Behold! Mishapen imperfection!
Originally uploaded by chicken widget.
Creating things really is therapy for me. This point was driven home once again as I created this little creature. I made so many mistakes. She was originally intended to be a gift, but that plan got scrapped, along with her legs. Even with all the mistakes, I felt I had to finish her.
When the last stitch was in place, I held this little creature in my hand. I liked her. All the lumpy unevenness, the strange stitching. The complete imperfection. Visually, it made her great. More than that, it gave her a certain feel...a personality, kind of.
Then I realized it. We're constantly fed a diet of perfectionist ideals- "Look like this, eat like this, live like this"- unrealistic ideals that no one can really live up to, so we're also constantly choking on perceived failure.
This creation was imperfect, yet fantastic. Interesting, with personality. Real. Just because she was imperfect, did that make her any less dear to me? Actually, the imperfections endeared her to me. That's what made this creature what it was.
"Perfect" isn't nearly as interesting, fun, or satisfying as imperfect. When you're creating things, it's how your hand casts those lines that makes it yours. "Perfect" isn't genuine.
The ideas for new creatures started crashing in, one right after another.
3 comments:
You've brought up a subject that I've given a lot of thought to. Sometimes folks don't get it when I tell them I make plush creatures. They usually stare for a moment or two opened mouthed, hypnotized in some sort of disbelief. They finally mange to respond with words to the effect of "thats nice". I didn't set out to make soft creatures. They were just what came out of me when I went into my craft space and needed a way to de-stress and experience some quality alone time. I know my creatures aren't the cutest in the world nor the most well made. But I enjoy the process and I'm so glad that I discovered it.
Exactly! I just enjoy making them, and if other people like them too, it's great, but not neccessary to my enjoying the proccess.
Tell it, sister!
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