“The purpose of good design is to ornament existence, not to substitute for it.” – George Nelson
This quote helped to manifest what the relationship between the artist and the designer is, as well as where the difference lies. While I tried to wrap my head around the rigid explanations of the contrasting roles of artist and designer, this insight from George Nelson began to serve more of a purpose than the first time I read it. So, if we invest in this quote regarding designers, I think it is fair to follow the same guideline for artists; that art is the substitution for reality. Sure, art can be tangible and is real in that sense, but you can not say it is raw reality.
It is hard for me to decide on most things in life, but I suppose I would say I am a designer. But, instead of choosing one, I think it is more helpful for me to weight out why I think both sides apply to me.
Artist: At this point in my life, the vulnerability that comes with sharing art makes me want to recoil and say that I don’t care what people think of it and it’s all about how it makes me feel while producing it and while I stand back and wonder if it’s complete. I think the self-interest aspect of artistry is important and allows you to feel that much more satisfaction if a viewer comes along and connects with whatever you have produced.
Designer: There are days when I don’t want to think about myself, my interests, and especially my issues. I want to listen to someone else’s day, in which I think this can apply to wanting to hear someone else’s needs and wants and doing my best to solve their problems in design.