I read somewhere that to be an artist, all one has to do is say, I am an artist. I am not convinced that is true. In my experience, there has to be a drive, maybe an obsession, to create. Create what? Now there's a meaty question. If I am an artist, must I paint lovely landscapes in oils or portraits of beautiful people? Obviously, many artists do just that. I, however, have found my niche in fabric and paper art.
I rarely sew my own clothing. I like to sew purses, curtains, bonnets, hats, quilted wall-hangings and other decorative items for my home. I like to alter existing clothing. One of my classmates has a purse I designed and made from denim jeans, calico and embroidery. Another classmate flashes about in a skirt I fashioned for her from a pair of her old jeans. I have sold several of my creations for $10-$85 dollars. I am a fabric artist. My paintbrush is a needle and thread. My inspiration is the feel of a special fabric; the color of it. I am an artist.
In recent years, the urge to make strange collages has come over me. I often use fabrics and old sewing notions in my collages. I save the strangest things: Odd little snippets of paper, bad photographs; pieces of rusted metal I pick up off the ground. It drives my husband crazy. I make things to use in my art. I have a large zip lock bag full of old wine corks and erasers I have carved into rubber stamps. I am a collage artist. My paintbrush is an inkpad and a vintage dictionary. My inspiration is a poem, a vintage photo, a dream. I am an artist.
About a month ago, I made a decision that I would complete a piece of art everyday for a year. Some days I make a book. Some days I make a purse. Some days I make a rubber stamp. Some days I draw a small portrait. Everyday, I make art. I do this because I have a drive, maybe an obsession, to create. I am an artist.
