Breaking the Rules in Art

Artists have been breaking the rules for years. In fact I’d go so far as to say that breaking the rules is essential to becoming a successful artist. Many of the most famous artists broke the rules and were often considered shocking, inappropriate or just way too weird at the time! Many times their works were not considered good art until years later. These days we are more used to artists breaking the rules but still we can be shocked. Recently a Banksy painting spontaneously shredded itself immediately after being sold at auction. One look at the auctioneers face and you can plainly see first shock and then disapproval written all over it. However shortly afterwards the art critics were saying that the painting was probably now worth even more than before, I’m sure the shocked auction house would love to get their hands back on it again!

Painters and sculptors have been breaking the rules for years, however textiles artists are still playing catch up. This is in part due to certain very traditional textile organisations who, even in the very the recent past, found even things such as embroidery done by machine instead of by hand a mortal sin. Some people are still shocked and outraged at the use of glue and fabric in the same piece! Those working in textiles have a constant battle to get textiles recognised as art and not just a craft. This inability to break the rules perpetuated by textile organisations themselves has hindered the way forward. Thankfully most organisations are seeing the need for change, for attracting less traditional members and moving forwards whilst still keeping traditional skills alive.

Textile skills such as stitching, knitting and dressmaking are often handed down through the generations in a way that doesn’t happen with say painting, sculpture or photography. Textile skills, right up until recently, were essential for everyday living. Perhaps this is another reason why textiles are still widely regarded as a craft not an art form?

Many textile artists are now moving forwards and breaking the rules in new ways to discover fresh, exciting art pieces. However I think we have many years to go until textiles has the respect and value that other arts forms such as painting and sculpture currently enjoy.

Of course textiles can also be unforgiving and some rules really shouldn’t be broken – sewing through wet glue anyone, how about dyeing fabric without putting in your fixative? Perhaps you’ve tried to needle felt through metal (OK I haven’t actually done that but I’ve thought about it!). I think I find it easier to break the rules in textiles because, never having any formal training in textiles, I don’t actually know what the rules are. Often it’s only after something has gone disastrously wrong that I actually look up how you’re supposed to do it!

Today I’m breaking a quilting rule. Wadding is supposed to go in the middle of your quilt sandwich to give it that nice, soft, puffy effect, it’s not supposed to be seen on the outside. Well not anymore! Lately I’ve been using these lovely hand dyed pre-felts from The Thread Studio with my needle felting machine. They are fabulous colours but they are very expensive. It occurred to me that cotton wadding has a very similar texture to pre-felt and can also be hand dyed. I had a piece of screen printed wadding lying about the place so I decided to experiment and see if it would work with the needle felt machine. It certainly does! I’ve managed to felt wool and silk fibres, yarns, organza, acrylic felt, sari silk and wool felt into it. I have lots of spare dye left over from my last printing session so now I know the wadding is suitable for needle felting I plan to dye more and use it in my art work. What will the quilters think? Maybe the traditionalists will disapprove but I reckon my Contemporary Quilt Group will love it!