On Art and Knitting

I've finished knitting the box out of shosenshi paper from Habu. I'm hoping that once I seam the sides and whip-stitch the edges with silk/stainless steel the box will hold an upright shape. I used size 3 needles, but I don't think the needle size matters much. The gauge I got with size 3 isn't really much different than my swatch with size 5 needles.

This process has made me think a lot about the intersection of art and knitting (not knitting as art, that's a different discussion). I wonder if knitting appeals to my practical side, which then draws on my creative side. I'd like to think I'm creative, but I've never ventured much beyond creating simple hats, scarves, and mittens. I plan on developing some bigger patterns--I've been thinking about designing two sweaters for over a year now. I'm enjoying making this box, which I'm considering "sculptural knitting." The paper isn't very easy to manipulate, but I'd like to expand the series. Once I finish the list of patterns I'd like to make and gifts I've got to give, I'll focus more heavily on experimenting. Of course, everyone knows that those lists will only get bigger. I guess I should add experimenting to the queue.

Because of my job, people always ask if I'm an artist. I always shrug dismissively and say no. I much prefer when the literature people ask if I write. Then I say "I'm a reader," which is truer than saying I'm not an artist. An old friend used to say that I was an artist without a medium. For the last couple of years, I've been working on developing knitting as my medium. It will be nice when I can send him a piece and say that I've arrived.