The Power of Craft

In my view anyone can be creative, but it's when you include the element of craft that creativity can then become elevated to art. And whereas creating pictures merely requires materials such as glue, paper and paint, performing a craft requires professional equipment such as scissors, knives and rulers.

In several of the essays in Glenn Adamson's marvelous anthology 'The Craft Reader', the authors argue convincingly that throughout cultural history craft has unfairly. been relegated to a lower status than art. After I read these essays I had a major breakthrough in the quality of my work. For example I started to paste and cut with greater care and started viewing these actions as skills rather than as tasks.

The first paper composition I recall making was in elementary school. It consisted of a hand-cut paper daisy chain of people surrounding the title of the Beatle's song, "Come Together'. I recall it with pride because my teacher, Ms. Carmola saw fit to put in on our classroom' wall.

In my first year of college I attended some 2-dimensional art, and some figure drawing classes. I recall one assignment I did in particular. I painted an abstract composition on a card book pizza box plate. After class I disgarded it in a trash barrel outside the arts building. About 2 weeks later I was invited to see the studios of the graduate student teaching assistants. Upon entering the studio I noticed my pizza plate composition was hung prominently up on the wall. When I exclaimed, 'I made that!' the grad student told me when he had lifted the trash can lid 'the colors jumped up at me!' So, he kept it. The following semester my graduate students teachers asked me to move in with them in a farm off campus. It became the most memorable time of my college years!

I think my preference for creating images with paper rather than paint is for the mundane reason that paper is easier to clean up. After college I spent a Summer washing dishes in a resort inn in Arizon and I guess I felt I'd cleaned up enough big messes.

My early pieces were reproduction of fashion magazine photographs which Imade. by gluing hand cut pieces of colored construction paper. Also, during this period in my mid 20's I produced many birthday cards and posters. Then, about 15 years ago I had an epiphany: I envisioned creating cards that resembled books. I. believed that a book format might motivate people to write more than cliche filled commercial cards do.

Calling them BookCover Cards they even included additional pages for lengthier notes. I used a Fiskar's Corner Punch to produce ornate corners to paste to the covers. However, I soon learned that the material, time and effort to produce a single card made them commercially unviable. So, I switched to a single fold format, and instead of book covers I began creating ornate patterns and colorful designs in for the margins and placed a Victorian Era advertisement at the center. I dubbed this new line, A Marginal Existence'!

I'd begin each card's design with a large composition consisting of a border made of hand-cut pieces of hand crafted marbled paper. I then pasted a photocopy of the Victorian advertisement at the center. I'd use a Fiskar's finger exacto knife for finely detailed cutting and for bigger cuts a Fiskar's Easy Action non-stick scissors, with a specially constructed handle to reduce hand strain. These large, intricate compositions often take several straight hours to complete and any reduction of strain on my fingers was a welcome relief.

After many attempts I reached a point where these preliminary compositions had a merit of their own. I began exhibiting them at libraries and local galleries. To date I've had at least 15 shows with more scheduled for later this year. I was recently honored when the Public Library of Waltham, Massachusetts asked if they could put images of my artwork in their permanent archives! I've also participated in numerous local arts and craft fairs successfully selling my greeting cards.

Oddly, my art production dramatically increased during the current Covid Pandemic. I estimate I've completed over 30 new pieces since it started. I attribute that to so many places I used to frequent being closed forcing me to stay home much more. Having a hobby that requires me to stay home has been a blessing keeping me busy and safe!

I see mine as a kind of Horation. Alger rags to riches tale. Although I have achieved neither fame, nor fortune considering where I started I've accomplished far, far more than I could ever have dreamt. Someday, in the distant future I imagine turning on the Antiques Roadshow and seeing someone bring in one of my compositions they purchased at a yardsale being appraised!