Creativity
is one of the cardinal aspects of my life.
I am a creative person and am so wrapped up h it and am so tuned in to
my own creativity that it is hard for me to follow other people's rules of art,
needlework and, yes, behavior. I don't
think of myself as willfully eccentric or willfully disobedient to my group's
rules. It's just that I must work the
edges, test the boundaries, and find my own way. There is really no other way for me to work.
It
disturbs me to hear people tell me that they are not creative. This, of course, is not true. One of the definitions of a human is its
creativity. This latest encounter was
with a framer who has been cutting mats for me for several years. His name is Rey. He is not an artist, he has told me, and
therefore not creative. As I have said
before in this blog, creativity exists in every form of human endeavor. (But my long lecture on this topic would have
been out of place at the framing desk.)
What
was interesting about this trip to the framer was the security guard who was
standing behind the framing desk keeping an eye on customers up and down the
aisles of the big craft store. His name
plate said Honsecker on it. As I was
waiting for Rey to finish with another customer, I was going through the mat
samples trying to find just the right color for my newest project. I do my own framing, but I get mats cut to
order. Mr. Honsecker after a few minutes
of my shuffling from blue to green to violet mats, started to be interested in
what I was doing and giving his opinion.
The truth is that I had already settled on a dark blue mat, but I was
entertained by his comments. He liked
the dark green mat, so I got out some other greens and shuffled them
around. After another ten minutes (the
other customer was dithering something terrible) , Mr. Honsecker said that
if couldn't decide I should just go with
a white mat and a black frame. I guess I
looked at him strangely because,all of a sudden he needed to walk the aisles. I guess that white mats and black frames
are really what sell the most. A safe
choice. Not a choice I would make unless
it were absolutely the best choice for my piece. I appreciated Mr. Honeysecker's help and
comments. I liked his green choice, it
did highlight certain areas of the work.
I just liked my choice more. The
other customer's business was finally concluded--white mats and black frames
for her two pieces--and Rey came over and then we had the conversation about
non-creativity. Rey is creative in
handling people, a skill I am sadly lacking.
By the way, the piece I had matted was the "Barrett" sample in my previous
blog entry. This happened last week.
And
then this week I get an email from a good friend of mine who sent on greetings
from a mutual acquaintance who is a needlework judge. The greeting "Hi!
Hope to see a Bobbie Pilling entry from you
just not framed in purple." Yes, my 2014 entry has a
purple mat and frame. White and black is
a much safer choice for judged events even if it does nothing for the overall
look of the work. Traditionally judges
like to see black and white even if it dulls down the piece. They are trained that way. Well, I guess I just won't win the Bobbie
Pilling Award again if it means a black and white frame and mat. I do what I do with passion and with all of
my being. My pieces talk to me and tell
me what they want. They shine out with
purple, blue, turquoise, and pink mats.
I must remain what I am and what I feel.
Gerania
Mxied media with paint, embroidery, colored varnish, geranium leaves and blossoms. !4" X 14". A purple canvas mat.
Castlerig
Mixed media with copper sheeting, alcohol stain, embroidery, and paint.
13" X 16". A painted silk mat in rust color to enhance the copper.
Castlerig is an ancient stone circle in the Lake District
of England. I have been there three times and each time an offering of flowers has been left at the base of the largest standing stone. This image is how the stone circle affects me
and how it makes me feel and is not a true representation
of that lovely circle with its spectacular views.
