Proposal - 2nd Draft in Progress, #2

["James Purchase" <jpurch@interlog.com>]

Roger et al,

See why I asked you to do the wording of the proposal? Active vs. passive
voice? When I write things for work, I have a Technical Writer at my elbow
or in the next office, available to take my convoluted prose and make sense
of it...

However, there is one point that we must clarify now, before it threatens to
scuttle this whole venture....

> I. Preamble

>I think that using an active voice would improve the preamble.  I also
>think this would be a good place to stress the artistic goals of the
>show.

As I said above, feel free to change the "voice" to whatever is appropriate.
I know that the issue of "ART" is very important to you (in much the same
way that the issue of "CRAFT" is to me) - we have _both_ had our say in this
regard.

I have received feedback, mainly in private, from a number of people
following our mutual posts, or "epistles" on those subjects. Let me quote
from one message I received (I obtained the permission of the person in
advance to do so):

>I am glad that you posted a note on how even beginners are welcome to the
contest.  I
>was all ready to give up on the idea of entering and go on to other things
in my
>life.  I enjoy my aquarium a great deal and I think it looks really nice.
I do not
>think it is all that well aquascaped though.  Not like Amano's or the
really fancy
>Dutch aquariums.  I aquascape to make it pretty and less work.  Not for any
higher
>purpose.  The piece of glass in my living room is an aquarium for fish and
plants,
>not a canvas for art made out of water, plants, and fish.  So, figuring
this was an
>art competition with the medium being aquariums, I had decided that this
wasn't the
>contest for me and that I shouldn't enter.  Your paradigm of
master/apprentice really
>put me off of entering, because I figured the contest did not include
people like
>me.  Does it?

It is clear from what this individual writes that what scared him/her was my
reply to you regarding the Art/Craft component of this event. I acknowledge
that it was _my_ prose which scared the willies out of him/her.

I contacted the person and assured him/her that this showcase, as I envision
it shall be expansive enough to encompass everyone interested in growing
aquatic plants, _regardless_ of their approach to the hobby.

In all of our deliberations here, and in the Proposal which goes to the AGA
MC, we must be _very_ concious of striking the appropriate balance between
different approaches and points of view. This must be an inclusive event,
not exclusive.

The subject of Art/Craft obviously scares some people - they are getting the
feeling that you and I intend some high toned event in which _they_ won't be
welcomed. I don't think that either of us intends that and  I think that we
_both_ feel that inclusion of all is more important than emphasizing any one
aspect over another.

Another post I received in provate contained the following:

> this whole proposal might not fly with the AGA MC if it becomes _too_
> esoteric and "artsy"  ... first and foremost a group of
> aquatic _gardeners_.

I don't want anything put in the preamble, the rest of the Proposal, or in
any of our advertizing or associated comments, that is going to make
_anyone_ feel like this is not a showcase/contest that would appropriate for
them to enter, provided that they are interested in planted freshwater
aquariums. This is a big hobby, with room for all kinds of people and all
kinds of approaches.

I have made my personal approach clear. But I accept the fact that it is
_my_ personal approach and might not be everyone's cup of tea. I don't want
_my_ approach to scare them off, so I am willing to subdue _my_ ideal for
everyone else's reality. Please tell me that you are willing to do the
same....

As I have said, time and time again, this even should be big enough and
expansive enough, for _everyone_ to feel welcome becoming a part of it.
There are a lot more "Gardeners" out there than there are "Artisans". But
this contest shall have a place for both, happily side by side.

James Purchase
Toronto



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