Nichole - "cutting things up" entry

There is a certain tone when reading "Cutting Things Up" that lends a romantic quality. Cragg makes a prominent assumption that many things in this world would not have been possible without the minds of artists. I say minds, because he makes it clear, that an artist's mind has the great ability to imagine and think in a way that is much different to say, a scientist or physician. He once makes a statement of how artists actually went to the moon first, but very literally stating that they journeyed there in their mind, rather than physically. It was then the scientist who decided to conjure up all the details to make this big idea a reality.
An intriguing idea in this reading struck me. Cragg discusses his thoughts about materials stating,
"As a sculptor, I am a passionate materialist, I believe that everything we know, the reality around us, our intelligence and even our emotions are aspects of material and that the material is unimaginably complex and wonderful."
His ideas about materiality contributing to sculpture are fueled by his fascination with the idea that the world is completely material in its existence.
Another idea that struck me, was this idea that there is the man made material of this world, and the natural materials of which these man made materials are made from. Anything of material must be made from something of existence on this planet. All of our possessions, no matter what form it holds now, was once something else. Cragg contemplates what is even considered natural anymore, as a "still life" painting of today may be painted from plastic fruits and veggies, or hormone injected meat. Can we still consider this natural?
Cragg examines our means of existence as it relates to our presence on Earth and how we have the ability to transform our surroundings. He brings attention to the idea that we are much smaller in comparison to what the universe holds and that our existence under these conditions is "rarely found." These thoughts bring about the romantic tone, of his writing that leaves the reader contemplating the bare essentials of life, and our part in the materiality of Earth.
The premise of this reading is one that I find very interesting in that, there is always going to be something bigger and beyond the existence of humans. We have the ability to think outside of our own existence, but do we embrace this idea? I believe that we must embrace these ideas, and come to terms with them in a positive light. There is nothing greater that knowing that their is something beyond yourself!