Felted and Embroidered Purses by Lenall Siebenaler

I spent the entire weekend working in my garage. I basically finished a lot of pieces and projects that I had started earlier. One of the projects was these purses I had started the first day I ever felted at a felting retreat at Silver Falls Retreat Center with the Purl District, a knitting store in Silverton. Later that year, I embellished them with embroidery and beads at Menucha. I am glad to finially finish them! I think they turned out rather cute and quirky.

Lenall

Danglies for 'Open Doors' Show Tree

Each year, Portland Art Collective members make something to hang on a tree at the entrance to our 'Open Doors' Art Show & Sale. I made these danglies
that will sparkle on any tree. They are created with wire, beads and Dupioni silk. You're welcome to join us Dec. 4th & 5th. See sidebar for more information

Night lights

I have been working on some new night light assemblages.

It really is great fun to see how a new idea can come together.

In my imagination riding a rhino would be the best adventure.

The shadows help my imagination flicker and create little story's.

Shadow 2
My shadow leaps on me
each time I sleep
to devour me.
Yet still my mornings
find me whole
and at each waking
there my shadow hangs
like an empty pull-over
against my wall -
wholly at my disposal.
Rogan Wolf

The Adventures of Pacia The Girl That Wanted To Be An Artist

Pacia’s surf board must of had cruise control and it whisk her off to California. Avoiding the fire was a bit dicey, she knew driving and dialing 911 was risky but she had a Midwest sense of duty.

She was relieved as the firemen arrived, she helped where she could. They worked hard for days and the firemen wanted to show their appreciation with a gift of a shopping trip.

“Please take my picture she called to them”

“Look at that dress in the window I just love the colors”

Pacia told her new friends her story and arranged with them for transportation out of town.

“Good bye good bye I’m off to find a paint brush and become an artist”Pacia is hopefully working her way north so she can come to the the Portland Art Collective annual art show and sale Dec 4th & 5th.

"The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless." - Jean-Jacques Rousseau

A Little Birdie

Here's a peak at the 6"X6" painting I made for donation to the Audubon Wild Arts Festival in Portland, OR on November 21 and 22, 2009. I hope to paint a few more for our Open Doors show in December.

Raggedy Earrings

I have been having so much fun making wild fiber earrings that I couldn't stop. These will be going in our "Open Doors" show. The fabric disk is about 1/2"-3/4" in diameter. I made lots in my favorite deep, rich colors:




And some playful brights:

And bunches of neutrals too:

Fine Art vs. Craft? YOU Decide! by Lenall Siebenaler

After looking at our blog and all that I had been working on recently, a good friend of mine announced that my work looked to have become very therapeutic vs. what I was doing last year and in many years past. I looked at him and asked what do you mean by that? (I probably threw an evil eye in there to boot!) He said that he always thought of me as a serious painter and that all the things that I had been showing him were very crafty and it seemed I was doing them for therapy. They didn't seem to be me. Little did he know that he had suddenly gotten himself enmeshed in a major century long debate. I almost felt sorry for him...

So being a thoughtful person, somewhat of an over thinker when it comes to personal matters, I have been thinking about this subject all week. It brought to mind a statement that a friend of mine made at a meeting lately that also made me similarly stop and think. Without quoting her word for word, she basically said that she wasn't making things to sell, she was making things that she wanted to make. I was moved by these words because during this past year, I have been indeed doing just that, I have been making things to sell. I want to offer a lot and I want to sell a lot at our show. I always write and keep a list of things I intend to make and it seems that each year I leave a lot undone. I guess this means that I make things I want to make, too.

Traditionally, the distinction between "Fine Art" and "Craft" has been both around materials and around production and distribution methodologies. That seems to have changed somewhat (except at venues like, say, the American Craft Museum) and "craft" now seems to be used to describe the work shown in Readymade magazine, or on getcrafty.com or Martha Stewart.

"Craft" can also be labelled non-original art when a person copies others work or works using a kit. Most artists started there. To encourage a creative future, my mother bought us embroidery, needlepoint, marking pin art, Spirograph, and paint by number kits. Some kids continue being crafty on this path while others start exploring their own creative natures and start producing original art. Both kids are still being creative.

There may be two kinds of art. Art that is more decorative and celebrates the object for its own sake and the pleasure of making it. They are made to please. I believe this to be craft. There is another kind of work, which may even use the same materials and mediums but for a totally different reason. That work is made to express something to other people that could only be said by us and created uniquely. It is a creative expression made special by the maker. I believe this to be art. Fine Art and Craft share many of the same effects and demand many of the same skills. But to each comes it's own purpose and drive. Good crafts people are not necessarily good artists (even though they often are) and good artists are not always good crafts people. Each has a unique and special reason and effect on us, even if the lines are unclear.

The words "artsy" and "craftsy" seems to have taken on a slightly negative connotation, too. The validity of both the art and the craft is diminished by the addition of 'sy.' "artsy-craftsy" is the worst- a double whammy of negativity.

It might have something to do with the fact that Fine Art activities have tended to be highly representational in nature. On the other hand, Craft is defined as serving some sort of utilitarian purpose. Whatever the definition it seems that artists are frequently upset by the lines drawn between art and craft. Fine artists look down on craft persons. It's all about snobbery and protection of ones' talent. Us vs. Them. This conversation is always being thrown around in art circles. Why don't we just label it good art vs. bad art. That is another conversation now being heard regularly and deserves it's own post.

"Skill without imagination is craftsmanship and gives us many useful objects such as wickerwork picnic baskets. Imagination without skill gives us modern art." -Tom Stoppard

Arts and crafts is art you make for yourself or for someone you know because you love it. Fine Art you make to express yourself. You sell or trade it to people you know and those you don't know. It feeds your soul because you love it. Both art forms are enjoyable and therapeutic and are very closely related. Maybe it's a title you give yourself. Remember back when you were a crafty person? Remember when you started to be more brave and started labeling yourself an artist? Remember when others believed you and started calling you an artist?

So getting back to answer my friend: Yes, maybe this year I have taken a sabbatical from painting exclusively. It's been a lot of fun being able to create once again in front of the TV as opposed to just creating in my studio. In my mind, I have been creating unique work that is decorative. I did this in response to the economic environment and maybe the need (and want) to do something different. I still did a lot of painting. My booth at PAC will still house a large amount of fine art paintings and they will be priced accordingly, but it will also offer fun, creative, colorful, quirky items that still speak of me at a much lower price.

I think all of my art screams of ME.

What do you think?


Lenall

The Adventures of Pacia The Girl That Wanted To Be An Artist

PACia rode the duck as long as she thought was proper, it was serendipitous when she dropped down in front of The Sower. "Pardon me could you give me directions to town". He grunted something and she was off "good buy, good buy, I'm off to find a paint brush and become an artist".

Isn't this lovely The Café Terrace on the Place du Forum "looks like this has been here from around 1888, how about a latte?"

“Van Gogh’s Room at Arles” the sign said outside.

PACia used buttons to pay for the room, "boy I'm lucky I had some in my pockets. " Later she brought in some friends to felt "but what color to start with?"

Some time before dawn she thought she should get on her way “Good bye good bye I’m off to find a paint brush and become an artist”.

"Starry Night" by Vincent van Gogh

"It often seems to me that the night is much more alive and richly colored than the day," van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo in 1888
Next week Pacia goes to Hollywood.....

Debi's notes

I had some fun this weekend, covering date books, composition books, and note pads with my colorful, one-of-a-kind hand decorated papers. Each sheet of paper is painted, inked, and printed with many layers of color. The items above, along with covered file folders, will be available at the PAC holiday show. See you there!
--Debi Koenig

Pendant with out soldering! I made a much of little micro collages while at Menucha. These are so much fun! I'll be selling these kits and some pendants at our Open Doors show.