current observations

Is handmade creative?

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by

Libby
in

Yes that is me on the cover of this fictitious magazine. This is my next Uni assignment and it’s still a work in progress so feel free to critique if you are so inclined. This assignment has been a little frustrating due to lack of feedback from our lecturer (turns out she’s been overseas for 2 weeks). In a moment of exasperation last week I wrote a long and frank email to the course co-ordinator to seek his guidance. He recommended I call him, which I did, and he spent a good 20 minutes going over every detail of my previous weeks work. Through the course of the conversation I had tell him the focus of my magazine and I said it’s for creative businesses. To which he replied – ‘not creative really more handmade’. Wait, is there a difference? This comment has really irked me since. Does this mean that people who knit, quilt, scrapbook and build are not creative? My mother used to say she was creative not artistic and I do see the difference in her case. She would argue she could follow a pattern but couldn’t make one up herself. My mother to me is the epitome of creative in all her handmade endeavours. Is this university elitism or is it just semantics? What’s your thoughts on this?

Comments

5 responses to “Is handmade creative?”

  1. misssrobin Avatar
    misssrobin

    I don’t know where his disctinction comes in, but mine would be this. Lots of things are creative. Homemade is more special. Like how beadwork on a dress done by hand is going to be more expensive.

    Lots of people can mass produce with machines, it’s the individual touch that changes it.

    But that’s my distinction. It would be interesting to know if he meant it as a slam, a praise, or just different.

    Reply
  2. Yazmin @ A Pretty Rock Avatar
    Yazmin @ A Pretty Rock

    It really depends on what you know of the course coordinator, because “elitism” or “semantics”… how he said it, could be one or the other or both. But you’ll never really know unless you ask.

    I do think there is a difference though. Something can be “handmade”, but not necessarily “creative”… There are plenty of people who simply copy someone else’s work, which requires no creativity at all. I’m fairly certain you would agree with me on that.

    However, just because something is “handmade” does not immediately imply a lack of creativity. That would be misguided.

    Reply
  3. Glenda Childers Avatar
    Glenda Childers

    Just popped over from the BYW class. Creativity is a high value for me, so this comment from your instructor has me thinking too. I believe creativity shows up in any and all areas of our lives. The instructor’s word limit creativity. I would never want to limit creativity . . . as I believe all creativity breeds creativity.

    I just left you a note on the forum as well . . . to say thanks for your generosity in offering help to those of us with limited technical skills (me.) I am creative, but not technical :).

    Fondly,
    Glenda

    Reply
  4. Sandra Avatar
    Sandra

    I’m visiting from BYW class and, frankly, this course co-ordinator riles me and plenty. I’ve been a university adjunct professor – designed my own curriculum and was given an absolute free hand in both design and classroom – and a lot of the tenured instructors I’ve met teach because they couldn’t make it in the real world. HA! No lack of opinion here, my dear -grin-.

    I hate it when people are limited themselves and due to their narrow scope and vision thrust their lack of vision on others. So sad because it shows them to be small and mean as well.

    Creativity and hand made, hand crafted go…hand in glove. The homemaker…and I count myself as a homemaker, farmer, shepherd…shows creativity when s/he designs her home with love, color, form, function, coziness, etc. The same can be said when a well prepared, well placed meal is put upon the table.

    I’m creative when I spin slubby, nubby, one of a kind yarn. I’m creative when I make a quilt of my own color choices and design. I’m creative when I’m knitting scarves. In all of these things I’m using my hands to make things; I’m being creative. From the looks of this blog, you’ve got creativity coming out of your pores. Well done!

    Have you noticed the more someone seems to talk about something, oftentimes, the less they are actually doing? I’m just saying…grin.

    BTW, if you’re a mother, you’re working -smile-.

    Reply
  5. kalanicut Avatar
    kalanicut

    Hi Libby,

    This is quite a topic for some strong opinions and varying ones too. I have just recently decided to start calling myself an artist & writer. I am a trained journalist so I can claim writing, but artist I was frightened to approach. But I do create art. I make things I’ve never seen anyone else do exactly quite the same out of paper and fabric and other things. I have framed things I have created on my walls, they would be considered art.

    Any time you put your own unique touch on something it must be creative and artistic right? I never thought of the women in my family as artists, I never saw one of them draw anything. But I have since realized that everyone of them was a genius at home arts and I’m grateful to consider them my artistic background and mentors.

    I would also have to agree that I’ve come across a lot of really “stuck, unhappy” people teaching in higher education. Many crave the safety and routine of tenure more than feeding their own creativity and taking the risks to thrive in it. I found in college I really started to resent professors who were clearly on autopilot and it’s interesting that those were the classes I got my worst grades in. Scare me, intimidate me and give me a big challenge and I was an A student every time. 🙂

    Best wishes in BYW class at all the rest of your adventures!

    Reply

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