WEDNESDAYS WITH GRANDMA.

Wednesdays meant two things growing up. One, Grandma would be over at our house to do her laundry and two, it would be an afternoon of craft time. We did all sorts of projects with Grandma. We painted, sculpted, glued, sewed, colored, dyed, googely eyed, and created. I didn't realize the value in this until much later when I was going off to college. For the first time, I had mixed with kids who were from all over the country and had all different backgrounds. And most of their backgrounds didn't involve Wednesday Craft Days. I met people who had never used a glue gun, couldn't hem their pants, and didn't know what a dowel was. This completely blew my mind. What did their grandmas do with them? How did they spend rainy days? How did they make it out of middle school without making a clay model Greece? Or what did they do for book reports without creating a puppet show of characters? 

I transfered to a big fancy art college and finally was around people who liked to make things as much as I did. But, even still, being surrounded by artists there was a lack of people who grew up "crafting." Sure they were kids who came from high schools with fantastic art programs and could paint circles around me. But not many of them learned about a variety of techniques and mediums like I learned sitting at the kitchen table on Wednesdays.

In fact, "craft" was often seen as a negative thing. "This looks too crafty." So, I evolved, refined, and learned the methods that would make me a real artist. And it was wonderful. But I still secretly loved to craft. During class I would sketch the fruit, paint the nudes, and learn how to use the computer for design. But, at home, I would knit, sew, create collages. And when I graduated, I was a serious designer and was now ready for a big time career in an advertising agency.

And then the economy crashed.

With fewer jobs out there, and a market saturated with talented people, I had to figure out what made me a better candidate. So for the first time, I embraced the craft. My portfolio evolved into a handmade book. I added images of not only my professional work, but also my crafty projects. I essentially sold myself as someone who could make things both physically and digitally. And it worked. Every interview I have been on since, I've gotten comments such as "It is so refreshing to see REAL ART and not just digital art." I say thank you, but think "Real art? Now crafty stuff is real art?" This makes me smile.

I went to college for art, but I learned to be creative from Grandma.

When I was 26, I got a bunch of boxes from my mom after she cleaned out my room. I had no idea she saved a lot of my craft projects. I opened these boxes and met friends I had long forgotten about. They are awkward and old, but they have so many great memories attached to them.

-Laurie