Is it art?

[Chloe Emmott]

ART: Human creativity, skill, any specfic skill or application, a making of a thing that has form and beauty.

I thought it might be interesting to get some feed back on this one.
With so many lovely photos of some amazing work, it occurred to me do these women, think of themselfs as artists. Where are the men, are there any male textile artists.
I think there must be a fine line between a skill that is reproduced and an artist that is designing her own work.
Don't get me wrong on this one I love to complete a design,by some one else.
But when does it become art?

[Ruth Lane]

This question is directly related to May TIF Challenge (Sharon B's challenge for 2008). May's challenge is what do you call yourself and why? Are you an artist, a quilter, a maker of fiber art etc.? I am working on an artist's statement this month for the challenge. I call myself a fiber artist and I do all my own design work. It's been an interesting process and has helped to better define for myself what direction I want to continue in. I think the term art covers so much and is defined differently by different audiences.

I don't personally know any male textile artists but I have seen a few around on the web. But I think it is a field dominated by women.

[JoWynn Johns]

I think it was Judy Chicago who wrote that it is art when there is personal content, as well as the craftsmanship to create something beautiful and/or powerfully moving. I think art communicates meaning.

What is art changes throughout history. What we (Western/developed world) think of as art now is part of our modern and post-modern culture.

[Magpie Sue]

I think Ruth is correct in saying that art is defined differently by different audiences.

I'm not sure anyone can come up with one definitive answer to the question of when something becomes art, although I personally think the work has to be an authentic and original expression of whatever it is the maker is trying to convey. You see, for me art is about communication, even if it's simply beauty touching spirit.

[Jane]

I'd agree with Ruth as well. I think what is defined as art is also defined by different audiences.

Over the past five years as a student of Japanese embroidery one thing I have noticed when reading about art and design in Japan is that there seems to be no distinction between 'art' and 'craft'. It all seems to be defined as art, or both art and craft, a master sword maker will be described as an artist, so will a master painter, embroiderer, dyer, weaver, etc, etc.

[TheeCoyote]

In all my creative work, the work has to communicate to me. I always enjoy the collateral benefits when my work says something to someone else. But, I am not even motivated to do the work if a peice doesn't speak to me first.

Art involves skill, experience, study and talent (whether inborn or aquired). It also requires effort, maybe even some blood, sweat and tears. These qualities are not exclusive to painting and drawing--but to any creative endeavor that produces a creative product. Labeling creative work as art or craft is just a taxonomy of genre. It is so we know what product to expect.

[Liz in Kansas]

I came across a quote many years ago (no idea who originated it) that Art was "a manmade expression of something beautiful." Or words to that effect. This definition caught my attention because quite often I will come upon an artwork that is NOT beautiful in my view. But the idea of "beauty" is very flexible. As discussed here, different audiences and cultures will define it differently. And sometimes the artist doesn't want the piece to be beautiful. It is the expression of an idea or concept that is important.

So, I agree with JoWynn that art is a means of communication. As with all human communication, there is a very wide range of things to be said - from a deep, emotional comment on social issues to a simple "I think this is pretty."

And to shift the idea just a little: Art is a combination of what the artist wants to say and what the viewer perceives.

I'll have to think some more about the thoughts that concept ignited.

[Caroline Commins]

Take a look at Valerie Molnar's blog to see what might be the difference between craft and art.
http://www.valerieannemolnar.blogspot.com/
Valerie's work, although crafted from knitted yarn, is definitely art. Wouldn't you say??

[AnnieB]

I don't know if it's art or craft, and frankly, I say, who cares. It's just a label. And I don't put a higher value on art over craft or the other way round. But whatever you label it, Valerie's work is very cool and I love looking at it. Thanks for the link.

[Terry]

I think that the use of the word 'Art' is a word that the needlecraft world seems very reluctant to use which to me is wrong all creative work should come under the title of Art and I consider myself and artist which can be creating and painting with a needle and thread or creating and painting with a brush. I am currently learning how to watercolour and am loving it but at the same time I love working with silk threads and love trying lots of different techniques within the needlecraft world.

[TheeCoyote]

Right. Why should the mediums employed limit and define what art is? That is absurd. Of course doing so enables art snobs and elites. I guess that is something I don't wish to do, aquiesce to those limits.