Right.
Bahh, I hate craft!!!
Craftsmanship is everything. Good craftsmanship = beautiful prints. <3
These mini arguments above were some of the thoughts I had while reading Camnitzer's article, Printmaking: A Colony of the Arts. Though he even mentions his love-hate relationship with craft, I have to say that I honestly agree with him. As artists, whether we be painters, printmakers, or wood carvers, we always strugge with the battle between whether or not we've created fine art or "craft," a technique and category that artists such as Kiki Smith reside in.
As I was saying, I agree with Camnitzer. I think that craft and craftsmanship, whether or not you consider those two things as one or not, are detrimental to the art-making process, but I also feel that craft should not be what's focused on to make the piece successful. I love how he merges the two sides of the argument together to state that without this internal battle, one's art may not be successful. Focus on the process, but process with good concept to hide said process. Hide mistakes. Make it look perfect; hide craft.
I also have to say that yes, I think we do keep our heads too deep in the acid tank. Things are happening even in our own department that are mentioned in this article- art departments are shrinking or being abolished before our very eyes. I'm sure that printmaking and other types of art will fully become "craft" to the eyes of administrators, and like the author of the article says, our children will be taking their art classes in Home Economics, Independant Living, and other home-based classes designed to teach youngsters how to be domestic house-mammas or pappas.
I also have to say that yes, I think we do keep our heads too deep in the acid tank. Things are happening even in our own department that are mentioned in this article- art departments are shrinking or being abolished before our very eyes. I'm sure that printmaking and other types of art will fully become "craft" to the eyes of administrators, and like the author of the article says, our children will be taking their art classes in Home Economics, Independant Living, and other home-based classes designed to teach youngsters how to be domestic house-mammas or pappas.
In general, I thought the article was wonderful. It made me think twice about how I go about making prints, paintings, drawings- any form of art. It reminded me that, though "craft" seems to be a dredded swear word in the art world, that it's detrimental to the success of your pieces.
Here are some quick inspirations for this weekend, to keep the flow of creativity coming!
As much as you all probably hate it, I absolutely love the cold weather we're starting to have. I love the act of scraping my car in the morning, and having to jump outside to see which coat and shoes I should put on before I leave my house. The crispness of the air just releases something inside me that inspires me to create. There's also no humidity, which tends to make me feel less motivated.
Have any of you listened to the White Wives? They're a relatively new band out of Pittsburgh- a hybrid of Anti-Flag, the Code, and American Armada, these guys have a sound that's less on the Punk side, and slightly closer to something like Mumford & Sons or the Gaslight Anthem. They're great to listen to while you're working- they keep the energy flow high, with a more gentle beat. Go check them out!!
My final influence for the week/weekend is an artist I've been paying attention to since my sophmore year in college (2008- woo!)- Kiki Smith. I love this woman. Her quirky personality comes out in her work, and her stylized portrayal of the human form displays an otherworldly type of beauty that generally can't be drawn from realism. She also uses a lot of nature in her pieces, almost reminiscent of book illustrations. Beautiful work by a beautiful soul.
** Also, for anyone who was wondering, I'm starting to feel better about my friend that passed away- he's laid to rest now, and doesn't feel any pain anymore... After yesterday's funeral, I'm coming to terms with that. There's still some pain to deal with that will come out over time, but I'm in the process of transferring that pain into creative energy. I'll be okay. :)
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