Tole and Decorative Painters are artists

[Decor Delights]

I just want to thank everyone here at Wet Canvas for acknowledging that tole and decorative painters are artists. So often we do not get taken seriously and get lumped in with the weekend crafter.

It is so nice to come here and read the posts and be taken seriously for our art.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!

[ArlettaT]

Ditto to your comment! While I think many people feel that we do this as a hobby, many of us earn a living from this. I could be wrong, but personally I feel that if I'm earning $$$ via painting, then I'm an artist! :D

Arletta

[JustjoGA]

This same discussion is going on in another forum. The old question of which kinds of painting/drawing are considered "art". My feeling is, whatever category of art you work in, whether you're being paid for it or not, if you feel confident enough in your artwork to call yourself an artist, then you are an artist. I have never sold any of my work, but I have many family members and friends who have my paintings displayed prominently in their homes... Therefore, I AM AN ARTIST!

[Decor Delights]

I agree! Who can tell you that you are or are not and artist? I have felt like an artist my whole life and I am now encouraging my kids that they are artists too. If you create and express yourself with any kind of medium, whether you sell it or not, you must be an artist.

Yes, of course, if it is on display and people enjoy looking at it, it must be art!

:D

[violet feme]

I agree too! I have been a china painter/teacher for 12 years and got tired of not being allowed to enter fine art shows, so I started doing watercolors. Now I enter my wc's and am doing great in the shows.........funny, I still think china painting is harder to do! Another thing, people pay more for watercolors too and they take less time........go figure?:cat:

[jenrou]

Originally posted by ArlettaT
Ditto to your comment! While I think many people feel that we do this as a hobby, many of us earn a living from this. I could be wrong, but personally I feel that if I'm earning $$$ via painting, then I'm an artist! :D

Arletta

It doesn't matter if you are selling your work. If you are creative and creating original artwork, you ARE an artist. Nobody else has to agree. Many fine-art artists , like myself, do not paint to sell, necesarily, but we must paint!

Anyone not checking out some of the how-to's in decorative art is missing a lot of good instruction that can carry over to any type of art.

Don't worry about it! Just create and do your thing. Many of the types of art now considered by galleries as fine arts, such as paper arts, some sculpture, etc., was once considered just hobby work.:D I've studied fine arts for 30 years, and now and then taken a decorative arts class, when in a dry spell. I've learned a lot about painting flowers and other things, in those decorative classes. (To me, tole is the work created with specified shaped strokes, whereas Decorative Art is just painting, blending, usually with acrylics, but not always. Usually decorative Painting is done on furniture or similar objects, but not always! Fine art is almost anything, painted any way, with anything, on anything!

Welcome!!:D

[artchic]

Hi All,

I am a decorative painter also but I work in other meduims as well..My decorative work is made to sell,,,,,,,,containers, furniture etc...but my drawings, pastels etc are for my own enjoyment.....every artist has their own way.....and the medium in which you create should not matter.............
I do the craft show circuit but only juried ones and specific ones...I'm down to four a year....I want to concentrate more on pastel painting and maybe enter a few art shows...

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

From the SHore,
Carole

[ArlettaT]

Jean,

You are correct that anyone who creates artwork is an artist regardless of whether or not they sell their work for profit. I didn't mean to offend anyone by implying that artists sell their work for profit only. In all honesty there have been plenty of times that I have created something for someone because I thought they would simply enjoy it and not because they paid for it.

I do admit that I find it upsetting when I'm at a show and someone asks "do you paint on canvas"? My reply is "this piece is my canvas". I take it a bit personally that sometimes people feel that artists create artwork on canvas only. People don't understand how much work goes into preparing a piece for painting and how important it is to use the correct products for prepping, varnishing etc. This is an art all to itself! I had a gentleman argue a price with me at a show. It was a hand painted jewlery chest that I had sanded, stained, painted and and varnished. He felt that I was charging too much and began asking me to justify my pricing! I almost smacked him across the head!

So, again if I offended anyone...I'm sorry. It was truly not my intent.

Arletta

[jenrou]

:) I was not offended, and hope I didn't sound that way. sometimes I am a little blunt.:D
I agree that Decorative Artist's have often been treated as 'just hobbyists' and all I'm saying is that if you are creating, and have a desire to create, then.........:D

To make a point, take a look at some of the 'art' in various places, even in galleries. These days, all types of artistic renderings are considered art. I do get a little irritated on TV at some of the designers, doing a little how-to on the simplest- slap -paint -on-something calling themselves artists. But, again, perhaps they really are creative people.

If more people would explore the world of Decorative painting, they would see that it is so similar to what is known as fine art. Maybe the fact that Decorative artists use patterns to learn on, has given a bad impression. Some Decorative artists never get away from always copying someone's design, stroke for stroke, but most will go on and begin to express themselves.

Even in fine arts, we all study other works, and do demos to learn, although I've always had a hard time following directions. I seem to veer in another direction. But then I am not a great painter, anyhow.

Anyhow, this was only my opinion, and I should have stated that.
Actually I intended to encourage.
Have fun!!:cool:

[busy91]

I've looked at the work here, and feel that the skill level involved is amazing. I wouldn't call anyone here a 'weekend crafter'. I look foward to seeing more work, even if I don't do this type of painting myself. :D

[arlene]

When i teach children I ask two questions...

the first is, how many of you like to draw, paint, sculpt, or do any other kind of original art or craft?

Usually 95% of the hands go up.

Then I ask, how many of you consider yourselves artists...

the response is usually 10%.

I then explain that if you get enjoyment from art and being creative then you are an artist. Who has the right to judge that you're anything but? if you say you're an artist, then you are.

No value or moral judgements this way.

[jenrou]

Originally posted by arlene
When i teach children I ask two questions...

the first is, how many of you like to draw, paint, sculpt, or do any other kind of original art or craft?

Usually 95% of the hands go up.

Then I ask, how many of you consider yourselves artists...

the response is usually 10%.

I then explain that if you get enjoyment from art and being creative then you are an artist. Who has the right to judge that you're anything but? if you say you're an artist, then you are.

No value or moral judgements this way.

Wish I could have said it as well.:D

[ol' Rickdude]

I agree wholeheartedly...

i make a living as a graphic artist/illustrator, but my true love is painting and drawing, and this makes me an artist in spite of what profession I am employed at. Somewhere before we all got here, someone "stole" art from PEOPLE and put it in a ritzy gallery, defining it as whatever bored rich people will buy. It is our responsibility to keep it in the homes, lives and hearts of real people. So let us go forth into the world, making our art on walls and canvas and plates, multiplying what the select few cannot control or manipulate! We are guerilla artists!

Power to the people!

Rickdude!