Peevish!

Art and craft don’t seem to be the sort of thing that could get me all in a dither or stirred up into an emotional cauldron of opinion. But I have my peeves!

Here’s a peeve: you may not have heard of credentialism. This snotty behavior implies that one cannot be a musician, an artist, or a master crafter without a degree in art, music, or some other special area. And, no, I am not talking about medical professions, licensed trades, or the like. No legal requirements for a master’s or doctorate in any of these skills are required.  

I like to splatter mud on his attitude. The great masters primarily trained in the equivalent of craft shops and production studios, not a classroom. Regarding crafts, I belong to a generation of self-taught artisans whose tuition came from books. I enjoyed mentorships with older, skilled artisans who were self-taught or trained in craft studios, not art schools.

An associated peeve is provided by the critics to whom this sort of idiocy is essential. They scan “artists’ statements” for pedigree as a sort of sine qua non. Joan or Josh in the corner may have superior work, but the grand finale must always be the credential. 

My final peeve is the artist’s statement itself. It is a marvel of contorted writing. It is an esoteric art. But you don’t have to do it yourself. The internet offers several sites that will generate it for you.

My cat Xenia spent a lot of time scratching my office door. She insisted that it was as much art as what I did. So, we created an artist’s statement for her: https://loucarrerascarver.com/2021/07/15/xenias-artists-statement/