Bear with me, but I need to vent a little…not about the “art world”…but about the world’s view of art.
WHY is it…that WE (as a society) think that ONLY people who are supremely talented at art, should make art? WHY are we SO judgmental about the art that non-professional artists make?
Let me put this into perspective…
Does a father and daughter who go out to throw around a baseball fill their minds with critical thoughts like, “I can’t do this at all…my throwing sucks…why can’t I catch better?” We don’t consider that reasonable thinking…it sounds hyper-critical and judgmental, right?
People accept that someone can throw a baseball around JUST FOR FUN. It doesn’t mean that you think that you’re a major league player. It doesn’t mean that you think that your playing is better than anyone else’s…you just like to PLAY.
So…please tell me…WHY IS IT DIFFERENT FOR ART? Why can’t people just “play” with art? Why can’t we just enjoy making marks and daubing paint because it’s fun?
It would be obnoxious to go to a little league game and scoff at the players, who are total “amateurs.” But, for some reason, we feel justified in scoffing at amateur artists.
WHY?
I’m sick of it.
I’m not saying that ALL art is worthy of being in a museum or gallery. Just as there are the major leagues of baseball…there are the major leagues of art. Fine! So be it! I love going to a museum to see what FANTASTIC things the hyper-talented can do.
But, for everyone else…can’t we just make art because we love it?
If everyone’s activities were critiqued through the lens of, “is this outstanding?”, no one would do anything. Instead, we bake/play baseball/ride a bike free from this burden. Why can’t we paint/draw/sculpt with an equal amount of freedom?
This blog post is dedicated to all of the non-professional artists out there who do it simply for the joy of it. Keep your chin up, and your hands dirty.
I’m one of you.
Filed under: printmaking | Tags: art, craft, print, printmaking, Wood block, Woodcraft, woodcut print
This is turning out to be one of those somewhat unproductive days. I AM getting stuff done…but my brain is a bit scattered. If only my head had a restart button…
I did manage to get a print from the wood block. I’m not thrilled with it, so I’m going to bring it to class tonight, to ask how to make a better print. The ink is very blotchy, and not as transparent as I had hoped. Any feedback would be appreciated!
It’s a lovely day out, as you can see in the bright photo. I’m going to try to go to studio early, to print the new drypoint plates that I made. Wish me luck!
Filed under: Felting, printmaking | Tags: book, craft, felt, Fiber Arts, sewing, Shopping, Supplies, textile
So, I finished the lino prints last night. I added the third color. You can see it below:
I think that it turned out pretty well. I did manage to jab my thumb with the tool used to cut the linoleum. I know…cut AWAY from yourself. My thumb didn’t seem to be anywhere near where I was working, but my hand slipped. I need to get some of those oyster shucking gloves. Or, I just need to pay more attention.
I also worked on a fabric composition:
and a detail:
This is a bunch of different fabrics/yarns, etc merged into one fabric through needle felting. You basically use a barbed needle to poke through the layers, and fuse them together. It’s pretty interesting how different fabrics behave when felted like this. I have no idea what I’m doing with this thing, but I’m just going to keep adding to it.
I also made two tiny little books! Here they are:
Aren’t they so cute? There are only twelve pages in each book. I got this little kit from the local art store to make them. I’ve never made/bound a book before, but it was surprisingly fun! Somehow, it never seemed very interesting to me. Okay…a blank book…yawn. But, when you make it yourself, It’s so fascinating how it all comes together in such an intelligent manner. This wasn’t even any type of fancy binding, but they still turned out well. Hmm… I may make more of these. I have no idea why I would need a collection of tiny books with only twelve blank pages, but I’ll find some purpose. Grocery lists? Profound thoughts? (hmm…no, I want to USE these books) Maybe I’ll just keep them as mini sketchbooks, to draw tiny things in. Any other suggestions? 🙂
Filed under: Fleeting thoughts..., printmaking | Tags: arts, Bazaar Bizarre, craft, Screen-printing
So, I finally finished my blob serigraphs (screenprints). Here is the step right before completion:
And here is how they turned out:
A single print:
And a detail:
So, what do you think? Thumbs up, down, or no comment?
I also worked on some monoprints today. I forget if they are “monoprints” or “monotypes“. Clearly, a novice printer. See my color theme?:
And a detail:
Are you bored yet? I get tired of putting in these photos. Well, I had fun doing these! I also have a picture of something that I got at Boston’s Bazaar Bizarre, made by Raeburn Ink:
Isn’t it so neat? I love hot pink, and this squishy scarf had hot pink puffy clouds silkscreened onto it. MINE! (hmm…should have used the fuzzy filter in photoshop elements…need to hide the scar on my chin…)
Needless to say, I went to the craft show today for the Society of Arts and Crafts in Boston. SO RIDICULOUS. The stuff was INCREDIBLE. I cannot emphasize that enough. SUCH beautiful things. All the ladies that lunch were there buying $600 shawls. I was envious, needless to say. I walked out with a book. You know that you can’t afford anything when each booth has small signs in a corner showing you the meager “UNDER $100” items. Sigh. Seriously, this show is at the cyclorama in Boston through the weekend. Really REALLY amazing stuff. Just take out a loan, if you plan on purchasing anything…but the prices were completely justified. The works were so beautiful. Anyone planning on going?
Thanks to my mother’s cousin (I believe), Ruth, in Australia, my felting today went MUCH better than yesterday. I mean MUUUUCH better. It’s smooth…the colors are nice…so, I haven’t lost faith in felting as a result. It might be the only way that I get some exercise, so maybe I should keep it up! Ruth provided me with some very helpful tips. I have seen her felting, which is lovely, so it was great to get her help.
Now that I’m doing printmaking…working with dyes…(more on that later), my hands are looking kind of gross. I mean, the edges of some of my fingernails are an odd bluish color. How gross is that? It’s so hard to get off. I always wonder if people think that I don’t bathe, or something, because my hands look so…colorful. Also, I always manage to cut myself in some way. Who knows. I know…that’s impossible to do from felting, so I must have done it when making dinner.
Filed under: Felting | Tags: craft, felt, Needlepunch and Pressed Felts, Textiles and Nonwovens, Wool
My first experiement with wet felting! The two small “squares” are the result. It was fun, but tiring. It requires some serious elbow grease to work the fibers into submission. I kept thinking, “felt! damn it!”. The results are…okay. Why are they so lumpy? Can anyone tell me? Maybe I needed to felt more. I’m going to have arms like Rambo by the time I figure this all out. It’s a very messy process, but can have lovely results. Because it shrinks down so much, I can see that I need to get an enormous blob of it to start with, in order to have a useful size in the end! The colors of these samples are a bit blech. I just got roving at Joann fabrics…so what do you expect, right? There are all sorts of AMAZING stores out there selling decadent roving (the stuff that this is made from) in stunning colors. Sigh…kind of pricey. I’ll start small, and see how it goes before I invest in tons of it.
The pink purse was needle felted. Sort of cute, right? Maybe if you’re twelve. Hey, I like it anyway. I even put snaps on it! Should I bother trimming the yarn sticking of the ends? Nah…it’s like purse dreadlocks.
Filed under: Fleeting thoughts... | Tags: art, art classes, arts, boston, craft, crafts, decordova, printmaking, woodblock printing
So, this has been a week of ups and downs. I managed to work on Tuesday, which was great. It was one of those days where the stars felt like they were aligned. Things looked great, I was excited and happy. All good. Friday was the only other day this week that I could work. In contrast to Tuesday, Friday was slow and deflating. I’ve been working on a woodcut. It’s taking ages, and my arm/hands/brain ache from it. I’m hoping to use 4 colors, but I only managed to carve out 1.25 of the four colors. SIGH. Also, I was looking at some of my books, at the work that others do…and I was deflated. Everything was so beautiful! I felt a million miles away from it all. I’ve decided that the only solution to that is to take some more classes. Spending time with an artist, having him/her provide suggestions and feedback…is invaluable. I LOVE art classes. I mean…I REALLY LOVE art classes. I don’t love everything that I do, but there are always one or two things that make me happy. I am still taking printmaking now. It’s been great. We only have two classes left! Where does the time go? Now, I’m already scouring my class options for next semester. If only I had Mondays free! There is a fabulous class at the Decordova that I’d like to take. If anyone has taken any great local (metro-Boston) art classes, let me know!
Filed under: Sewing | Tags: craft, quilt, quilting, sewing, sewing machine
So, I have MOSTLY finished the mini-quilt. What do you think? I think that it needs something…messy, added to it. I haven’t decided what, though. So, in the meantime, I’m just going to leave it. Let me just say that finishing this little thing was a serious effort, as my sewing machine was NOT cooperating. Luckily, when I took it to Marie’s Sewing in Woburn, they were so helpful and got me back on track. That machine is VERY temperamental/fussy/prone to pouting and refusing to work. Much like me! We’re a perfect fit! Anyway, I’d like to keep going with the quilting. Maybe if I make enough of these, I can join them into one big quilt. Notice that I do not yet have the energy/gumption to make a big quilt in and of itself. Someday…
Filed under: Fleeting thoughts... | Tags: art, autumn, colors, craft, fall, photography, studio
Ahhh…don’t you just love fall? I’m posting just a few photos of some of the vibrant local colors. I know…we all have pretty fall photos. I’m posting these anyway.
Things have been a bit of a struggle lately. I am really having a hard time not having a “studio”. I feel really disjointed. My stuff, while organized into bins, feels scattered. I have so little time alone to do any work…I’m not so good at working with an audience. I feel inhibited. I’m often not happy with what I’m doing, and I feel so self conscious when someone looks over my shoulder, or remarks on my project. I’m a serious introvert, so this kind of work environment is really stressful. I know…stop whining! I’m embarking on a new phase of life! Still, it feels like I am waiting for some kind of sports injury to heal before I can actually get into the game.
I also know that if I was Picasso, not having a permanent place to work probably wouldn’t obstruct my genius. Unfortunately for me, I’m no Picasso. My artistic endeavour is a tiny sapling, easily stunted by an unfavorable environment. I wish that I had a kind gardener, to help me on my way.
I’ve started a mini art quilt. It’s tiny. It’s also not quite as exciting as I had envisioned it. I’m going to try to keep at it, until I’m happier with it. When I finish, I’ll post it! Comments are always welcome…Happy Halloween!
Filed under: Felting | Tags: craft, embroidery, felt, free motion stitching
My first felting experiment…hmmm…needs work. I can see how this might become addictive, though. You can just keep throwing stuff on it and see what happens. I don’t think that you can take something off if you change your mind, though. Not a big deal, as I don’t expect this to be on the cover of any magazine…ever.
slightly wonky 
