Is it art or not?

[Eileen K.]

I have a friend who is an art quilter. She's published 2 books so far and the third is coming out soon. I read this on her blog:
http://blog.leniwiener.com/?p=1141 and I have to say that it made me think. Is everything we create art or do we have to find our "voice"? I enjoy finding and following patterns. Does that mean that what I make isn't art because it isn't original? Why can't we all be happy just doing what we're doing?
What do you all think?

[Margo C.]

I'm with you, Eileen! I just need to feed my soul, and quilting does that for me. I don't feel the need to label myself as an artist in order to feel important! I'm just a quilt maker, and that's good enough for me.

[Pam D.]

Ditto!! We are creative people and the important thing to me is that I get pleasure from what I do. It doesn't really matter what I call myself.

[Pam D.]

I would think that anything you create wether it is original or not, is art. There are many reproductions of paintings and no one has a problem calling them art.. even bed quilts are art, It doesn't have to be hung on a wall in a home or gallery to be enjoyed and admired. As long as it makes you and who ever you make it for happy.

[Robin G.]

Oh my, Eileen, you do come up with the most provocative posts!! To me, your friend sounds an awful lot like the quilt police!! She doesn't think children can be artists, whereas I think they are the most natural, uninhibited artists around. Too often, children are trained right out of being artistic -- a definite loss for our society! I've seen the quilting on a quilt you recently did, and although you didn't put the quilt top together, you did make the decision about the patterns you wanted to quilt on the quilt, and that, to my mind, is artistic!

[Eileen K.]

Ditto!! We are creative people and the important thing to me is that I get pleasure from what I do. It doesn't really matter what I call myself.

Pam, I'm not concerned about what to call myself, it just bothered me that Leni makes the parameters of art so narrow. I have believed for a very long time that "art is in the heart of the creator". JMHO :wink:

[Robin G.]

Pam, I'm not concerned about what to call myself, it just bothered me that Leni makes the parameters of art so narrow. I have believed for a very long time that "art is in the heart of the creator". JMHO :wink:

Oh, I like that -- art is in the heart of the creator. That's lovely!!

[Robin G.]

I like "art is in the heart of the creator." I'm not big on labels so cal me what you like. For me quilting and other crafts before quilting are all not necessarily cheaper than tranquilizers and muscle relaxants but much more fun. The added bonus is my home decor and gifts that come out of this therapy.

[Margo C.]

Ditto!! We are creative people and the important thing to me is that I get pleasure from what I do. It doesn't really matter what I call myself.

Pam, I'm not concerned about what to call myself, it just bothered me that Leni makes the parameters of art so narrow. I have believed for a very long time that "art is in the heart of the creator". JMHO :wink:

YES!! And we all make WORKS OF HEART!!

[Margo C.]

..and who is to say that our fabric combinations to create textures and movement in our quilts is not art in itself? Our choices of colours and patterns...that's art also!!
Jeanine in icy Nova Scotia

[Dawn S.]

Margo,

"Works of heART"

Dawn In beautiful Northwest Montana

[Betty J.]

Margo,

"Works of heART"

Dawn In beautiful Northwest Montana

Oh my goodness, gracious, me. I just read the blog link on art that Eileen provided. Excuse me if I say it sounds a bit snobbish. I am sooo happy that I don't feel I have to define my "voice" and fit within that constraint. It would take so much of the just plain joy of creativity and delight of seeing what happens when I try to make something I see in my head come out in the quilt. I don't like having to work inside the constraints of a box, even one I made myself. So yes, I really agree with what you all said expressed so delightfully by Dawn.

[Keith D.]

I want to say something about this, but I just can't find my voice. I'll go practice for years and years and then I'll come back... =)

Seriously... I've been sitting here for 20 minutes, rubbing my head...

It's a great thread Eileen. And I love what everyone is saying on this web site... Maybe I should go do the dishes.

[Keith D.]

Doing the dishes peacefully, carefully, comfortably, and artfully helped.

Art might be a bit like pornography. I think I know it when I see it. And I don't really care if I'm wrong or not. Or who created it. Or how refined, developed, and mature their voice is.

I want to find my voice by dancing to the beat of my own drum, by wearing purple with a red had that doesn't go, and pleasing myself with something pretty or interesting, whether following a pattern or not. I'm not going to find my voice by practicing in a straight line.

I've read a lot recently about how sad it is that we tend to crush the art out of our young. I'm going to try everyday to not squish the art or creativity out of anybody, young or old or in between.

I hate it when I want to say so many things, but I don't know if I should. This must be what it feels like when art is getting squashed out of you...

So was Wiener's article art because it moved me so much, even if it wasn't pretty?

[Eileen K.]

"Neglect not the gift that is within you..." -1 Timothy 4:14

Thank you Betty Jo!!