Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The "quilt" artist
A quilt artist implies an artist whose medium is quilts. So that's the term I've used as opposed to art quilter. I think there's a difference though everyone else may not agree. Joanne Mattera feels an artist is an artist. No adjective needed. Read her well written posting here.
On one hand I agree with her. When people found out I painted, they'd ask with oils or acrylics? As if the medium mattered. As if those were the only two mediums. It's what I can create rather than what I use. So why have boundaries when there are none?
On the other hand I feel adjectives give definition. Don't you gather more information if I say I am an Oakland, CA rather than a Springfield, MO resident; a commercial rather than residential interior designer? So why not say I am a quilt artist?
The word quilt alone is fraught with implications: quilts for the bed; craft instead of art; devalued for being (mostly) women's work; patterns from repetition and symmetry; matching seams; coordinated fabrics, pretty. So much baggage.
Maybe I should just say I am an artist.
On one hand I agree with her. When people found out I painted, they'd ask with oils or acrylics? As if the medium mattered. As if those were the only two mediums. It's what I can create rather than what I use. So why have boundaries when there are none?
On the other hand I feel adjectives give definition. Don't you gather more information if I say I am an Oakland, CA rather than a Springfield, MO resident; a commercial rather than residential interior designer? So why not say I am a quilt artist?
The word quilt alone is fraught with implications: quilts for the bed; craft instead of art; devalued for being (mostly) women's work; patterns from repetition and symmetry; matching seams; coordinated fabrics, pretty. So much baggage.
Maybe I should just say I am an artist.
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