Jewellery > E-zine 2 > E-zine May 09 > Studio talk

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Studio Talk: Art & Design

Sean Hardingham

A recent comment has lead me to think I may have been on the right track in my reluctance to be termed an "artist". Whilst that is the title given to those of my craft, Stained Glass Artist; I have likewise strugged with the perhaps more craft oriented mantle of tradesman. What does that leave? Why, a designer of course. It is after all what I do.
        Listening to a radio article recently the speaker qualified in their own terms the difference between artists and designers. Ostensibly the primary focus of the artist is that of their own agenda. Be it political, social, emotional or financial they create from and for their own ends. They are working through a process. Possibly but not always cathartic in nature, the emotive response of the audience isn’t always sought or required. The designer conversely creates to fulfill a purpose. The nature of the designers agenda is fundamentally client centric.
        The item, project or piece under scrutiny needs to have a purpose, do a job or fulfill a role. When you sit on a chair, wear a garment or use a tool the feeling derived during use needs to be right for the experience to unfold all potential. Good design may be less likely to be noticed than if it was bad. This is of course subjective and wholly reliant on the work of the piece, but a badly designed “Thing” is a drain on our lives. The car that won’t start, the phone that won’t ring, the DVD player that won’t eject are all easily imagined. But when an item does its job well, most likely a product of good design, it fails to attract attention. “It’s doing what it’s supposed to” is the obvious tack to take. But remember “The squeaky wheel” and how it always gets the oil.
        In my own studio our view is that of sharing information, both ways. The client needs to know what can be done, for how much and in what time frame. We need to know what they like, dislike, have budgeted and where the finished piece is intended to reside. This process boils the detail down until only the relevant remains. Sometimes at this stage all that has been established is that ours is not a product for them. More often the real fun begins and the detail of design really comes into play. The components are measured and selected in order to truly fulfill what is to become a feature that is to remain in the property for the rest of its days. “To look like it grew there…” is an expression we use when referring to a new stained glass panel that is to go into a period home. That it looks like it was intended to be and not jar the senses by trying to be clever or just plain inappropriate. One size does not fit all and we make a point of finding out what is required for every single commission. After all, we don’t mass produce panels and only make items of the highest quality. We treat clients as individuals with a view to expanding on their own personalities. Giving people what they want whilst maintaining personal and professional integrity is our mission. Hoping to advance the appreciation of having a singularly unique piece of work created with all the assumed convenience of our modern day living.
       It is a rare day that we get to create for our own sake. Whilst our craft requires many skills that may be thought of as "art skills"; painting, drawing, use of colour & light, it is "design" that really captures the work we do. Whether or not we yet know our client, whether we are working on an architectural installation or a piece of jewellery our agenda is always about function and form and how it relates to it's eventual owner.

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