breakable!
• It's silly!