I have remarked before on the proliferation of labels that can apply to those caught up in the world of patchwork, quilting and textile art. Sometimes choosing a preferred label is accompanied by a great deal of reflection, even angst. I notice that Lisa Call, who once embraced the word quilt, has recently taken the deliberate course of rebranding her work as “contemporary abstract textile art”.
For my part, I continue to use the label quiltmaker for the reasons that I’ve cited before and because it covers both the traditional and contemporary quilts that are part of my creative vocabulary. Also, since I no longer practice law, quiltmaker is the occupation that I insert on my official documents such as the will I signed today and the immigration forms that I’ll fill out on Sunday. What do you call yourself?
Amy says
I would prefer to call myself a Travel Consultant, however I suspect that Solicitor may have to remain on the official forms for a while yet…
Have fun in WW – hear that it’s all looking a bit different now.
Maria Peagler says
Myself, I’m a quilter, and so proud of all that label brings with it. I think how we label ourselves has more to do with our own image than how others see us.
If you’re making quilts, you’re a quiltmaker, no matter if you make contemporary, traditional, or somewhere in between. All quiltmakers have benefited from the rich history, lessons, and generations of quilters who have come before us, and I personally think it’s insulting to try to separate yourself from that genre.
Ultimately, I don’t think it matters what you call yourself. When patrons and viewers see our work, they’ll say to themselves its a quilt unless you’ve used something other than fiber.
Terri says
I’ve starting thinking of myself as an ‘artist’. I do make quilts, among other things, and I’m beginning to believe that anything we make with our own hands should be considered a work of art. I don’t believe the term ‘artist’ should be used to refer to people who have been making art for a longer period of time than another person. We are all artists, whether we’ve made one piece or many.
Lisa says
Define quilt.
That is the crux of the matter in my opinion. For most people the definition includes a part about a bed. My work is not related to a bed. To retrain 99% of the population that quilt doesn’t equal bed is something I don’t have time for. Easier to just adopt a common language and stop trying to redefine a word that already has a perfectly good definition:
Websters:
a bed coverlet of two layers of cloth filled with padding (as down or batting) held in place by ties or stitched designs
Yes – there are newer more contemporary definitions but this is the definition that most everyone uses. I decided I have better things to do than fight it.
Although interestingly my kids think a quilt belongs on a wall and if you use it on a bed it must be a blanket because noone would ever put a quilt on a bed!
It’s all about context.
Brenda says
I should add that I am not at all critical of others that choose different labels. However, for me personally, “quiltmaker” is a honest expression that fits most comfortably whereas “artist” and its variants feels vaguely fraudulent and pretentious.
sMC says
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet
Meaning
What matters is what something is, not what it is called.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/305250.html