Ric, that bullfight drawing is amazing! And bravo for celebrating your children's art in such a positive way as well. I studied as a mechanical engineer and worked on car-engines and enjoy working with tools. I have always wanted to have a functional/utilitarian craft as a hobby, and woodworking has been in my sights for a while. It is inspiring to see your work and congratulations on the project!
> The most functional object simultaneously contains and displays beauty and utility.
You drew that bullfight in *seventh grade??* Wow, I'm impressed - I think I was still doing stick figures at that age. XD
I really enjoyed seeing all the various forms of you and your family's art. Fred and I used to have an art studio before we had to give it up in 2011 due to Fred's brain surgery. But before that happened, one of our chief methods of getting supplies was raiding the industrial park's dumpsters after business hours. We got an entire sheet of drywall that we used as a set piece for a couple of our short films, and Fred always found scrap lumber we could use, plus the occasional stool or small table. Upcycling is fun!
This is fabulous. In my experience, art is creation and craft is fulfillment of the creation. A disciplined application of the art. You're absolutely correct to link the two. Art takes place in the art, and takes form in craft.
I am tired of people needing labels; I referred to myself as a scientist in another forum and was promptly run over by a PhD geologist, correcting me to say only people with doctorates and engaged in many years of research can call themselves scientists. My doctorate was in applied medicine, which doesn't count. My Masters in high-energy laser physics, and the one in Operations Research/Systems analysis are irrelevant. I used the combination of art and science to diagnose and treat patients. I should be ashamed.
Political labels and group labels are driving me up a wall. I'm a libertarian, which means social liberal and fiscal conservative. Most of us recognize that liberalism is a luxury that can only be afforded by the fiscally conservative.
Your writing style is more appealing than mine, I'm sort of an acquired taste. But you know all that. I support you, two other substack writers and an artist through Patreon. I wish I could do more. Your writing inspires me every time.
Bill, I love your comments on my writing. It tends to make me better, in that I see the other side of my words. Thanks for that. After being in prison, I too have an aversion to labels. They are mostly useless except for bathrooms and chemicals. Your support has been invaluable to my growth as a writer, and i am eternally grateful.
Well once again you've zeroed in on a topic that was a large part of my family history, childhood, and long since abandoned for "adulthood" and "responsibilities". Art, Craft... I recently vacationed with my husband and we drove up the California and Oregon coasts then spent a week in Portland area visiting friends and family. One friend we spent the night with is married to an artist. She's in her early 60s, sports any variety of colored hair, is inspired by Sugar Skulls and Frida Khalo so lots of colors in her art, and her medium is varied and interesting from painting to beadwork to sewing and working with fabrics... Anyway, it made me realize how much I miss having a creative outlet. My Mom and Grandmother were both artists, mainly painting but also weaving and sculpting, some pottery, heck even macrame in the 70s! I've drawn and painted, created craftsy stuff as a kid, written poetry and lyrical stuff inspired by all the music I was listening to. And it's all coming back to me in that I've allowed my adult life to stifle a lot of my creativity. These days it finds expression in my cooking (I'm a really good home chef) but I miss drawing taking the time to be actively imaginative as opposed to passively observing art that someone else has created. I'm feeling inspired to try something. A bit afraid of the blank page but what the heck, maybe I'll just start over with stick people and simple flowers and see what happens.
Mara, you totally made my day! We seem to have lived parallel lives. I had an elective class in 8th grade: Macramé. we had a total hippie teacher. I love found-object art because it allows me to really create. As a fellow cook, we appreciate the difference between cooking and baking. The key to getting back into a creative groove is to eliminate the friction causing you not to do it. The most common cause of friction is set-up and tear-down.
Dedicating a space, however small, to your Art and Craft will make all of the difference. Not dreading unpacking and packing it up will free your mind and allow your juices to flow in a positive direction. We literally got rid of our couches in the living room and set up a craft station along the sliding door. It overlooks the patio garden, and is very inspiring.
For my woodcraft, what held me back was parking the car in the garage. I had to set up my shop every time. No go. I pay $100/month to park on the street, and it motivates me to create enough to earn that back. The Wife calls it ShopRent!
Thanks for reading and I hope you create some beautiful things!
Ric, that bullfight drawing is amazing! And bravo for celebrating your children's art in such a positive way as well. I studied as a mechanical engineer and worked on car-engines and enjoy working with tools. I have always wanted to have a functional/utilitarian craft as a hobby, and woodworking has been in my sights for a while. It is inspiring to see your work and congratulations on the project!
> The most functional object simultaneously contains and displays beauty and utility.
This was my favourite line in this post.
You drew that bullfight in *seventh grade??* Wow, I'm impressed - I think I was still doing stick figures at that age. XD
I really enjoyed seeing all the various forms of you and your family's art. Fred and I used to have an art studio before we had to give it up in 2011 due to Fred's brain surgery. But before that happened, one of our chief methods of getting supplies was raiding the industrial park's dumpsters after business hours. We got an entire sheet of drywall that we used as a set piece for a couple of our short films, and Fred always found scrap lumber we could use, plus the occasional stool or small table. Upcycling is fun!
This is fabulous. In my experience, art is creation and craft is fulfillment of the creation. A disciplined application of the art. You're absolutely correct to link the two. Art takes place in the art, and takes form in craft.
I am tired of people needing labels; I referred to myself as a scientist in another forum and was promptly run over by a PhD geologist, correcting me to say only people with doctorates and engaged in many years of research can call themselves scientists. My doctorate was in applied medicine, which doesn't count. My Masters in high-energy laser physics, and the one in Operations Research/Systems analysis are irrelevant. I used the combination of art and science to diagnose and treat patients. I should be ashamed.
Political labels and group labels are driving me up a wall. I'm a libertarian, which means social liberal and fiscal conservative. Most of us recognize that liberalism is a luxury that can only be afforded by the fiscally conservative.
Your writing style is more appealing than mine, I'm sort of an acquired taste. But you know all that. I support you, two other substack writers and an artist through Patreon. I wish I could do more. Your writing inspires me every time.
Bill, I love your comments on my writing. It tends to make me better, in that I see the other side of my words. Thanks for that. After being in prison, I too have an aversion to labels. They are mostly useless except for bathrooms and chemicals. Your support has been invaluable to my growth as a writer, and i am eternally grateful.
Ric
Well once again you've zeroed in on a topic that was a large part of my family history, childhood, and long since abandoned for "adulthood" and "responsibilities". Art, Craft... I recently vacationed with my husband and we drove up the California and Oregon coasts then spent a week in Portland area visiting friends and family. One friend we spent the night with is married to an artist. She's in her early 60s, sports any variety of colored hair, is inspired by Sugar Skulls and Frida Khalo so lots of colors in her art, and her medium is varied and interesting from painting to beadwork to sewing and working with fabrics... Anyway, it made me realize how much I miss having a creative outlet. My Mom and Grandmother were both artists, mainly painting but also weaving and sculpting, some pottery, heck even macrame in the 70s! I've drawn and painted, created craftsy stuff as a kid, written poetry and lyrical stuff inspired by all the music I was listening to. And it's all coming back to me in that I've allowed my adult life to stifle a lot of my creativity. These days it finds expression in my cooking (I'm a really good home chef) but I miss drawing taking the time to be actively imaginative as opposed to passively observing art that someone else has created. I'm feeling inspired to try something. A bit afraid of the blank page but what the heck, maybe I'll just start over with stick people and simple flowers and see what happens.
Mara, you totally made my day! We seem to have lived parallel lives. I had an elective class in 8th grade: Macramé. we had a total hippie teacher. I love found-object art because it allows me to really create. As a fellow cook, we appreciate the difference between cooking and baking. The key to getting back into a creative groove is to eliminate the friction causing you not to do it. The most common cause of friction is set-up and tear-down.
Dedicating a space, however small, to your Art and Craft will make all of the difference. Not dreading unpacking and packing it up will free your mind and allow your juices to flow in a positive direction. We literally got rid of our couches in the living room and set up a craft station along the sliding door. It overlooks the patio garden, and is very inspiring.
For my woodcraft, what held me back was parking the car in the garage. I had to set up my shop every time. No go. I pay $100/month to park on the street, and it motivates me to create enough to earn that back. The Wife calls it ShopRent!
Thanks for reading and I hope you create some beautiful things!
Ric