cross stitched sailboat with a red flag on a gray fabric background.

The Seesaw of Creation and Judgment

Methods used to create Davy Jones's Locker: Rya, Flossa, Spanish Lace, Danish Medallion, Plain Weave, Cross Stitch. These are ancient techniques; for example, rya and flossa (Davy Jones character is made of these) are Viking knots. 

Warp threads are manipulated by the weaver’s hand and shuttle/s and the piece grows line by line while under tension on the loom. This is the opposite of embroidery or cross-stitch which are threads applied with a needle on a piece of plain weave canvas. In this case, the ‘background’ (plain weave) is woven at the same time as each finger lace element. And, for this work, I did not work from a pre-planned, gridded guide. I let the story evolve on the loom instinctively.

“To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.”  Elbert Hubbard

So, we do something – we create. 

And eventually, people start seeing our work. Which means, we get judged. 

The truth is that once you accept favorable opinions of your work, it stands to follow that you must also accept criticism. 

But what if those judging you have made decisions based on inaccurate information? 

The Judgment

Last year, I created a linen wall-hanging that someone immediately suggested I enter into a specific juried show. The person argued that because this piece was unlike the typical submissions, it had a shot at possibly winning a prize. 

The work did not receive a prize – which was fine. But neither did it receive any mention, and that surprised me. But I am no stranger to the submission game, so I accepted the decision and moved on.

Fast-forward a year. While organizing my studio, I re-discovered the wall-hanging and to my surprise the actual scorecards from the judges were wrapped inside the piece. In the decades that I’ve submitted work to juried shows, I have never been privy to the actual scorecards. I was intrigued to see how a judge’s mind works. 

In this instance, there were three judges. Each had 50 points to give. 

Judge #1: “Memorable artwork tells a story and this absolutely does. Use of finger lace flows beautifully from one end to the other. All of the techniques are beautifully and effectively executed. You have a lovely sense of creativity. Well done!” 47 of 50 points. 

Judge #2: “Looks like you had fun and good for you making a story of a technical sampler. How much was from you?”  33 of 50 points.

Judge #3: “If there were a judging criteria for imagination this would get the prize – right down to “the “bubbles”. Because it was woven in a workshop, I’m less inclined to give it high marks.” 25 of 50 points. 

I was gobsmacked. 

Two of the three judges did not think the person who submitted this piece could have created it on her own. 

a handwoven textile art piece featuring a ship like design at the top and a colorful abstract face with a bushy, textured beard at the bottom, with long fringe hanging down.

The Creative Process

This work grew out of an independent class exercise required in a master weaver program I am currently enrolled in. The task was to learn half a dozen finger lace techniques — to create a sampler, as it were. I had never even considered weaving something like finger lace so imagine my surprise when I instantly became enamored with the possibilities. I delayed my other class assignments so I could spend as much time as needed to meticulously develop this piece. I became so far behind in class work that I took class assignments home to catch up. 

I’ve been at this long enough to know that you don’t want to stop the muse when she’s singing in your ear. 

The resulting piece is called Davy Jones Locker and it is meant to be read from the bottom to the top. Starting with woven “ocean bubbles” the viewer is immediately led to Davy Jones himself, up the coral reef to the ghost ship on the horizon, up into the night sky with the Big Dipper and then ending with the slim red line signifying “red sky at night, sailors delight”. This work offered me ways to weave that I never thought possible and it loaded up my toolbelt for future works.

So What To Do?

I am quite sure I will revisit this “judged” moment again and write about it more thoroughly – it’s just too layered. 

In the meantime, I leave you with these words: don’t ignore criticism — listen to it carefully because your work is evoking something from others. Extract what is, or can be, helpful to you.

But never, ever take it personally. Just keep creating.