I had an occasion to attend a lecture on what constitutes art. The discussion centered around whether the definition of art is linearly defined as those who spend their life creating art, to only those who have attended art school or to those who create art when the mood strikes them? Meaning, anyone who creates art is an artist. Nowhere in the conversation were those who create art by creating goods considered in the conversation. When I say “goods” I am talking about the design of a glass or any product. This expands the definition to anything that is designed; cars, cereal boxes and anything that is designed aside from perhaps the work of Architects and draftsman which is a topic for an entirely other article.
So what is the definition of an artist? Looking at the dictionary definition of an artist; most of the definitions surround the act of creating. So, anyone creating art is an artist. Does that include success? Do you have to have success to be considered an artist? I have experienced that, in practice, no one refers to someone creating a product as an artist; No one that lacks recognition is considered an artist; and; No one that has other classifications is considered an artist. But they are artists because they are creating. I would like to see a shift in calling glass and car designers and anyone creating art, an artist.
A few months ago, I had a studio consultation to create, there is that word again, designs for custom textiles and wallpapers. Basically, I was reupholstering some furniture and putting up wallpaper in my foyer and some other select rooms in my home. I could not find anything I liked online or at the Pacific Design Center , so I got a referral for a designer named Misel Chrysafo. She was working out of Central California, but scheduling consultations in LA, so I decided to meet her. It was a process I had not experienced before. She came to my home, and after I gave her a tour of the space, we started choosing color palettes. Honing in on what colors I wanted to see and feel.
While this is to be expected when working with an Interior Designer, I did not expect to select colors and then create patterns from scratch. I thought she would come prepared with patterns she had created and I would pick from her selection. And while I wanted something I defined as Country, she created patterns that were Country but polished and blended well with my Mid-Century Modern home.
I thought about Misel and not knowing much about her aside from her work in textiles and wallpaper, I wondered if she would be considered an artist. Textiles and wallpaper don’t squarely fall within the mainstream definition of art but isn’t it? Isn’t creating, art? Aren’t those who create, artists?
TineyHO, Staff Writer
Editor’s note:
If you would like to see Misel’s work you can visit her IG: https://www.instagram.com/miselchrysafo
