Tuesday, September 20, 2011

A crafty post

Happy WOYWW #120...It has been a busy week for me trying to get caught up around the house since coming home from Virginia. I don't have a whole lot of time before we leave for Spain and we will be gone a month and there is so much to be done. Being busy definitely makes time seem to go faster. If you would like to find out more about what WOYWW is check out Stamping Ground and Julia the Queen of Snoop to fill you in!

I am a member of several online groups of crafty individuals who share a joint like of of art. I don't limit myself to just one style and love grunge, shabby chic, artsy fartsy...technical term, and cutesy stuff. Heck I do whatever rocks my boat at that point in time. The reason I bring this up is I got into a 'conversation' with an artist friend today about the type of art I do and the art my daughter and some of her friends do...my daughter has a degree in fiber arts and painting from the University of Oklahoma and knitted a wall hanging as a project in one of her classes, they called it art!...I digress. Anyway this friend tells me that what I do is not really art but crafts. Hmmmm...I wasn't really happy with her when she told me that my ATC, art journals, chipboard books, canvas/paper craft decor etc were not in the strictest sense considered art. I tried to point out that I am sure the surrealists, impressionists etc were told they weren't artist either cause everything doesn't look real. Long story short (cause there was a lot more to it!!) we decided to agree to disagree. What do you think? Do we do art or crafts?

I finally got to spend some time doing some fun things and getting inky after what seemed like weeks away from it. Okay here is what you have been waiting for... a picture of my desk this week.
I am working on a tag for a swap at the{creative-block StampersAnonymous} group on Yahoo. I am using embossing folders and die cuts in addition to stamps and ink to create a Halloween theme.

I finished a fall ATC this past week for another swap on the same group and thought I would share it with you also. It was suppose to be fall colors and I used an emboss resist and then stamped a tree and embossed it. Lots of fun techniques went into making it.

My materials list:
Tim Holtz ATC Die
Tim Holtz Stamps, Falling leaves, tickets, Winter Scene tree
Distress Ink Pads, Walnut Stain, Fired Brick, Faded Jeans, Antique Photo
Distress Stickles Frayed Burlap and Rock Candy
Distress Embossing powder, Walnut Stain
Ideology tiny paper clips
Yarn fibers and leaf and flower brads
Martha Stewart bird punch
Stampin Up! very vanilla and Not Quite Navy card stock

25 comments:

  1. Ohhh I think we do art. But I think crafters are much more generous in spirit then artists. Your art is beautiful.

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  2. I have dicussed with my hubby about "what is art" - a difficult subject... (He hates the word "art") I think that they (art, craft, and so on)are just words that everyone understands their own way!
    I understand it so, that when you create something of your own, it can be called art.
    Happy creating, anyway ;)
    Tuire xx

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  3. The definition of 'Art' is creating something visual - who cares what medium is used in that creation as long as brings pleasure to the creator and the viewer!! I'd rather look at some beautiful, skilful craftwork than some paintings I've seen in galleries, that's for sure!! So I'm definitely on your team :D
    Hugs, LLJ xxx

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  4. I quite agree with Sandra De. Crafters are more generous and do more varied things that "artists". We are artistic otherwise we could not do what we do. We all have our own take on any project, and none of us would produce the same thing if we were given a group of things to work with. Some crafters are brilliant painters and artists too. Just tell anyone who says crafting is not art to watch Barbara Gray or Sheena Douglas. Let's just enjoy what we all do in our own way.

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  5. I have to say i call my self a crafter.Why because i dont feel im an artist dont draw ,the painting i do is not one that would be in ana art gallery.To me you wouldnt go to an art gsllery to see a handmade card as piece of art..Or would you Naaa dont think so thats why i define myself to be a crafter.But each to there own .Someone who does art journals to me that is art and ther girls in woyww do some beautiful ones whihc yes i call art!
    Anyways debate over .Happy wednesday and have Creative week
    hugs judex10

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  6. Sometimes I am arty, sometimes I am crafty - call it what ever you like - it doesn't matter - we will still keep stretching the boundaries cos that's what we crafty artists do!!!! x Jo

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  7. Love your ATC. I always like working with "Little" creations, a great challenge. Have fun adjusting to being home and good luck with getting ready to leave again..I would agree with you...I don't care what I'm called I just enjoy what I am doing. Enjoy the WOYWW and Have Fun!!
    I'll be late if I do WOYWW, my back is out and not moving so well

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  8. There is an art to the craft that we do. It was always callled art and craft when I was at school, but what ever we do we should enjoy doing it in our own way. Hugs Mrs A.

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  9. How could anyone see that beautiful autumn themed ATC and not consider it art? Ah well, agreeing to disagree was probably the best option, if you want to stay friends!

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  10. Wow, so many definitions of art...lol My interpretation of art has always been to "create" In that sense we are all artists.

    It is our visions and how we bring that vision to our creations that make them artistic. That's my opionion and I am sticking to it!

    Have fun in Spain..Thanks for sharing, have a great WOYWW!

    xoxo Marjo #36

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  11. Love your ART on show today!!
    Have a great trip to Spain.

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  12. Vickie, I believe the arts and crafts movement in Europe made it demonstrably clear that there is such a thing as a crafts person and another thing that is an Artist, and when the crafts person creates art they bring a set of skills not seen in the artwork of a person who has never learned a craft,

    there were also many amazingly skilled craftspeople that made beautiful crafted items that were bloody awful artists...

    Be you and love what you are doing and worry not about semantics...or how other people rate your work


    looking forward to your spanish workdesk...Check out the Gaudi CRAFT in his gardens...
    Dx

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  13. you do beautiful ART! Each peice is your creation,, thats art,, singing is art, poetry is art,, when it comes right down to it,, everyone is an artist,, we all just use different mediums,, some use words , some use paint, some use cloth,, you are an artist and I love what you do!

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  14. I think that was the ‘snob’ factor talking here when your friend said that what you do isn’t art.
    I think you have to have an artistic flair to do what we do so yes, I would call it art and is more like art than the extortionately prices rubbish that people like Tracy Emin turn out in the name of art.

    Your desk is looking great this week as is the ATC that you’ve been working on.
    Definitely a wonderful piece of ‘ART’!

    Happy Crafting!
    Sue
    x

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  15. interesting debate! I am an Arts and Crafts teacher...never really thought about the break down of if what we do is ART or CRAFT!!! All I care about is being creative!

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  16. LOVE that fall ATC it's fantastic!! the halloweeny goings on on your desk look good too. x

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  17. I wonder what kind of art your friend creates because many crafters back grounds are as, if not more,impressive than some pieces of so called art. I think it all boils down to what Bella said above ...its all about being creative....and you really are VERY creative.xx

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  18. Hi there Vickie,
    Happy WOYWW before I forget - mm, curious things friends sometimes. As beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is art! and craft for that matter.
    A quick look for an online definition of "craft" made me chuckle - pasting it from the Free online dictionary "craft (krft)n.
    1. Skill in doing or making something, as in the arts; proficiency. etc etc.

    So there you go the line is very greyed!! and in agreeing to disagree you did the right thing.

    Art is craft - ie crafted with the hands and craft is art - they are synonyms, it goes on to say!!
    Love and blessings on all your travels, Shaz in oz.x

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  19. I agree with so much of what is said in the previous comments and won't ramble on about it, but I will add that I do think that craft is not art when a skill is used to follow a pattern to make an item designed by someone else. eg., a jumper from a knitting pattern to me would be craft but a jumper made from hand dyed yarn and personally designed and knitted would rate as a piece of art.
    JoZarty xx

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  20. Sounds to me like your friend is an art snob! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder IMO, I've seen some things classed as art that quite frankly should have gone in the bin!! And what about that Unmade Bed in the Tate modern gallery last year!! I rest my case. Your ART is beautiful! And congrats on the new granddaughter, she's a sweetie.

    Hugs
    Brenda 88

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  21. Well, I was taught if you have nothing nice to say....then don't say it! ZIP!!!!

    Friend???? Hmmmmmm! Whatever!!!!

    Great desk! Beautiful ATC!

    Enjoy your time in Spain and I look forward to seeing pictures! Safe journey!!!

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  22. Oh my, I HATE art snobs! It is a form of art to just stay alive some days. Creating something from nothing, thats art, maybe a challenge is in order. You try my art, I'll try yours. Bet you you are the one that will find it the easiest!
    Enjoy the hols.
    Happy belated WOYWW.

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  23. Definitely agree with Butlersabroad- I was going to say exactly the same thing about the alleged 'art' of piles of bricks/unmade beds/ formaldehyde cows. I think Jozarty made a really good point- its the difference between following a set of someone elses instructions,using their design, or just 'feeling' your way through a project. Mostly we start from scratch, choosing our colours/papers/ephemera etc- just as a painter would choose his canvas/medium/subject. If you gave 10 knitters the same wool, pattern & needles, you'd get pretty much 10 identical projects. Thats craft. Give any 10 of us the same inkpad/card/paper/stamps, and you'd get 10 totally different projects! Thats ART! I hate Art snobs too,lol.

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  24. Gosh. Hope I got here in time to see you off to Spain. I was able to see all the cards and tags you had made this week as I scrolled down to this spooky (grin) post. Sorry I'm so late showing up this week. Seems I've had to say that a lot lately.

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I would really love to hear what you think about my art and my posts. Please leave me a comment and let me know! Thanks for visiting my blog. Vickie aka Okienurse