No Textile Arts?

[shunklies]

HI All,

I haven't been here for a while and it's great to see how quicky this forum has really taken off, I shall definately be back more regularly!

I do however notice that there is no Textiles catagory?

I see the knitting & Crochet catagory, which is great for those two small aspects of the textile world, but what about felt makers, weavers, spinners, collage makers, mixed media work, quilters... the list goes on...

Just a suggestion I'm really loving spending some time on here!

[0103media]

We have a clothing section:


http://www.craftsforum.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=20

And a handbag and alike crafts section..

No good for what your thinking?

[shunklies]

Well handbags and clothing don't really cover much of the textiles arts spectrum, they are just two items that can be made from textiles.

What about:

Wall Hangings
Art
Sculptural
Collage
Dyeing
Felting - wet and needle
Weaving
Spinning
Embroidery - machine and freehand
Quilting
Applique
Tapestry

Etc.

Textile art covers the whole spectrum of methods, or techniques, of working with textiles.

'Clothing and bags' are objects, indeed they might be created using any of the above techniques, as with any artform it all depends on how the creator wishes to represent their work, but it's very limiting and may put off many of the textile artists out there who might like to join such a forum

[Peter]

Well handbags and clothing don't really cover much of the textiles arts spectrum, they are just two items that can be made from textiles.

What about:

Wall Hangings
Art
Sculptural
Collage
Dyeing
Felting - wet and needle
Weaving
Spinning
Embroidery - machine and freehand
Quilting
Applique
Tapestry

Etc.

Textile art covers the whole spectrum of methods, or techniques, of working with textiles.

'Clothing and bags' are objects, indeed they might be created using any of the above techniques, as with any artform it all depends on how the creator wishes to represent their work, but it's very limiting and may put off many of the textile artists out there who might like to join such a forum

I can see your point, but are you confusing 'art' with 'crafts'? It's a fine line, but textiles - texture - can be utilised as art in the context you're describing, and can also be used in craftwork - you could compare it with Brancusi making a sculpture from a piece of wood.........Art, and a joiner making a staircase out of wood...........Craft. There are a lot of Art forums, I know, I've been a member of most of 'em, but if you are a 'crossover' artist, you have to accept that you are a trailblazer - and take what you can get!

[nattynetty]

Just a suggestion but how about we put the needlecraft, handbags, curtains, clothing sections altogether under a more general 'Textiles and Fabric' category? I don't really post on those sections so I'm not the one to say if this is a good or bad idea but would be interesting to see what the regular posters on there think

[shunklies]

I can see your point, but are you confusing 'art' with 'crafts'? It's a fine line, but textiles - texture - can be utilised as art in the context you're describing, and can also be used in craftwork - you could compare it with Brancusi making a sculpture from a piece of wood.........Art, and a joiner making a staircase out of wood...........Craft. There are a lot of Art forums, I know, I've been a member of most of 'em, but if you are a 'crossover' artist, you have to accept that you are a trailblazer - and take what you can get!

Well i'm not particularly wanting to get into the whole ' art or craft' debate, as I find it detrimental to the whole promotion of creativity, if you consider what you do to be a craft, great, if art, fine, whatever

As for making a sculpture out of wood, that is carpentry, a staircase is joinery (funny, I was gong to mention also that 'Wood' as a catagory isn't really correct, wood is a material, surely Carpentry would be better? -pedant. lol)

It can also be argued that 'Textiles' is the materials used, the joy of the English languge lol.


Natty, yes I think it would be a good idea to have a textiles group, no real need to add the word fabric, as fabric is a textile.

See what others think though first, as they might like all the different sections for the different products (bags, clothing etc)

[shunklies]

There are a lot of Art forums, I know, I've been a member of most of 'em, but if you are a 'crossover' artist, you have to accept that you are a trailblazer - and take what you can get!

Surely to become a trailblazer the whole point is not to just accept what you can get, but to put forward new perspectives and realise new concepts?

Even if it makes you a tad unpopular


Being able to spell also goes down well

[Peter]

Making a sculpture out of wood - carpentry? Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Constantine Brancusi, Andy Goldsworthy,........carpenters?

[zebra]

Making a sculpture out of wood - carpentry? Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Constantine Brancusi, Andy Goldsworthy,........carpenters?

Andy goldsworthy....bows down

Is it not 'what we do' and not what we are that counts!?

[shunklies]

Making a sculpture out of wood - carpentry? Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Constantine Brancusi, Andy Goldsworthy,........carpenters?

it's exactly this type of reaction which is detrimental to creativity - I have never understood peoples need to be 'titled' as something.

What is wrong with them being carpenters? did they not work with their hands and tools with wood as a material? is the term Carpentry suddenly looked down upon by some? lol, surely to become what some might call themselves an 'artist' using wood as their medium, they will have had to work with wood at some point, what did they call themselves then?

Just because they chose to show or people have chosen to catagorise their work in a certain context (gallery, for example), does this mean it needs renaming?

If I stick a cow in formaldehyde in an art gallery, is it still not just a cow in formaldehyde? who decides it is now art? the majority? the creator? surely the point of art is to make your own mind up, and not run with the pack?

....this type of debate has gone on for generations, and no doubt will continue to do so.

Personally, If I like something, the last thing thats going to concern me is what someone else might have once classed it as.


This doesn't seem to have much to do with the original suggestion I made to have a textiles catagory, maybe their is somewhere else to carry on the art/craft debate if you so wish?

[Peter]

OK............the art/craft debate was created by you asking for a forum for 'textile art' as opposed to 'textile craft'. Ergo - you started it.
We have a lot more forums on this site than a lot of our contemporaries, if forums keep getting added it will become rapidly unnavigable. Your request was valid, as was 0103 media's reply, as you don't feel the need to be 'titled'................you won't have a problem fitting your style into an existing forum.

[Peter]

I decided against closing this thread because I feel I should explain why I feel Shunklies request was wrong. We are not an 'Art' forum, we are a 'Crafts' forum. Having said that, I do not think there is anyone on this forum who is not an 'artist' of some kind or other. Trying to insert a dividing line between 'Knitting and Needlecraft' and 'Textile Art' is at worst, pretentious. I would never put another artist's personal view on what represents art down - I have been an artist, in 2d and 3d, for a long time, and have my own views, but I would also never put 'Artist' as a seperate description to 'Crafter'. That's why we have no 'Textile Arts' forum..............it's already covered in 'Knitting and Needlecraft'. I've looked at your website Shunklie, and can't understand why your work won't fit in with the existing forums. I hope you realise this is not criticism of either you or your work, it is in defence of crafters who don't feel the need to be labelled as Artists.

[0103media]

I've change the title http://www.craftsforum.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=33

Now that forum is about textiles which it was anyway as people had put "fabric" crafts in the bag section ..

Enjoy the world of art .. ops sorry crafts hehehehe

[icecreamgirl]

Crikey, glad i wasn't here for that one - bit heavy for a Sunday dontcha think?????
I don't know can't leave you guys alone for 5 minutes......
Personally i don't care what people call me, and i've been called a few things that can't be found on the forum list that's for sure!!!
Hehe

[shunklies]

Sorry Peter I think you took my suggestion the wrong way totally.

Firstly, as i've already stated, I don't particularly see any divinding line between arts or crafts, the fact I used the word 'art' instead of 'craft' is not of any consequence to me, as I didn't realise anyone else would be quite so pedantic, if I had realised you had taken the word 'art' negatively then I would indeed have used the word 'craft'. Maybe in future if you think a certain word someone uses is objectionable, then you could make that clear to them and they can choose one to your liking.

Trying to insert a dividing line between 'Knitting and Needlecraft' and 'Textile Art' is at worst, pretentious.

At what point did I say to put a dividing line anywhere? knitting and needlecraft are part of textile 'arts & crafts' (that better?) I would hardly be putting down my own work would I? You are really putting words into my mouth now, ones that have simply not been typed.

If you go and read up about 'textiles' you will see that 'textile art' is the general term used for any work created using textiles as a medium, this includes fabrics, fibers, etc. Wether you create a bag, a hat, a picture or a steam boat out of them, is irrelevant. Having one catagory for Textiles will actually help you tidy your forum up, instead of having numerous catagories for each item someone might choose to make. I never mentioned wether my work would fit into existing catagories, nor was it a complaint.

I thought the point of having a suggestions catagory was for members to post their ideas for the forum to create a nice place for people to share and help each other creatively, not to be insulted and put down by a moderator who takes offence to a word.


To the others who replied, I apologise if you found this thread a bit strong, as I already said I wasn't expecting such a negative responce from anyone, indeed i've never come across anything like it before, and certainly won't be coming back,

Shame.