Gustav sat on his foldout chair, staring at the carved tree trunk.
The gathered crowd waited for his next movement.
The Monterey Wood Carving Festival had finished two weeks ago. The other sculptures had since been removed. Gustav had become a local celebrity.
He would leave when he was sure it was finished.
He picked up his chisel. The murmuring crowd hushed. He chipped away a tiny splinter of wood.
He stepped back, tilted his head and smiled.
Now it is finished, he thought, and walked away.
Somewhere in the crowd a voice shouted, ‘What a load of rubbish.’
Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).
To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
My new novel, ‘A Justified State,’ is now available on Amazon in Paperback and on Amazon Kindle. Follow one of the links below to find out more and pick up a copy!
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Where there’s art there’s always a dissenter. Thankfully. Great story, Iain, you set the scene and the pace beautifully.
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Thank you Sandra
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That is so typical of life. You have encapsulated what we are all up against in a hundred words. And, of course, they do say a work of art is never finished.
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The trick is to finish it util you are happy and then walk away and leave it to others – not an easy thing to do.
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There’s always someone who says it’s rubbish. And there’s always someone (usually your Mum) who says it’s genius. How’s a body to tell?
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Mum’s tend to be right about most things, so I value their opinion more…
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Eric Morecambe lives!
Good story about a place we’ve all been.
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Thank you CE, some more than others!
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Dear Iain,
A friend told me “haters are gonna hate.” It seems we went in similar directions this week. There’s a critic in every crowd…the negative voice of discouragement. Well done. Congrats and all the best on the novel.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you Rochelle, we did indeed, perhaps it’s because I have sent my little novel out into the wide world and am waiting to see what the wide world thinks!
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Poor old Gustav. At least he had loads more fans than critics. Nice tale Iain.
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Thank you JS
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How unfair – it’s not total rubbish!
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You should be there to shout back so Gustav can hear you 🙂
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Well done to you with the story and to Gustav. Hopefully the “total rubbish” comment quickly leaves his brain as he listens to the voices that really matter!
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I think the most important voice is his own, so long as he is happy with it, he can ignore what others think.
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Exactly!
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Some act, others react. Very beautifully and succinctly illustrated. Good luck on your novel, LAIN.
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Thank you Neel, do give it a look if you have time 🙂
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I certainly would, Lain.
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That last sentence came as such a shock! Such words can be so destructive because it’s impossible to ‘unhear’ them. The time that Gustav spent waiting and his smile when the work was completed to his satisfaction suggest that he may be able to disregard the ignorant statement of an unappreciative onlooker. I certainly hope so.
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He has a thick skin, if only we all could be so…
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Hah! Now that reminded me of the Yahoo! comments – there’s always someone out there to shout things down. Nicely done, Iain.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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And really, did they need to do it? If you have nothing good to say, maybe it’s best to say nothing at all.
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Ha! 😀
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I imagine you may have been the one to utter that last line, James 😉
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There will always be someone who can’t truly appreciate the real beauty of something. And inside of admitting that, these people end up tarnishing it. It is unfair. But we can’t control what comes out of people’s mouth, especially if they are the kind who can’t appreciate art!
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Very true, thanks for commenting Shweta
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You’re very welcome, Iain!
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Sorry Gustav, but I would prefer that you carved ice. 🙂 I think that we may need all the trees to regulate our climate
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Poor Gustav, another dissenting voice! 😉
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Either it’s like the child saying that the emperor is naked or
it’s just a dickhead who want to destroy the day of the artist.
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I go with option B 🙂
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it’s his work. as long as he’s happy with it, he doesn’t give a hoot about what other folks say. 🙂
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I think Gustav has some thick skin 🙂
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There’s at least one in every crowd. In this case, I wouldn’t have yelled out my opinion because I was raised to be polite. But I have to say that this poor tree just doesn’t speak to me 🙂
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Another knock for Gustav – he’s learning to deal with the critics! 😉
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Perhaps Gustav is a bit of a ham, and what he lacks in artistic skill he makes up for in showmanship. They will remember him because he stuck it out till it was perfect. And as for the critic…the worst thing you can do to anyone, these days, is to make them wait!
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That’s true, perhaps if he’d just finished on time it may have got a better response!
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Don’t you just love it when people get in their heads what you should do, then talk junk when you do what you want to do instead of what they had imagined?
Nice read!
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Thanks Russell
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Pffft oh my gosh, that ending dialogue! I suppose one man’s art is another man’s rubbish? Lol!
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Well , it would be dull if we all saw things the same 🙂
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Really like the way he finished with such attitude – and the crowd comment – abhhh
We cannot please everyone – just can’t!
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Best not to even try and please everyone
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Well Said – but In
Life we often forget
Even a taco cannot please everyone
I like the little meme going around: “I’m nkt for everyone “
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some people hate to appreciate.. haters gonna hate always.. beautifully said Iain 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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Ha, after all that 🙂 I’m sure it was beautiful really, though.
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It was beautiful to Gustav at least.
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Thick skin and the ability to shrug it off are hard skills to learn. Nicely written.
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It takes a lot of experience to be able to pick between constructive, good criticism and the comments to just ignore!
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Well that is one comment I think I’d ignore 😉
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Not many can appreciate an work of art. Poor Gustav!
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Not Gustav’s anyway 🙂
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An artist is never appreciated in his home town.
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Or in his lifetime.
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Probably the same critic who said Rochelle’s book was clunky. 🙂
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He gets around, doesn’t he?
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I love how you built the anticipation of the crowd, the final stroke of the knife and the exhale. Then … the unpleasant comment. Well done.
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Thanks Alicia 🙂
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I had to laugh, art they say art is a mystical and personal taste. Nicely done.
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Glad it gave you a laugh James.
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Love it Iain. Perfection of course.
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Thank you Laurie
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Ouch! One can’t please everyone. Well done.
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Ain’t that the truth. I have given up trying.
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I love the Monterey Carving festival, I’m going to believe it exists and not google it, a brilliant take on the post
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If it doesn’t exist, I think I shall start one, and it won’t even be in Monteray.
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Love the way you paced this, Iain. And no, we can’t please everyone. One must take satisfaction in one’s work and if others appreciate it, then, cool…
And, when I got home from my getaway, I had a package… Will be reading it shortly!!
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Thank you Dale, I shall remember your comment when I hear what you think of my novel! Really hope you like it and thank you so much for giving it a go 🙂
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After reading Michael Wynn’s comment… I would not be overly worried were I you..
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Beautifully crafted story, saying so much about celebrity, admiration, and envy. Like the way you build the scene, then ‘spike it’ in the last sentence.
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Thank you 🙂
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I loved the tiny alteration he made in the name of perfection, and then the last line made me laugh out loud. Great stuff.
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Thank you, glad it raised a laugh 🙂
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Nice take. All artists have to be little thick skinned otherwise one cannot survive. You can’t please everyone.
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Certainly can’t. Thank you.
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🙂
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Nice one. There is always a splinter movement where artists are concerned 🙂
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Haha 😉
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This one tickled me, and quite a lot of other people judging by the other comments. Nicely done. 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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You captured this scene incredibly well Iain. Fantastic read.
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Thank you Lisa
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Everyone’s a critic! (lol)
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Aren’t they just!
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This echoes Rochelle’s take in a unique way. This is the reality though that we face as writers. And bring it on, I say! 🙂 Well done, Iain.
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I like your attitude! 🙂
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That last little splinter is all important, nothing is finished until the last little detail is complete
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All important, as is knowing when to stop tinkering and be done with it!
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