How does one explain their interest in a hobby? In a craft? How can a person explain their rationale to spend time doing something that they enjoy, that provides a constructive creative challenge? And more importantly, why should we have to?
Recently I responded to a blog query about - "why do people scrapbook?" The question seemed to be posed sincerely; not in a snide way. However, it is apparent that there is an impression "out there" that this hobby is merely a commercial-lead industry, where women convene under a florescent glow to tack down press-on flowers and pastel brads.
The statements made by a couple of respondents are unsettling, and in a moment where my layout didn't turn out exactly as I envisioned (does this ever happen in your work?) has me questioning my process. I could have done this entire thing (above) digitally and it would have that "perfect" look to it. But that's not what I'm going for here. I'm fighting that perfectionist that lives inside me and trying to let the results of the outcome be "okay." With each new project comes a little learing.
Please, there is nothing wrong with digital layouts at all. I love them and think they are beautiful. But part of my goal, my process here is to create with my hands. Cutting, drawing, anything tactile. I am focues on creating hand work. This is not just limited to the paper - memory keeping, story telling. I think for any of you who have looked closer at the content of my photo albums (save for the one on graphic design) you would find a hand-made approach therein. Or at least a combination of computer-generated and hand work. That probably better defines me.
Part of my reason to have this blog was to track my progression of a return to the hand, through painting, sewing, paper crafting, whatever strikes me as something physical that I can enjoy the manipulation and outcome. My goal is simply to explore this thing in my brain that makes me want to design stuff.
It occurs to me that I would never ask another crafter, or artisan "why do you knit?" Or, "why do you sew?" based on an incorrect assumption that - knitting is where primary acrylic yarns is formed into afgans, or that sewing is exclusively for cutting ready-made patterns into cheap apparel. These assumptions are equally inaccurate to those talents as the earlier is to the scrapbooking communiity.
I think there are as many different reasons why we craft (in any disclipline) as there are crafters. Let's let our work speak for itself as the answer to the question. Let's hope that our work improves over time, to our own satisfaction and not to some "industry" expectation. And if "you don't get it" then you are probably not the right person to "cover it".