| |
|
 |
| |
"As
beautiful as they are, I'm sure they were
made for warmth first." Helmi Salo, Finnish
weaver, Fitchburg.
Many folk art forms developed as a way to
address practical problems — to carry
things, to store food, to keep warm. Today,
we have Tupperware, electric blankets, and Target
— few people would carry a handmade Nantucket
lightship basket out to collect blueberries
or potatoes. Objects once made primarily for
practical use are now made to be collected,
displayed, and admired.
|
 |
At the same time,
the makers of many folk art objects think of their
work in terms of the function they serve in daily
life: a carved decoy to dupe ducks, hooked rugs
to bring color and warmth into a home in winter, hand-carved
signs, and stone walls to mark the landscape. However,
they show a high level of mastery and reflect individual
artistic choices within a specific tradition. These
are useful things made beautiful.
In addition to use and beauty, these objects can
be shorthand for belonging and ethnic heritage, or
a symbol of home. They express who these artists are,
where they come from, and what they value, including
the satisfaction of making something by hand.
|
|
