The answers are simple I am both...it all depends on you and how you view my art, there is no right or wrong. Some people claim that crafters are people who use glue to put things together...ummm yeah ok...I use glue, lots of glue! I use glue to stick things together, to form a seal, to create texture and to resist...glue is fun! Then there are those who say artists are those who hold degrees and exhibit in galleries...hmmm? I was working towards a double art degree because I wanted to teach art, I postponed it because a friend asked me why I needed a degree to do what I am already doing. I don't need a degree to be an artist...the few classes I completed I received distinction and high distinction grades because I already knew what I was doing.
Art is what ever you think it is and an artist and crafter are what you think they are. There is no right or wrong.
Now there is another arguement and that is the opinion that scrapbookers are not artists...you only have to look at the work of Gillian Lester, Louise Nelson, Louise Williams and sooooo many more to see that scrapbooking is so much than just a picture stuck on a page.
I admire many people in many genres, they inspire me to try different things, to explore, express and experiment.
I owe where I am as an artist to the scrapbookers who support me as an artist/crafter...or should I say artistic crafter or crafty artist?
What ever I am to you doesn't really matter as long as you enjoy what I make and perhaps you are inspired by it. I hope so because I sure do enjoy making stuff. Now let's get back to being creative.
3 comments:
I gave up believing in titles when I worked and realized that titles were a substitute for a good pay raise. To me the title artist is a catchall title for the needy. my personnel response to "you're an artist" is no I'm just an artsy crafty person. it should be your creative work that is important and gives you a sense of self not a title.
I got told by my brother that I wasn't an artist because I was copying something.. helloooo is a portrait painting not a copy of someones face? I agree totally with what you say. The title means absolutely nothing and neither does the degree. A art degree doesn't mean you're an artist, it means your able to study for long periods of time. I'm an artist, I slosh around with all sorts of art materials and come up with weird and sometimes beautiful things. Let's stop wondering what to call it and just do it!!
For some reason your blog disappeared off my blog reader so I'm just catching up. Thank you for mentioning me as a scrapbooker artist, I find it hard to consider myself an artist and have always called myself more of a crafter, but as my work has developed and I've started to use more mixed media I think that perception has changed. Scrapbooking has changed. It's no longer just putting a photo on a piece of paper and writing about it, but even if that's all you did why shouldn't that be considered art too? I think anyone with a creative soul could consider themselves an artist if they believe themselves to be one... and all power to them (us!). x
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