Craft Masters

A couple of weeks ago, I watched a show about a dozen international craft masters who practice arts almost forgotten in the modern world. Mainly they were paper makers, potters, barrel makers (for distilling spirits) and silk printers (Indian sari's).

My own lifelong favorite of the ancient arts is block printing from Japan. I have done a good deal of printing myself, having been a printing arts hajor in my second bachel of arts in fine arts. My form of printmaking was lithography which is treating very fine limestones smooth surface to adhere ink where it is wanted and repel it where it isn't wanted. The most famous artist who used lithography is probably Toulous Lautrec, which is where I first learned of it from his beautiful, striking, bold and enchanting theater posters.

Yesterday, I met a fine craft artisan who made me toke a long look at another, often neglected form of artisant art - crochet! We are all familiar with wood-workers and furniture makers and since the 19780 there has been a growing respect and admiration for the fine art of quilting, but I think the art of crochet has been neglected.

I grew up in an ethnic neighborhood in South Philadelphia. Although my family ancestry was Irish on my mother's side and German/English on my father's side, our neighborhood was predominantly more recently arrived Italians. A great many of the older women in those neighbor homes were practioners of the almost magical art of crochet. They made 'doilies' which covered the back of upholstered furniture, the arms, and the tables in most of the houses. The most ambitious projects were crocheted table clothes, works of immense complexity and labor. To me, they were always magical, to think you could make something so complicated and beautiful, like a snowflake from a string.

There were other needle crafts prevalent in y old neighborhood, too, such as weaving of palm fronds at Easter into terrifically complicated braided designs. These braided palm ornaments were placed on walls and doors as representatives of the entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. But nothing could compare to the doilies. My mother practiced this art as well and I have one of her doilies stitched onto muslin and framed in an embroidery hoop.

I bought three pieces from this needlework artist, a knitted shawl with crocheted edges, a gorgeous blue doily with pearls on the corners of its star shape, and a pad sitable for hot plates or bowls.

Over the years, I have bought and re-bought the child's version of weaving, the metal frame pot holder maker. I had one when I was little and I made dozens of potholders, mesmerized by the process of weaving. Looking back I can see that I was ALWAYS destined to be an artist of some kind and if I had been born in another century, I would have been a quilter, seamstress, and I would have knitted and chrocheted. Also, I have, in years past made paper, another miraculous process. I used my blender to turn waste paper, after shredding it, into pulp and then I made a very coarse and rudiemntary form of paper with leaves embedded in it, and feathers. It was great fun! Now, I stick to painting, but at present I have 6 sewn carry-all bags on display at The Station, gallery in Merchantville, and at my Friends' Meeting House in Woodbury. Each bag has a painting in acrylic on watercolor paper of a woman of historical note, sewn onto a printed fabric and protected by clear plastic sheeting, and sewn onto the bag. I call it "Functional Art" and the bags are meant for such romantic items as mysterious parcels for the post office, pastry from a patisserie, a manuscript going to an editor, or to carry a gift to a friend for a birthday. They arent' suitable for groceries unless you are buying just a few things from a local summer farm market, bagels, some jars of honey, nothing that would leak because these bags cannot be washed. I will try to insert a photo. I hope you have an art you practice. I met a man once whomade lead soldiers. I wish I had a chance to speak with him again as I would have loved to see his process at work. By the way, my sewing machine was repaired by a man who still practices that art! Chuck Magowan, so if you sew, he's your man! 856-546-1631 He has repaired my machine twice for me to make my projects in time for two Art shows where I actually won prizes! Thank you Chuck!

Happy Trails! Jo Ann

wrightj45@yhoo.com s