tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post941179139724149128..comments2024-03-03T15:01:00.402-05:00Comments on Joanne Mattera Art Blog: Marketing Mondays: The "Adjective" Artist. How Do You Define Yourself?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-68036728597548777162010-02-27T12:05:16.712-05:002010-02-27T12:05:16.712-05:00I've always thought this way. I do mostly phot...I've always thought this way. I do mostly photography now but photography has been so pigeonholed that if you ask most photographers if they call what they do art, they will say "I am not an artist!" It's the exact opposite mentality. It's like "artist" is a dirty word. If you come to my studio, you will mostly photos. But if you walk in the back, you'll see Jeff Engelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07125228008923689479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-23689214285704322612010-02-23T20:45:45.537-05:002010-02-23T20:45:45.537-05:00Hmmm.... I'm raising my hand, "Teacher, ...Hmmm.... I'm raising my hand, "Teacher, teacher!!! I disagree..." (You promised not to bite, right? A friend pointed me to this post because some of these issues have come up among my peers. I just started a new project, yes, a ghetto of textiles, fiber art and related crafts and businesses. It's called TAFA: The Textile and Fiber Art List. Ooooo!!!!! Major faux pas in Rachel Bielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804950102480086440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-45941208077107016882009-11-05T20:10:31.300-05:002009-11-05T20:10:31.300-05:00thank you so much for this - i have been strugglin...thank you so much for this - i have been struggling to describe what i do - if i say 'art quilts' people think something pieced and appliqued, if i say textile artist they think rugs and nothing captures the playing i do with all sorts of media from paper to silk, canvas, paint, feathers, copper wire and ink. maybe i'll be brave enough now to just say 'artist' and leave it at lisettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07121249032097526446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-89426492876801681992009-11-05T16:06:57.422-05:002009-11-05T16:06:57.422-05:00figures ~ I just had my Moo cards printed with fib...figures ~ I just had my Moo cards printed with fiber artist:)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-54675067554933264102009-11-05T11:00:43.489-05:002009-11-05T11:00:43.489-05:00Thanks for covering this topic from all the angles...Thanks for covering this topic from all the angles I have been merely grumbling to myself over for some time now. I've long felt that pulling on that "quiltart" blankie has been more of a liability than benefit.<br /><br />I'm just about finished with fiber venues and have started applying to<br />(and getting into one or two) mixed media opportunities and it feels new and Deb Lacativahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03037530669295128974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-56772263793006025622009-11-05T07:38:30.812-05:002009-11-05T07:38:30.812-05:00I agree with much of this but also with the commen...I agree with much of this but also with the commenter who pointed out that artist is itself a loaded word. Not every person who makes things is an artist, but it shouldn't be a hierarchy where one pursuit is better than another. This whole issue seems especially troubling with fiber because of the gender imbalance and all the resulting issues of ghettoizing and trivializing.Lainiehttp://lainie.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-29754990438931502442009-11-02T09:27:10.985-05:002009-11-02T09:27:10.985-05:00I have been told that I should call myself an arti...I have been told that I should call myself an artist, but have a hard time not calling myself a weaver. I'm working on it. This post clarifies the whole concept for me. Thanks.Sherri Woodard Coffeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06570198109361542888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-92063127069680625042009-11-02T09:10:51.649-05:002009-11-02T09:10:51.649-05:00All I can say is THANK YOU! I've been telling ...All I can say is THANK YOU! I've been telling fiber artists this same thing for years.<br /><br />Many fiber artists wear blinders and only enter all fiber shows.. and for what? To get recognition from other artists of the same genre? <br /><br />They never look at the broader art world, never visit art museums, never pick up an art magazine. It's all about education, and I don't meanJoanie Gagnon San Chiricohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08992948840276768588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-27330334520356325592009-11-02T09:01:55.099-05:002009-11-02T09:01:55.099-05:00thank you for these wise words!thank you for these wise words!Natalya Khorover Aikenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08490493432155941262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-66759166948279371572009-10-30T14:21:35.160-04:002009-10-30T14:21:35.160-04:00Julie asks: How do you steer the conversation away...Julie asks: How do you steer the conversation away from technique?<br /><br />I get this when I do an artist talk, usually in conjunction with a show. I'll spend a chunk of time talking about my work--the reductive geometry of it, the light, the color--and then the first question is invariably, "How did you make it?" or "What k ind of ventilation do you use?"<br /><br />IJoanne Matterahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02564594823192456546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-13171357710678999072009-10-30T11:54:51.194-04:002009-10-30T11:54:51.194-04:00Hi Joanne! Lots of great responses.
As a painter ...Hi Joanne! Lots of great responses.<br />As a painter and maker of artists' books I stick with artist until I can give a clearer, fuller explanation. I tried business cards that said artist, but it felt odd, so for years now they have had my name only. The image says enough. Also "artist" is a charged word in itself, especially among non-artists. (Another discussion, perhaps.)<br Julie Caveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14640849870720629884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-62933660428722732972009-10-29T10:33:40.340-04:002009-10-29T10:33:40.340-04:00Joyce asks: "So how do we get the press to wr...Joyce asks: "So how do we get the press to write, and the "artists" to self identify in a way that does not confuse us all?" Good question.<br /><br />A few dedicated critics aside, the press typically refers to a press release when writing about work. <br /><br />The writer of the press release, typically someone at the gallery, refers to the artist statement or other Joanne Matterahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02564594823192456546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-57675942751948242152009-10-29T09:47:46.994-04:002009-10-29T09:47:46.994-04:00I hate it when I come in late to the discussion......I hate it when I come in late to the discussion...but first of all, great points by all...<br /><br />The main problem, in my opinion, is general ignorance about artists, art forms and materials. Let's get the arts in public schools in a significant way.<br /><br />And the second problem is the word "artist". In current parlance "artist" often doesn't refer to visual Joyce Owenshttp://www.joyceowens.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-35014185736295006692009-10-29T09:39:26.050-04:002009-10-29T09:39:26.050-04:00Yes, but in writing, YOU control what you want the...Yes, but in writing, YOU control what you want the viewer to know about your work.Joanne Matterahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02564594823192456546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-35283230924910881952009-10-29T09:18:53.381-04:002009-10-29T09:18:53.381-04:00Joanne -- I agree with you entirely in terms of ho...Joanne -- I agree with you entirely in terms of how to have conversations on the subject. In person my first remark is "I'm an artist." If the person wants to know more, I might say that I make art about politics. If they're still interested, the conversation can go two ways: more about politics, or over to medium. This latter turn is the most likely, because people usually Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-40576816708533348642009-10-28T22:27:41.288-04:002009-10-28T22:27:41.288-04:00Kathleen,
This is a good question. I'll tell ...Kathleen,<br /><br />This is a good question. I'll tell you what's on my business card: My name. The background is a detail of a painting, so I don't feel I need to describe myself. But even if there were a plain white background, it would still have just my name. (The back contains a mailing address and URLs for my website and blog.) <br /><br />But I'm not defiantly closemouthedJoanne Matterahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02564594823192456546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-66606792679488863172009-10-28T20:47:27.836-04:002009-10-28T20:47:27.836-04:00I agree with most of your points. There's jus...I agree with most of your points. There's just one sticking point -- it seems so damn NAKED to put the one word, artist, on your business card and resume!! <br /><br />But then as I think more on the subject, I realize it's natural for people to want to be given a definition of other people in the very earliest stages of a relationship. Perhaps it's dumb and counterproductive for Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-55387001202501715842009-10-28T16:02:57.719-04:002009-10-28T16:02:57.719-04:00Thanks, all for your great comments. Is there anyo...Thanks, all for your great comments. Is there anyone out there who diagrees? We won't jump on you. Right now we're all preaching to the choir (though a great choir it is).Joanne Matterahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02564594823192456546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-15301077279753954042009-10-28T13:10:37.692-04:002009-10-28T13:10:37.692-04:00For me the problem lies with how the work is perce...For me the problem lies with how the work is perceived, not only by a general audience, but by critics. When it's so narrowly characterized, it seems to limit the spectrum of ideas that people are able to consider in the work. I decided no more of these types of shows a few years ago when I was in something called "Uncommon Threads" with a group of my wire sculptures. It was in a Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06592262777171026388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-52259857349152595392009-10-28T00:29:47.280-04:002009-10-28T00:29:47.280-04:00Marginalized or not, I don't necessarily have ...Marginalized or not, I don't necessarily have a problem with the term "fiber art". If an artist wants to exclude themselves from a broader audience and deal only in media specific concerns, then so be it. If the artist cared enough to be thought of as something more, they would define it in their own words.<br /><br />That said, I think there are some great and amazing "fiber Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-73663480319832515732009-10-27T21:24:02.691-04:002009-10-27T21:24:02.691-04:00One of my friends says that if your description is...One of my friends says that if your description is "(insert medium here) artist," it probably means you're not an artist at all. It's harsh but I have to agree with him--if your medium is more important than your ideas, you're likely to be a craftsperson, not an artist. One of the reasons I left my last gallery is because the owner kept calling me a "paper artist,"kim matthewshttp://kimmatthewsart.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-15484865085394422572009-10-27T15:08:32.492-04:002009-10-27T15:08:32.492-04:00I'm a new printmaker, been making prints for t...I'm a new printmaker, been making prints for the past 5 years. It's been good for me to describe myself as a printmaker during this time, as I've networked with other printmakers, shared technique, and made the rounds of print shows and fairs. I'm just now feeling the limitations of this self-definition and seeing the potential for getting trapped in a sort of printmaking "Annie Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00178236295806176573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-39890092587229863412009-10-27T13:53:09.065-04:002009-10-27T13:53:09.065-04:00I just discovered this blog and I love it! Thank y...I just discovered this blog and I love it! Thank you Joanne. Regarding this post, I think I mostly agree, but the reality is: The art world, galleries and museums seem obsessed with labels.If your work /medium is easily stereotyped, than I think a label of your own making can help. My work is difficult to label, I'm a painter who makes large scale realism watercolor landscapes (there's a Marjorie Glickhttp://marjorieglick.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-46466399689398210452009-10-27T10:43:16.371-04:002009-10-27T10:43:16.371-04:00What's left of say? The responses elaborate ...What's left of say? The responses elaborate your theme very well. <br /><br /> I always define myself as a visual artist first and foremost then I qualify that depending on my purpose and audience. e.g. I am a visual artist whose mixed media work or encaustic work etc... <br /><br />You know you've written a great post when you get such thoughtful responses. Thanks for instigating thisMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12726740154167156916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-4487297505246337482009-10-27T08:53:41.945-04:002009-10-27T08:53:41.945-04:00Such a good post - thank you! I've always intr...Such a good post - thank you! I've always introduced myself just as a painter but even then find the question "oil or acrylic?" swiftly follows, when I don't think it's relevent other than as the medium suits my image-making. People want to define art - find its correct shelf, a category that makes it understandable to a non-art mind. However, artists and galleries should Tina Mammoserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18407199513409994699noreply@blogger.com