At first glance, I thought, "Whoa! Excuse the crap out of me! I'm sorry that I don't qualify to reside within your sphere of irrational existence!", but then I took it down about 500 notches and started looking at why I felt offended by the statement that the 'artist' had every human right to make. The end of my mini voyage of self discovery uncovered a personal identity crisis and a seed of self doubt. I'll expound:
I am a jack of lots of trades when it comes to crafting and because my interests branch out so much, I don't identify myself solely with any crafting group. Because I don't really 'belong' to a group exclusively, garnering acceptance from any one group has been difficult to put it nicely.
It was my lack of an "identity" that allowed me to feel as if I were being shunned by the anti-non-artsey layout. The responsibility for the way that I choose to see myself lands in MY lap, not that artist.
I brought this whole thing up to my husband when he called me during a break at work. He was very blunt and to the point having reached his 'eureka!' moment without the need of self discovery. "Why wouldn't you consider yourself artsey?" he asked, "All of the crafting you do falls into the realm of Arts and Crafts, so that makes you an 'Arts & Craftey' person; save some syllables and call yourself "artsey" and go to bed". Aside from trying to send me off to bed before I was ready to go, I found his comment extremely helpful.
My husband couldn't have hit that nail squarer on the head if he tried. All of the uproar and feelings of dejection that have been generated by that layout is the result of each interpreter's personal assessment of their self worth. In short, if you don't see yourself as artsey, then you will be offended, if you can manage to get over yourself long enough to see that you ARE artsey, then you won't (unless you decide to lead the charge on behalf of the non-artsey folks).
Scrapbooking is a craft that is in it's very essence is the artistic manifestation of a preserved memory. If it weren't artistic then it would just be pictures in a album; no journaling, no pretty patterned paper, no embellishments. This whole "just a scrapbooker" thing really does torque me when I hear it used in the recent context. Why do we have to personally devalue our hobby?
I know lots of non-artsey folks who hold more regard for scrapbooking than the women who actually partake in the craft! The ladies at work have called me 'artsey' as long as I can remember...I wish I'd remembered that before I'd allowed myself to be annoyed by the journaling in that layout. I don't begrudge KC for admitting that she doesn't like artsey people simply because :
- She didn't elaborate on what her idea of 'artsey' is therefore it's very possible that her journaling isn't as exclusionary as some of her past statements have been. Even if she does mean that she thinks all un-edgy scrappers are 'just lowly scrappers', so what? I refuse to re-align my self worth assessment to match her presumably narrow view of scrapbooking.
- I can only be insulted when I allow myself to be, I like to think that I rob any antagonist of the power to devalue me by first valuing myself and then by not allowing their input any purchase on my self perception.
- That woman is not responsible for buffering each individual scrapbooker's sensitive psyche; she may alienate herself by being so in-you-face and controversial, but that's HER bed to make and lay in. Some people appreciate the presence of all sorts of people in their lives, artsey or not. If someone wants to draw a line between themselves and the non-artsey world, then that's their choice to make. It's really about us. Momma would say that you didn't need nobody who don't want you.
At the risk of sounding like I'm preaching, I have to say that we as scrapbookers need to start checking our emotions at the door as it pertains to the opinions of others. We really need to start valuing what we do instead of watering it down for fear of being labeled pretentious or self absorbed.
If you play with scissors, paper, and glue... you might be artsey
How can anyone expect the non-scrapbooking people to have respect or appreciation for our craft if we don't even have it? We are not "just scrapbookers"! The memories that I strive to preserve are given my attention because they are important to me, that means that scrapbooking is important to me, and therefore not "just" or "only" anything. The time that I spend honing my craft (yes I did just write that) is not time wasted therefore why attach a negative connotation to my crafting?
It's funny how many scrapbookers are okay with being called 'creative' but deplore being referred to as 'arty' or 'artsey'...the words are synonymous! If what you create (there's that word again!) is aesthetically pleasing to people who view it, then it is an artistic representation of your creative spirit (yes, I did just write that). Heck people, even the dictionary is calling us artsey!
Artistic, adj.: 1. of art or artists, 2. done skillfully and/or tastefully, 3. sensitive to beauty Synonyms: inventive, skillful, creative, talented, aesthetic, imaginative (to name a few)
Arty (artsey), adj.: affectedly artistic
Artist, n.: 1. one who is skilled in any of the fine arts, 2. one who does anything very well, 3. a professional in any of the performing arts. Synonyms: master, painter, composer, dancer, creator, singer, (and the list goes on)
If create something aesthetic to be appreciated by others... you might be artsey.
I'm not trying to drag anyone to the waterhole kickin' and screamin'. If you don't want to consider yourself artsey, then don't (I'll still consider you artsey...so there!). Maybe it would be worthwhile to remind those who chose to take that route, that they are in essence allowing themselves to be included in that alienated group of non-artsey people. I hope that everyone chooses the positive route, whatever it is and ceases with the devaluing "just" and "only" tags that we attach to what we do with out memories.
Shameless rant session over.
If you are an investment banker who spends his/her free time...well doing more investment banking... you probably aren't artsey
8 comments:
CS, you are an excellent writer!
I really enjoy this blog. It's thoughtful and I like that it is moderated.
Please don't make it into something that competes with scrapsmack. I liked your previous entries better than the last couple. Seemed as though you were writing more for yourself then. Instead of this huge audience you may have found yourself with now. JMHO.
Thanks for the support. I assure you, that I am writing for myself (it's a selfishness that has been a long time coming) but I do so with awareness that some actually like reading my drabble. I would never even attempt to compete with Scrap Smack. If you're referring to the similarities in the postings between the two blogs, I pretty much post my thoughts here rather than there because at least here I don't get blasted for writing a novel.I will try to be more conscious (no pun intended...really!) of how I approach topics because the last thing I want to portray is a commercialization of my thoughts!
the scrapper who created this layout expressed an opinion loudly and clearly, and that is her right.
My reaction to that layout was along the lines of "well, aren't we special". The scrapper comes across in that layout as a bit of a snob. Whether she is, I have no idea, and frankly, I don't think that I need to spend a lot of time trying to divine what the scrapper's thoughts and experiences were that led her to create the layout before commenting on the merit or perspective of the layout.
From spending a lot of time reading threads on Two Peas and some blogs, it's clear to me that there are some scrappers who do condescend to those who scrap in more conventional styles, and who, gasp, use themed papers and embellishments when scrapping,and who don't feel the need or desire to be artsy.
wow, FINALLY a scrap blog that seems to have an intelligent writer! thanks for the chuckles, and the no nonsence "rules" here!
A true artist who is confident in her/his work does not have to create art which excludes others. This layout was offensive on several levels but the most was the assumption on the part of the creator that she and she alone knew what "art" was and who was and was not an "artist". Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
sorry but there is a big difference between artsy and art and artist. i'm sick of every scrapbooker calling themselves an artist.
there is a huge difference between playing with art supplies and being an artist. i've been an artist all my life. i scrapbook. on occasion i include some of my art in my scrapbooks but i don't even confuse the two. these women like to call themselves artists NOW - back when they were in school gettin their various degrees they were the ones making fun of those of us getting art degrees ("wish i could just draw, paint, or make prints for my final") yeah i'm a little sick of it. and the ones who call themselves designers? dont get me started. they couldnt get a job at a anything but a scrapbook magazine (if that) cos they plain old dont have the credentials. (and yes i have worked for national well known publications)
sorry to rant away. your blog is thoughtful and interesting. and as for your being artsy - fabulous. if you say you are then you are. i dont doubt it(again i draw the line with everyone and their brother calling themselves an artist.) i think all people should make things if they like to - i encourage it.
oh and here's a favorite quote of mine that i think is appropos to the scrapper in question:
"the greater the artist, the greater the doubt. Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented as a consolation prize" Robert Hughes.
and again forgive my rant. i just had to get that off my chest.
I love that quote 11:49.
I can respect your feelings of frustration about the liberal use of the word 'artist' in the recent years. I still hold that whatever label another person chooses to give themselves is their cross to bear and has nothing to do with me. I just can't bother with allowing myself to be upset by something so trivial. I can understand where a trained artist would be offended by someone who has not paid their 'dues' referring to themselves as an artist. That doesn't however, answer the question of "why does it matter?". There are many people who author books and who are looked down upon and degraded by writers who HAVE received 'formal' education in the the field of writing. It doesn't make them any less of a writer, but they are subjected to the ridicule and scrutiny nonetheless.
I don't think that it should matter how 'trained' a person is or how they have applied their artistic talents. I think the most important thing is that people just be who they are and always strive to be better. Who a person is won't be decided by anyone other than that person, regardless of the qualifications of the critics. No person on this planet has the right to tell anyone else what they are or aren't. If Joe Smuckatelli wants to fancy himself an artist, fine. If, when I look at Joe's work, I fail to see in it what I interpret art to be, does that mean that Joe's not an artist? No, it means that I don't appreciate his interpretation of art. We, as a species, need a lot of work on the the whole 'accepting differences' thing IMO.
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