Thursday, May 01, 2008

What Do I Call Myself?

This month, the challenge question is "what do you call yourself and why?" Hum, good question. Thinking back, I've never used labels to define myself. I have grown kids, was once a wife, create stuff that might be termed art (but might not) write and tango. But those aren't terms I use to define myself. At one time, I did cross stitch, I've knit and crocheted, sewed and I quilt. I read copious amounts of books across multiple genres depending on my mood and what strikes my fancy. I guess if I had to use any term to define myself, it would be multi-faceted or maybe diverse.

Ruminating on this more, I would tend to think of what I do more at the craft end of things than the art end. Craft speaks of intense labour, honing of skills, time and love. Art is often lofty, holier somehow, what I work toward. Craft is the step toward art (in any form). In my writing, I hone words to create a certain lyricism. In quilting, I've spent hours in free motion quilting honing skills that I wouldn't otherwise have. Writers have it easier. We are told to spend the hours necessary to hone our craft, and there is no shame in doing so; to be published, this is necessary. An author is just a published writer. At one time, would this same have held true for artists? If you create, spend time labour or love on any project, that is craft. If you have cash in the pocket, you are an artist.

I have unfinished cross stitch projects, left over yarn from my knitting days, paints and pastels, and fabric in my stash of stuff, and I also have a novel in the process of editing. I like the term diverse, so this month I would like to find a way to incorporate everything I've tried and where it has brought me.