Design or Art

Bending the line with our designs. 

Is there a difference between design and art? We’ve recently struggled with this at Bendee. We’ve also asked ourselves if designers can create art? Or is that privilege exclusive to artists?

I was recently sent a quote that read:

“Art is freedom. Being able to bend things most people see as a straight line.”

That’s a really interesting statement especially at Bendee since we abhor straight lines. According to that quote we are artists and I have to be honest, that makes me happy. We’ve been working on a new design (or should that read art piece) at the shop and have been struggling with it. We always want to challenge ourselves and our designs so that we can provide something that is beautiful. Something that is worthy of the first line on our website, “Where Light Becomes Art”.

We’re finding that sometimes what might look good in our mind’s eye or on paper doesn’t translate well to an actual piece. During my formal woodworking education I had a teacher tell me that design ideas are everywhere if we look. Sometimes in the shape of cracks on an old wall. Other times in shapes that have been created and reimagined. There are lots of ideas in nature. Doesn’t our Loop remind you of a wave? For me I picture a rolling wave just offshore on the Pacific waiting for a surfer to come along its peak.

I think the problem might be that art has, or better yet, is its own language. And sometimes things get lost in the translation. Does a Rosetta Stone exist for art? They say beauty, like art, is in the eye of the beholder. We haven’t given up on this latest design. And we are excited to keep at it as well as some new ones you’ll see soon enough.

Thanks Steve