Patron of the Arts
I am not a crafty person.
I often ponder how one becomes creative, or if people are born creative, or perhaps being creative is a choice. I have never considered myself to be a “creative” person. Over the years, I have come to realize I don’t really enjoy being a “maker”. What is do enjoy is being a supportive audience member. Whether I sit in a theatre listening to a musical performance or taking a musical theatre show – I have been part of an audience. I was a cast member in one high school play and sang in different choirs in my youth but those experiences did not heighten my interest, the stage fright was enough to deter further stage activities. My 4-H troupe went Christmas caroling in 1970 where I ending up singing Silver Bells, with back round singers for the chorus. Unfortunately, I was the only one who remembered all the words to that song – my first and last solo. School art classes were just me, colouring in the lines or inside the box. My creative imagination just never moved past that.
In the last few years, many of my favourite television shows are on the “Makeful” channel. I find myself drawn to watching all things where people are tasked to make things. Landscape or Portrait Artist of the Year, Pottery Throw Down, Blown Away, Sewing Bee, and even the baking/cooking shows, as those shows are filled with many talented, creative people and I am the target audience. Bringing the creative world closer to me, I like to surround myself with treasures made by people in the community who make wonderful things. This makes me part of the makers audience. My living space includes framed prints by local artists James Marshall, Theresa Eisenbarth and Donna McClean, and an original painting by Mollie Webster. I have many pieces of Altaglass, a few purchased over the years through the sales hosted by Allan Jensen for the Historical Society, as well as a few original pieces purchased by my parents in the 1970s. My pottery collection is full of Medalta reproductions of crocks and mugs. My Hycroft China pieces connect me to the memories of my grandparent’s kitchen. Contemporary ceramic artists thrive in Medicine Hat and I have pieces of work by many makers: Les Manning, Jim Etzkorn, Aaron Nelson, Dixie Baker, and many other resident artists who have sold work at markets. Hatters are fortunate to have so many amazing people and creative entities in our midst.
A favourite art piece of mine is a mixed media canvas by Eco-Artist Natalie Oliphant. Eco Art is a new-to-me art genre. Discarded objects and memorabilia are saved from obscurity and strategically placed on canvases or body forms, bringing a new life to items most likely to end up in a landfill. My canvas has a personal connection as I had donated some old jewelry, watches and hardware Natalie used to create the piece. Natalie’s talent in producing thought provoking art pieces with found items resonates with me. Not everything beautiful is brand new. Regrouping, reinventing and placement can be a positive transformation. I should use this mantra as an awakening where my lack of a creative gene is considered. Being a patron of the arts is a necessary part of the creative process. I revel in that.
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