March 16, 2007

Art Moratorium?

I was reading an article recently about banning certain images from publication because the images were perceived to be 'old news", and I was horrified! I realize that some people get caught up in the "new and fresh" aspect of crafting products, images, and stamps, but jeepers folks! Art is art. One of my favorite sayings is "ars gratia artis", or art for art's sake. (I wanted to name this blog using that, but it was taken) If one person finds inspiration from butterfly wings and dunce caps, does this make them any less of an artist because someone else has decided those objects are passé? I think not.

Doesn't everything eventually come around again anyway? Look at scalloped punches, for instance. Weren't they considered outdated for a while and then BAM, back 'in'? Crafters are scrambling to find their scallop decorative-edged scissors all of a sudden! Bell bottoms (boot cut/flare) are another example. You know what I'm talking about...you tight rolled your pants too if you were in high school in the late 80s/early 90s! But you wouldn't be caught doing that now, right? Because bell-bottomed pants (flare/boot cut) became cool again... and NOW, tight legged jeans are all the rage (although not with me personally *wink*) and known as 'skinny jeans'! We are back to the beginning! What's old is new again.

I take offence when someone decides that certain images ought to be limited due to preconceived notions about what is unfashionable in the art world. NOTHING is obsolete in art. Art is individual creativity. Period.

*Stepping off my soap-box now* and taking deep breaths.
Anyone else have thoughts on this?

3 comments:

Amy said...

so with you on this!

Amy

Anonymous said...

WOW I thought I liked crafts, I see another whole level of crafters out there! Checked out the article about dunce hats..you can't have a moratorium on dunce hats or butterfly wings until there are no more dunces or butterflies in the world--and who would want to live in that world!! Building mom

Trish D said...

Holy toledo - the part that totally made me laugh, though, was banning the color brown. WHAT?!?!? Egads, people, get a life!

And I'm thrilled that Stampington realizes it's about the quality of the work, not about a particular image. I will freely admit that there are certain images that I'm a bit tired of, but I can always find inspiration in the general card layout, use of embellishment, etc.