05.31.07
The Crooked Nail, and Painting Outside the Lines
Tonight, there was a special on TV about Crafts. Various artists were featured, some basket makers, furniture makers, and a blacksmith. One of the furniture makers had spent a lot of time making a cabinet, a beautiful cabinet. Then, he attached a bent nail with some staples, in a location where one might expect a knob or a handle. Everyone wanted to know why. Why did he, in essence, deface this work of art? He said that he is tired of being asked about the bent nail, but it was just something he had to do.
Part of the process of creating something is knowing that we can make it any way we wish. In an old quilt I have, the quilter’s initials are, “S. M.” She decided to turn the second letter on end so that they (the embroidered initials) look more like, “S. E.”
I have heard of a process by which someone pieces an entire quilt top and then gets out the rotary cutter to slash it and then it is reassembled in a more haphazard (artistic?) manner, an idea, not that dissimilar to that of a crazy quilt (asymmetrical, etc.)
Yes, part of creating is knowing we can destroy. It’s also having the freedom to re-build again, in any way that suits our personality, our choices, or our mood, at the moment.
I have made some crooked rope baskets, not on purpose, however, but only because I did not have the skill to do a better job.
I’ve come to some conclusions. In my opinion, it’s one thing if you do sloppy work or work just to suit yourself, and you decide to call it “art.” If your work is simply a demonstration that you haven’t taken the time to learn your craft or art well, then it is a reflection of your lack of skill.
Do your homework before parading yourself as an artist. A lot of poor work is being turned out today and labeled “quilt art.” Instead, it is really narcissistic, self-expressionism taken to new heights, made by someone without enough art training or quilting skills to make the final product what it really could be, in terms of meaning to others, and an object of intrinsic, artistic merit, were there more attention given to details as well as necessary skills applied to make the piece “fly.” Wow, that was a mouthful! Please don’t send out the cavalry!
Some would call the purposely-bent, added nail on the cabinet, “artistic.” The woodworker knew exactly what he was doing, could have made it as “perfect” as any man could have, and yet for a reason of his own, decided to add a built-in flaw, if only to make an “artistic statement.”
To simplify my thoughts: If you paint outside the lines because you want to do so and know you are doing it, fine. If you do that because you don’t have the skills to do any better, maybe you should practice and get the skills you need. That statement could apply across the board to any of the many areas of artistic, creative endeavors. Capish?
Rhetorical question of the day: Is it really true that artists are “rebels without a cause”?
Pat
txstitchermom said,
June 3, 2007 at 10:33 pm
What a *wonderful* commentary! And it certainly needed to be said…!