Hymn of the Earth

Clay: one of our most elemental art materials.



And it is amongst the most versatile: vessels, implements, utensils, dwellings, decor -all can be made of clay.



Its squishy nature makes it appealing to small children, useful for physical therapy, and frustrating to those of us who have not developed the skill to manipulate it as we wish. As with other media, clay has a language all its own - a syntax unique to its properties, which must be studied and practiced to gain proficiency.



Some study and practice the art deeply enough to be masters. Mary Lou Reid, of Saranac Lake, is a master. No one priviledged to see her show, currently hanging at the Adirondack Artists' Guild, can doubt this.



In her hands, clay bursts to life as a curious bird, an inquisitive fish, or a sun-soaked waterlily. From her fingers sprout trees, ferns, kelp, even planets.



All of her work harkens to the earth from which clay originates, and to which we are gravity-bound. Earth is the Mother of us all, some say, and Mary Lou's art channels that Mother's spirit, both in its life-giving warmth and its unyieiding solidity. Whether representative or abstract, each piece radiates Earthy energy.



The title piece, "Glazed and Wired", is a hymn to life and growth. Twenty-four tiles in shades of brown, green, and blue form a mosaic of branches, or stalks, which stretch heavenward in rhythmic pulses. Each tile is like the others, yet each is unique. When you look closely, you see that each stalk or branch is quite distinct from any other, in texture, shape, color, and arrangement - yet each harmonizes with the larger composition. Further, Mary Lou has threaded the whole piece with a fine black wire which dances in and out of the hollow tubes, now twisting high in the air, now burying itself deep in the clay.



It is like a Bach concerto, in which each line of music is distinct, yet weaves into the others to create a sum much greater than any of its parts.



Each of the show's other pieces holds the same sense of intertwining elements. A magnificent windchime combines the texture of burlap with the airiness of a dandelion puff . Another wall piece, titled "Aerial View", presents a landscape of desert and wetlands vying for control.



All of this can be read allegorically. For most of us, I think, desert-like periods intersperse with times of abundance. Who wouldn't love to fly like a seed on the wind - but which of us doesn't also feel the weight of life's rough fabric?



A friend said to me recently that art is communication. Whether or not you agree with this definition, you will find that Mary Lou Reid communicates through clay with superlative eloquence.





Her show, "Glazed and Wired", hangs at the Adirondack Artists' Guild through March 6. To see photographs of some of the pieces, click here.

Arts and Crafts

A recent comment to this blog raised a big question - one on which I have often pondered, and which I had previously avoided addressing . . .


In response to my son's definition of an "artist" vs. an "artisan", a reader wrote:



Interesting - in my mind, an "artist" is someone who is skillful in creating fine art. An artisan is someone who is skillful in creating fine crafts. Funny how we can all have different definitions of things!



The reader's definition of "artist" vs. "artisan" is as fair as any - but it raises a deeper question. What, then, is "fine art", and what is "fine craft"?



Now, I have previously avoided addressing this question in this forum because I know it can arouse deep passions. Please, if you choose to read further, recognize that, like Socrates, I know nothing: I am only raising questions.



Implicit to this whole question is a value judgement. Historically, "art" has been considered superior to "craft". Some people who create splendid things feel hurt when their work is referred to as "craft" and not "art" - they feel this places their accomplishments on a lower plane.



We may not intend such a judgment - I am sure the writer of the above comment didn't mean to disparage anyone - but it is there nonetheless. It is a connotation inherent to the English language.



My dictionary, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate, 11th Ed., defines art like this: "the conscious use of skill and creative imagination, esp. in the production of aesthetic objects". (emphasis mine)



Okay....



Now, "craft" is defined thus: "an occupation or trade requiring manual dexterity or artistic skill". (again, my emphasis)



So, based on those two definitions, we have some apparent overlap: art involves creating aesthetic objects; craft involves artistic skill.



Further, I looked for a definition of "fine art", and found this: "art concerned primarily with the creation of beautiful objects".



That's certainly vague.



Years ago, in debating this whole question with another artist friend of mine, she said she had heard that "art" is purely decorative, while "craft" is anything which can be used for a practical purpose.



Hmmm.



Does that definition make sense? Consider:



Donna Foley works in fiber. She raises her own sheep, then shears them, cleans & cards their wool, dyes it and spins it. She then weaves incredible pieces - some, purely decorative: tapestries and hangings designed to adorn a wall. But some of her work is functional, too: rugs to both beautify and warm a floor, scarves to look chic while warding off chills, placemats to enhance a table - and keep crumbs off it.



Is she an artist, or an artisan - or a crafts person?



She is also a member of the Adirondack Artists' Guild - does that perforce make her an artist?



Another Guild member, of whose work I wrote in my previous post, is Mary Lou Reid. As a potter, she makes all manner of useful things: mugs, bowls, plates, candleholders, and so forth. She also creates purely decorative objects - wall hangings, mobiles, and the like.



Is she an artist? Apparently, the Guild members think so. I do, too.



Here's another consideration.



What about meaning, message?



I have previously blogged about why people create art - often it is for the purpose of expressing a truth, an opinion, a belief.



Is that intention necessary, for a work to be called art? If so, then I am certainly no artist, for most of my work is created for pleasure - my own, and the viewers'.



But at the same time, cannot meaning be inferred, even when it is not explicit? And, is not a celebration of pure beauty, or of evident life, or of that which we love, a valid meaning?



Hmmm, again.



Okay, so how about a kid who braids a lanyard out of plastic strips at summer camp - surely that is craft - not art?



Wait a minute.



This also hooks us on the thorn of intention. If the kid is using the only material available, and is investing skill into doing the best job he or she is able to do, and intends the finished piece as an expression of love given to a parent, say, or a counsellor - would that not be art?



What do YOU think?



My immediate response to the comment which got this ball rolling was this:



I wouldn't necessarily disagree with you - I'm not sure my son's definition is "correct". However, your definition then raises the question: what is art, and what is craft?I have heard many answers to this in the past - but I'm not sure I buy any of them. As far as I can see, the line between art & craft is thin and fuzzy, or maybe non-existant...Readers? Any thoughts?



And I will reiterate: it seems to me, these distinctions are tenuous at best.



And I will further reiterate: Readers? Thoughts?

Of Candles and Cottonballs

When I was quite young, my family ate by candlelight most evenings. I now realize that this practice, by bathing the room in honey-colored light, had the effect of making food more appealing.









The candleholders we used were nothing fancy - short and nondescript. I certainly never paid them much attention, but they held candles sturdily enough.










Above is a candleholder made by local artist Mary Lou Reid. This piece would do much more than hold a candle - it would also enrich the visual landscape of a dining table. Note the sculptural, two-toned leaves clustered about the drip catcher, as if Mary Lou had just gathered them on an autumnal walk.

It is part of "Unique Blend", the cash & carry show currently featured at Bluseed Studios.

Mary Lou's work combines color harmony with sensitivity to the natural world and mastery of a difficult medium. Some of it, like this candleholder, is practical, while other work is decorative. All of it adds beauty to everyday life.









I think everyday life can use as much beauty as it can get.

This next image depicts a selection of ceramics by Peter Shrope, also on display at Bluseed. Peter's art expresses a complex vision, encompassing layers of meaning within elegant forms. Also, like Mary Lou's, much of it is practical. Can you imagine mixing pancake batter in one of those bowls, or storing your dry goods in canisters such as this?

My own everyday life includes the beauty of both Mary Lou's and Peter's work. My bathroom is decorated with some of Mary Lou's hand-painted tiles, while a little vessel Peter made holds cotton balls on the counter. I love them both.

These are only two examples of the "Unique Blend" at Bluseed; in total, ten artists have work in this show. Although a variety of media are represented, most of the art is practical and useful as well as beautiful. Any of it would make a great holiday gift - or could enrich your own home.

And if you eat by candlelight, who knows? Maybe the food will taste better!