knife making as art

K

kingfisher studio

Joined
Feb 21, 2005
Messages
58
Before I start this;
I have been a professional artist for 16 yrs now, and have run an art gallery for the last two. I have 52 traditional artists of one kind or another in the gallery. I believe I am qualified to make the following judgement.
In some of the posts I have started and others, I have discovered what seems to be a disconnect between knife making and art. Ive even read about "art knives"as opposed to functional knives.
The fact that the work is functional, in no way diminishes its quality as a work of art.
From what I have seen in the last month just with posted pics on the list, I wouldnt hesitate to call any of it Art. There is more care and skill and love going into the work I see here than in most mediums I see regularly.
Alot of art has degenerated into nothing more than gimmick in my opinion.
We should never let the artsy whack jobs dictate to us the definition of what is good art.
My hats off to you guys, you do beautiful work, and even take time out to let us newbies pester you.
Im going to cut up some leaf springs
Pat
 
Well said Pat. Art comes from the individual and there are some in the world of knives.
 
I think every hand made knife of the makers own design is art. even simple, functional knives are beautiful to me. that’s my style simple and functional, even simple can be art. art doesn’t have to be from kit Rae, or Gil Hibben. I think Raymond Richard has some beautiful functional hawks. I’ve honestly never seen better hawks than his.
 
Interesting timing for this thread.

I think I could safely restate Pat's observation, or add a qualifier to it. For an object to truly be "Art" I'd expect that to have been the craftsman's intention, even though it's fully functional.

Anyway. Because I'm hankering to put "Art" in my own work I occassionally read jewelry and metal craft magazines. You know, the juried art show rags. Yesterday I picked up the Winter 2005 issue of Metalsmith, and in it found an article about Marie Zimmerman ("From Tiaras to Tombstones"), who was known in the 1930s and 1940s as "the most versatile artist in this country" and "the last of the great craftsmen."

She could work in any medium, from gold and precious stones to cast bronze to wood to oil. The article has a picture of one of the most beautiful and ornate daggers I've ever seen. It has gold inlay in the blade, a cast silver handle with precious and semi-precious stones. The sheath is cast silver with stones and velvet inlay. The knife is stunning. When I saw it I went tracking my wife down in the bookstore, all agog and excited. A (middle aged, frumpy-looking) woman knifemaker from the 1930s! And what fine work! But of course, she didn't just make knives; she made anything she wanted to make.

That's what I wanna be, a "maker." And in that tradition - fully functional, utterly beautiful. Boy, I sure wish I'd have started sooner! I have a lot to learn and too little time to learn it in.

Thanks for the thread Pat.
 
The craft is such things as sound design, fit and finish, good ergonomics...

The knife should function soundly, as intended. Sharp edge, good heat treat....

The art comes in successfully when the above is accomplished. Then it becomes an issue of HOW things are done. The sweep of the guard, the filework, the tapering of the tang(which could be both an art and a craft). One should not come without the other, but it sometimes does. Personally, I prefer knife first, art second. I don't use many of my knives, preferring to keep them in the condition that they were sent to me/sold to me. I am still interested in knowing that they WILL perform as I would desire them to, should I need to use them.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

P.S.- I was a tattoo artist from 1990-1998, and have been a graphic artist working for a motorcycle apparel company since 2000. Art is how I keep food on the table.
 
I agree also that knifemaking is an art whether it be a plain working knife or a highly embellished piece. I've been into one form of art or another since grade school. I took art all through school, college (for a very short period) and I went to an art institute. I painted, drew portraits, animation and I practiced taxidermy. I feel anything that is made by the mind, eye and hand from raw materials, would be considered art. It's all in the eye of the beholder.
Scott
 
Fixed blades, folders, autos, pens, rings, etc. I have done them, but what struck me is Dave's remark:

That's what I wanna be, a "maker."

That sums it up for me. I love to make stuff. I wish I had more of an atrtistic quality, but nothing is more satisfying than "making" something with your hands. The hard part is actually finding people that will appreciate/understand what you do.
 
indian george said:
I agree :D :D I like the ad TOO!!! :D
Click to expand...
I.G.
It wasnt meant to be an ad, :confused: Just a qualifier. I just wanted to show that I wasnt making an uneducated statement. I didnt give any specifics on my business, but if you really want them!!!! :p
 
Laredo7mm said:
Fixed blades, folders, autos, pens, rings, etc. I have done them, but what struck me is Dave's remark:

That's what I wanna be, a "maker."

That sums it up for me. I love to make stuff. I wish I had more of an atrtistic quality, but nothing is more satisfying than "making" something with your hands. The hard part is actually finding people that will appreciate/understand what you do.
Click to expand...
The art is in the making,
Any body ever heard this one?
A crafsman uses his head and his hands. An artist uses his head, hands, and heart.
One of my favorite quotes from an artist, Rien Poorviliet(sp?) a phenominal wildlife artist. when asked about the meaning in his work he said " What you see is all there is."
Pat
 
I know that knifemaking is art, as do most makers. But, do any of us really want it officially recognized as such?
Art=government. Can anyone say, "National endowment for the arts"?:rolleyes::barf:
government=welfare subsidies for "artiste's":rolleyes:
Welfare subsidies=degradation of the "art":eek::barf:

There was art before the government, and there's art in spite of the government.
I'm happy just being a poor knifemaker.;):D

Reminds me of the old joke about the Frenchman complaining to his buddies after a trip over here. "In France I am an artiste, but in America I am just a c0cksuckaire".:eek::eek:;)
 
I used to do a show with a lot of painters, sculptors, and jewelers as well as the usual mix of potters, glassblowers and such.

Once in a while an "ARTIST" would ask what I did while I was wandering around the show and I would tell them I am a sculptor working in metals and mixed media making functional art. When these people would visit my booth the response was usually positive.
 
Knives and tomahawks as art, You bet! There's nothing better than natural beauty and there's nothing better than the silhouette of a beautiful woman. I kind of look at knives and tomahawks in the same manor. I've never been into the real glitzze stuff cause I don't think it is needed. When a person looks at my work I want them to see the whole thing since thats what the subject is. I like everything to balance out and flow and not have one thing stand out and distract from the eye. Flow and simplisity from end to end......
 
Raymond Richard said:
........... I've never been into the real glitzze stuff cause I don't think it is needed. When a person looks at my work I want them to see the whole thing since thats what the subject is. I like everything to balance out and flow and not have one thing stand out and distract from the eye. Flow and simplisity from end to end......
Click to expand...
Ah...........My sentiments, and goals, exactly.:D
 
Ray, you have it right. For a knife or hawk there has to be a flow of lines leading to function, a certain gracefulness leading to function. It is hard to beat simplicity, it is a art all by its self. Gib
 
do any of us really want it officially recognized as such?
By who, the art police, the govt??
Art=government. Can anyone say, "National endowment for the arts"?:rolleyes::barf:
government=welfare subsidies for "artiste's":rolleyes:
Welfare subsidies=degradation of the "art":eek::barf:
This is what I mean by art degenerating into gimmick. Its about what kind of deep philosophical piles of crap I can heap onto the govt to get the dangling carrot.

P.S. I melted my shoelaces cutting up those leafsprings. Performance art, baby




:D :D
 
Does anyone remember the book "Stay Away Joe"? it had a lot of thoughts on government help.
 
kingfisher studio said:
I.G.
It wasnt meant to be an ad, :confused: Just a qualifier. I just wanted to show that I wasnt making an uneducated statement. I didnt give any specifics on my business, but if you really want them!!!! :p
Click to expand...
I was referring to Ed's ad in Blade.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top