One of my favorite things is watching someone do something they love and are very good at, specifically my sons and their sports, but also anyone doing anything that is about the simple love of that activity and through that love comes skill. It makes my heart sing!
Thanks for sharing, I think I would enjoy this show too.
Thanks, Ramona. I am a crafter. Knitting, embroidery, piano playing. These are why I don’t write very often. “Just one more stitch, just two more rows.”
People who don't seem to be cognizant that they are making art, but are making it nevertheless (at least according to many) are so fascinating. We are "crafters" of stories, not all too different from someone trying to build a useful quilt or tool. I want my articles to be read and used, for them to be useful in the same way that someone focused on craft does, but I can't help but feel artistic pressure to stretch the creative boundaries, to make something just a little different than everything else ever made in the world.
Ooh, this actually looks like something worth watching! My husband and I are not t.v. people, so we were not aware of this show. He and his business partner are fine furniture makers, before that boat builders, whose craft fits into the 'doing what they love' description. Though it is their vocation, I'm sure they would both be building things out of wood no matter what. I also see humility as a common thread among these folks, which adds to the beauty.
This comment, though: “They’re not teachers, they’re people who do something well.” Perhaps this is true if we define teacher too narrowly, but in the broader sense, oh my gosh, what teachers they are!
New series to me, but I have admired Gees Bend quilts in a museum. And I recently attended a fire ceremony with a shaman in Guatemala, a country of proud artisans practicing family traditions. He urged us over and over, “Use your hands!” Up went more than 20 pairs of hands, an unforgettably moving sight.
I just watched one of the videos you linked "Craft in America". Another beautiful example validating the hand and expression of the artist. In addition, its importance to promoting and extending our humanity. Thank you so much for the recommendation. I am going to check out the series on PBS.
The image caught my eye, because the idea of hanging out with like minded people and working on a craft al fresco is so appealing. I'd love to find an outlet like this.
Creativity in any form should be celebrated, not divided into "art" and "craft." Once you've finished this TV series, I'd highly recommend another PBS series if you haven't already seen it, "Art in the 21st Century." Artists from around the world working in different forms, often with social/political elements but almost always strikingly visual.
Thanks for the recommend. It looks like a fascinating show. We have a dearth of crafters in the US; real artisans are hard to find. I am especially intrigued by the crafters who have learned from grandparents; something that was handed down the generations. In Europe a family might have a recipe handed down from an ancestor from the 1400s. Love this.
I can't wait to sit and watch the links, Ramona. I too am a Pottery Throwdown, Great British Sewing Bee, The Great Big Tiny Design Challenge and The Makers' Market fan. Anything where I watch a creative craftsman at work is a thrill.
The world would be such a banal, two-dimensional place without craftsman-artists.
I'm an embroiderer - began when I was about 30 and haven't looked back. I've learned all sorts - from basic cross-stitch to the heavenly 3 dimensional stumpwork. Every single night of my life I sit with needle and thread, even when I've been in hospital and had drips and God knows what inserted in hands and arms. It's displacement therapy at its very best.
Similarly to your topic: Whenever I've heard someone pontificating about their desire to remove art, music etc from a school curriculum because it's “frivolous” I ask them what they did in their free time… and when they invariably they list things like, reading, collecting fine furniture (etc craft), listening to music, going to movies, out to dinner etc. I reply “Wow, sounds like you really enjoy the arts personally which makes it so curious that you seem to so strongly want to remove the arts from future enjoyment.” Some have actually told me that they had never considered those things that they enjoyed in their leisure time “the arts". 🤦♀️
One of my favorite things is watching someone do something they love and are very good at, specifically my sons and their sports, but also anyone doing anything that is about the simple love of that activity and through that love comes skill. It makes my heart sing!
Thanks for sharing, I think I would enjoy this show too.
Ooh, I haven't seen this yet. :dives in:
Thanks, Ramona. I am a crafter. Knitting, embroidery, piano playing. These are why I don’t write very often. “Just one more stitch, just two more rows.”
People who don't seem to be cognizant that they are making art, but are making it nevertheless (at least according to many) are so fascinating. We are "crafters" of stories, not all too different from someone trying to build a useful quilt or tool. I want my articles to be read and used, for them to be useful in the same way that someone focused on craft does, but I can't help but feel artistic pressure to stretch the creative boundaries, to make something just a little different than everything else ever made in the world.
I missed this series somehow as well but soon to be rectified. Thanks, Ramona!
Ooh, this actually looks like something worth watching! My husband and I are not t.v. people, so we were not aware of this show. He and his business partner are fine furniture makers, before that boat builders, whose craft fits into the 'doing what they love' description. Though it is their vocation, I'm sure they would both be building things out of wood no matter what. I also see humility as a common thread among these folks, which adds to the beauty.
This comment, though: “They’re not teachers, they’re people who do something well.” Perhaps this is true if we define teacher too narrowly, but in the broader sense, oh my gosh, what teachers they are!
New series to me, but I have admired Gees Bend quilts in a museum. And I recently attended a fire ceremony with a shaman in Guatemala, a country of proud artisans practicing family traditions. He urged us over and over, “Use your hands!” Up went more than 20 pairs of hands, an unforgettably moving sight.
I just watched one of the videos you linked "Craft in America". Another beautiful example validating the hand and expression of the artist. In addition, its importance to promoting and extending our humanity. Thank you so much for the recommendation. I am going to check out the series on PBS.
The image caught my eye, because the idea of hanging out with like minded people and working on a craft al fresco is so appealing. I'd love to find an outlet like this.
Creativity in any form should be celebrated, not divided into "art" and "craft." Once you've finished this TV series, I'd highly recommend another PBS series if you haven't already seen it, "Art in the 21st Century." Artists from around the world working in different forms, often with social/political elements but almost always strikingly visual.
Thanks for the recommend. It looks like a fascinating show. We have a dearth of crafters in the US; real artisans are hard to find. I am especially intrigued by the crafters who have learned from grandparents; something that was handed down the generations. In Europe a family might have a recipe handed down from an ancestor from the 1400s. Love this.
Could we survive without art in any form? Could we stop doing it? In a word, no! I just watched the Geez Bend clip. Very inspiring!
I hadn't heard of this either and I am baffled to how it's only now just getting on my radar.
It’s new to me and I’ll be checking it out.
I can't wait to sit and watch the links, Ramona. I too am a Pottery Throwdown, Great British Sewing Bee, The Great Big Tiny Design Challenge and The Makers' Market fan. Anything where I watch a creative craftsman at work is a thrill.
The world would be such a banal, two-dimensional place without craftsman-artists.
I'm an embroiderer - began when I was about 30 and haven't looked back. I've learned all sorts - from basic cross-stitch to the heavenly 3 dimensional stumpwork. Every single night of my life I sit with needle and thread, even when I've been in hospital and had drips and God knows what inserted in hands and arms. It's displacement therapy at its very best.
Thank you for talking about this. I'm. excited!
Similarly to your topic: Whenever I've heard someone pontificating about their desire to remove art, music etc from a school curriculum because it's “frivolous” I ask them what they did in their free time… and when they invariably they list things like, reading, collecting fine furniture (etc craft), listening to music, going to movies, out to dinner etc. I reply “Wow, sounds like you really enjoy the arts personally which makes it so curious that you seem to so strongly want to remove the arts from future enjoyment.” Some have actually told me that they had never considered those things that they enjoyed in their leisure time “the arts". 🤦♀️