Thursday, April 9, 2015

Thursday Thoughts...

“To be an artist or a writer is to be this weird thing — a hand worker in an era of mass production.” 

Susan Sontag

I was sitting somewhere the other day and thinking just this - how good it feels to be a maker; a person who does things by hand; who digs in the earth; who cooks up produce into food; who sometimes can make clothes; and who sits quietly and makes art by hand. Stitch by stitch. Letter by letter. Line by line. Print by print.

I didn't stop to think of it as weird or out of kilter with the mainstream of life; I just thought how wonderful it was to be able to do it.

The satisfaction I get out of making by hand is enormous. It's so funny; whenever I think I'll try to simplify things by mass-producing a booklet or doing some production process, I sit down and try to work out layout and where to put things and centre things and all the rest, knowing that in the end I would much rather have simply sat down and cut the paper and placed the image and written the words by hand.

I trust my hands, my eye and my thoughts.

Although maybe in the end its all about control and where you feel it rests. Despite my many mistakes and mis-steps along the way as I make, I feel my best control rests with me and my hands, rather than with a computer.


I'm sure most  of you are very happy makers too - whether it's a weird thing to be or not!

12 comments:

  1. One's own hands are the best instruments for self-expression.

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    1. Thanks Olga - they certainly are for me! Go well.

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  2. Here in Austin, Texas we celebrate "keeping it weird" ... a wonderful state of mind and being.

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  3. I don't think it's weird at all! I think it's wonderful to be a creative maker, whether it's dress making,
    chutneys and jams, curtains, print making, book making, quilts, knitting - all these give me and others great pleasure. I'm lucky to share my love of print making in workshops, which are always a learning, sharing experience for all, with lovely people.

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    1. I am a happy maker for sure and don't think of myself as weird : ) I guess its just seems that in a mechanised and technical and motorised world we are happy anomalies? We shall continue to enjoy!

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  4. This quote brought a chuckle. I suppose hand workers are a bit odd in this age of mass production via technology. Still, aren't hands and imagination the original technology?

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    1. I also chuckled and then thought - me? weird? Never! Laugh. Hands and imagination are absolutely the originals and I'll be keeping on using them as long as I can. Enjoy!

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  5. Love your brand of weird, Fiona! Making, growing, cooking, sewing - it doesn't get much better than that.

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    1. I am happy weird if this is weird Carol - it's a great way to be isn't it? Making and creating and being close to things that matter. Go well.

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  6. It's true...using your hands to create something may seem "weird" if it's not something you normally do, yet I think it's the most natural things in the world to those who've had the joy of making something with their own hands. I love your quartet of handmade items (especially the sewn creation - it's stunning!)...a testament to the joys of being "weird" if I ever saw one!

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    1. So true Lisa - it feels perfectly natural and sensible and then you realise, oh maybe it is a bit different to how others make their way thru the world...glad you like the quartet - the sewing has been immense fun! Go well.

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