Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Creating a Stir

Today, I decided to write some strongly worded feelings to a mailing list I belong to. I prefaced my statements by writing that they could flame me all they wished, I was flame-proof.
Ironically, I've only had one strongly negative comment and I hurt another person's feelings. (which I regret) and there were some people (aren't there ALWAYS) who didn't read what I said carefully. So far, the overwhelming responce is along the lines of "Finally, someone said what I've been wanting to". So, what did I say?
It's a quilt list, but more importantly, it's a quilt ART list. IMHO, that second word makes all the difference. The people on this list, therefore, should be WANTING to make art, that happen to be quilts. So, who are quilt artists anyway?
You aren't a quilt artist if...
1. If you are still buying magazines to use the patterns in them, not because it's your article in it, you aren't an artist.
2. If you are buying books that you follow step by step, not because the author is your friend, you aren't an artist.
3. If you are watching TV shows or going to classes so you, too, can make a perfect ohio star, you aren't an artist.
4. If you attend a quilt show and take a picture of the quilts just so you can try to copy it when you get home, you aren't an artist.
5. If you care more about perfect points, 1/4" seams, the latest template, the latest gizmo and the latest fad than you care about having a great idea, finding inspiration, deciding how to create it and executing it to the best of your abilities, then you aren't an artist.
6. If you buy a pattern and the exact fabric they recomend in a kit, you aren't an artist.

Ok, I could go on and on, but you get my point. I'm just flat out tired of people claiming the title of "artist" when they are just crafting. There was a time in this country when people actually had to make things and they were important things, but they never considered themselves artists. They made chairs so they had a place to sit. They made clothes to wear. They made quilts to keep warm. There are those who think that all of these things, just because they are handmade, should be considered ART.
Let me explain something. Art is not just "pretty". Art is not "luck". Art is not "easy". Art is not "quick". Art doesn't come in a kit. Art is not paint by numbers.
Art is thoughtful. Art is making decisions. Art is skillful. Art is Communication. Art is hard.
The very minute you give up any one of the decisions out of a myriad of choices, you become less than an artist.
So, I'm not too worried about what I said on my list. I believe it with my whole heart and, it seems, several people agree with me.

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