Beauty is a reflection of the whole thing… how it’s made, the motivation of the maker, the responsible use of materials in the making, reflecting how it will serve in the simple practicalities of life, as well as the ability to recycle or repurpose at end life. I find a particular value in making objects for use, not to just to be looked at, so if a few of my things have been worn out and discarded or recycled, that's a good thing.
I’m reminded of an interview years ago with Yo Yo Ma about his visit to a village in China. He described playing in the home of Chinese peasants, and as he would play the children would get on the floor and wrestle, and when he would stop, they would stop.
That flies against the notion that music should be listened to, only as a thing of beauty might be listened to, and suggests the role of music as an essential, practical element of daily life. In that line of thought, a painting that simply lays on the wall, being noticed only once in a while, may serve in various ways, but consider how much more precious an artist's time might have been applied in making something that more deeply fulfilled various purposes in daily life… even if the result was that it was used up, worn out, recycled or turned to kindling to warm the children at night.
The photo shows a practical application of the mitered finger joint, in allowing the top edge of a box to be inlaid before the joints are cut. The finger joints assure that the box will maintain its strength and integrity for generations, while the inlay along the top edge offers a touch more beauty.
Make, fix and create....
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