It is my guess “I’m from Alabama and I’m an artist” is not something you hear everyday. Heck I am sure it is not something you put together readily in your mind. Kind of like “I’m a rocket scientist, and I’m from Alabama” sounds like an oxymoron. When you think of great artist, you are probably not even thinking Alabama.
You and I both know that geography does not dictate the truths about right or left brained thought. Yet, I am often blindsided by this type of prejudice quite a bit. But, being a good Southern girl, I usually just swallow my opinions, smile sweetly, say something really kind, all the while knowing that it is a shame this fool just does not know how offensive they are being, bless their little heart. So, let’s just get this out of the way already…
I am from Alabama.
I am a fiber artist.
I grew up in Huntsville.
My dad is a rocket scientist.
But this is not really about me. This post is about the prejudices we apply to ourselves and and receive from others everyday that holds us back.
I have had doubts about being taken seriously as a Southern artist. I have also had doubts that I would be taken seriously when I found my creative voice through knitting and rustic weaving vs. traditional mediums like painting or sculpture. These are the same doubts I know many of you may have no matter where you live or what you make. And it just sucks big time. I look back and absolutely HATE that I let those doubts hold me back from doing the work that really lights me up for years.
As artists, we are sensitive peeps. Prejudices and doubts can so easily unravel our drive and voice in a heartbeat.
I still struggle to recenter myself when struck by some form of doubt and prejudice. But you know what? I really should thank the offending party, even if the offending party are my own doubts. Because as artists, we are driven by something in our core. These challenges are just that…challenges. Calls to recenter, reconnect with our resolve, slay that dragon of doubt and come out on the other side with a deeper commitment to our soul’s work.
Alabama’s own Gee’s Bend Quilters are the epitome of outsider fiber art in Alabama.
Yes, I’m talking your knitting, too. Although to me it is all fiber art 😉
I have mad love for outsider art. Artist who buck the traditional norms to follow their hearts and make the work they feel so strongly called to make, despite the criticism. People are often struck by outsider art, because it challenges their preconceived notions of what art is. Outsider art becomes desirable because it is unique and raw.
To me, outsider art is soul work created against the odds of doubt and tradition in the spirit of following a undeniable drive of the heart.
A voice that had to be heard on its own terms. Like a warrior, outsider artists fighting through all the criticism, doubt and just outright mean words. What’s worse is those creativity-crushing words can often become the things you tell yourself. And even more devastating, you find yourself in the place of censoring your work.
I am a huge fan of Alabama’s own Natalie Chanin. Both her her work and work ethic. This is her image.
Don’t play into the hive mind about who you are, based on “statistics”. You and I both know, who you are at the core, is more than your medium/geography/skin color/cultural affiliations. Your work is about your voice. Haters gonna hate. So, give yourself some self love. Own your outsider qualities. And have some compassion for the na-sayers. They are probably a little intimidated by your fierce inner drive to buck tradition….Bless their little hearts.
So my question for you…What predjudices about you or your work are holding you back? I normally say leave me a comment, below, but I totally get how triggery this can be. Just know that if you do comment, I only have love and admiration for you for being so open.
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Fiber artist Stacey Budge-Kamison AKA UrbanGypZ lives and works in Cary NC. She can also be found knitting in public, hammering out her latest e-course at local cafés and spinning yarns in her booth at her favorite arts festivals. A designer at heart, Stacey has decided that her mission is to help fellow knitters, crocheters, weavers and felters embrace their own style and creativity by exploring fiber art as it is a part of their everyday life and helping them embrace the title of artist no matter where they are in their journey. 
Hi, I’m Reba and I am a fiber artist. I’m from Alabama and grew up in Arkansas….
Why does this sound like the beginning of an AA meeting? LOL!
Nope, these are not self prejudices but the prejudices of other narrow minded people who cannot look beyond their own backyard. Smart does not live in a single zip code. Nor does creative. Rock on, Southern Girl!!
AMEN!
Hi Reba,
I am a Texan who recently moved back to Huntsville, Al, but I am certainly not young. Fighting prejudice of an audience who does not understand much less appreciate fine (or quality) crafts is certainly not indigenous to Alabama, the south or the whole country. We have to educate our audience most of the time and even then, not be surprised at the inane comments of : I can buy that at Walmart ( my personal fav), my grandmother knits, crochets,sews, and on and on. My husband got so tired of watching people lift my weavings up and look under them when we used to do outdoor art festivals, that he started making little cards with smart ass sayings on them to stick under the work 🙄. It is hard and frustrating sometimes, but it is good to remember you are creating out of a need to express yourself, not impress others. The rest will come……..
Can totally relate to this. I live in the south as well. In area that doesn’t support fiber artist. I get “You are so young!” thrown at me all the time. Esp when i’m out in public spinning. Also get a bunch of other things but that’s the main one. Thanks for this! Makes me feel like I’m not alone.
ooooo…the youth thing is a trigger as well. The preconceived notion that knitting and spinning is for grannies…GRRRR. Think of the the word “spinster” and the origin of the word…yeah..
don’t forget the preconceived notion that if you actually ARE a grandmother who artistic bent is for knitting, crocheting, or weaving, folks look at you like aren’t you ‘cute’ to think making your little ‘grandmother crafts’ is an art …. that’s before they see your work, and then after they do and decide they want it, they expect that you should charge for your work as if you were THEIR grandmother, ie., as in not at all, lol… Age prejudice works both ways!
UGH!! That is maddening. ESPECIALLY since you have a lifetime of experience behind your work.
I am a yarn addict!! I’m always buying and of course always making something , to give as a gift or just because. I do appreciate all forms of art but am partial to needle arts; crochet, knitting, cross stitch, needle point and so on. However I am a Granny and have been knitting and crocheting for 44 years. My goal is to teach anyone to knit or crochet. I have taught several people, including my Mother, to crochet. So yall keep on doing your thing and make the world a more beautiful and colorful place.
Hey guys. If you think that North is much better you are wrong! Cleveland, OH is may be a little better, but not much.
And I am from Poland. In my childhood there was some allowance for artists. Really big ones. Like Da Vinci. And if you did not have this size of the talent you were expected to grow up ASAP and become another serious and hard working adult.
What a great post Stacey. I am going to think about my own prejudices against my own work. What little devils are in there poking me into inertia and self doubt land? I resonate with Joanna Romaniuk’s comment. When I graduated from art school my father had a book keeping job set up for me at our family’s dry-cleaning company. He was saying: Play time is over, now grow up and get to work. Fortunately I got an artist/graphic design job right after graduation and have been working in my field since 1983.
Hola! My name is Jessica Serrano-Gregg and I’m a transplant from KANSAS, born and raised, yep… On a FARM! My boys and I now reside in Connecticut for the last 15 years now.
I promise as you follow my post that there is a point to all this word play as it pertains to the topic of conversation, PREJUDICE – product of ones environment? A self induced ignorance? A lack of social skills and etiquette? Or are they just that dumb because they haven’t been outside of their own minds, culture, clique or cult??? Hmmmm…Inquiring minds must find out!
I am a self proclaimed artist of every sorts, mixed media is my favorite since I have the honorary myriad of auto immune illnesses from Fibromyalgia, Sjögren’s syndrome, lupus and RA etc etc and on and on… On a good day I can crochet and paint but my dirty little secret is that I love to write… Actually I get made fun of a lot because I will write mini novellas in a text message or a lovely afternoon rant on Facebook. I’m fascinated by the scrumptious way words, thoughts and ideas spew from my fingers and onto a media of any sort! I’m intrigued by responses I receive but I digress….
To the point of the topic, to this day I guess I still carry a Kansas “accent” a Midwestern drawl of some sort. Apparently, when I’m excited or angry, this so called “accent” comes rearing its ugly little head…. I’m quite often asked..” Where are you from?”
“What’s that accent?” Or “you’re not from New England?” I guess I don’t speak “Yankee” well enough or with whatever accent supposedly lives here in Connecticut. So this is the part I dread, I HATE telling people where I was born and raised… I think you know where I’m going with this….
KANSAS? Like as in “follow the yellow brick road? That Kansas?” Ummmm yeah, do you know of another Kansas? I don’t! I politely tell them that I don’t know what they’re referring too… What’s a yellow brick road? Who is this Dorothy you speak of? ToTo? Wizards? Huh… Never heard of it, then whatever you’re talking about…
then the other stupid questions, pertaining to farm life… Or comments that are just so ignorant that I’m fuming as these people think it’s ok to dump every stereotype from sheep… Umm fornication!! To working bathrooms? Omg, I lived in Kansas not some third world country, yes we had a house, no it wasn’t dirt or a shed. Huh??? Yes, we had indoor plumbing. No, I didn’t have to slaughter a pig to eat. Where do people get these ideas? But anyways, I’m usually treated like I have a third grade education, I must love the wizard of oz and tornados. Grrr… And ughh!
Ugh is right!! I think comments Like you have endured (god bless… I would be hard pressed not to throat punch those people) can be a combo( in varying degrees) of ignorance, curiosity and, especially, lack of self confidence to have an open mind. Some of the most prejudice comments I have ever endured came from a well educated, seemingly PC, forward thinking woman I worked with. And get this… She decided that because I was coming from Birmingham, AL that I was automatically labeled as having racial prejudice (because of the Birmingham she only knew from news reports on the TV in the late 60s). Um hello… have you noticed I am half ASIAN?!?! How could I be any form of white supremacist. I can’t even make this stuff up…
Still trying to believe what I do is real.
Yep… me too… everyday. It is real. Imagine not doing it…