The Upholsterer’s Brain

On the surface, this might seem either really obvious, or impossible. In truth, it’s neither. In my many years of experience and getting to know many many upholsterers, the craft of upholstery can be executed in as many different ways as there are species of tomatoes. (I don’t really know that, but it makes my point.) There are as many upholsterers who are engineering/analytical thinkers as there are those of us who lean more towards being artistic and creative thinkers. The engineering types can see exactly how pieces are cut and attached in their mind, even before taking the old fabric off. They surely must do well on those IQ test sections of how certain shapes create 3 D forms. When they encounter a challenge while upholstering, logic steps in to save the day. Then, there are those of us who jump in and let the process swallow us up creatively, practically, emotionally, and otherwise. You might go as far as to say that we enjoy giving ourselves up to the adventure that ensues. Executing our vision for a new look, style, or technique is what feeds our soul, which thinkers like us need. This may be a sweeping generalization, but we do our best work when we get to be creative. It’s like we’re all headed to the same place, we just like taking different roads. Neither way is wrong if we’re getting the job done well, and in a timely manner.

There are undoubtedly some of you who are able to stay emotionally detached and still be able to satisfy your needs while creating beautiful original works. I’m the ‘get swallowed up’ kind. And with that, it brings it’s share of misery and suffering. The flip side of the creative buzz it brings is that it can feel draining, frustrating, agonizing to make decisions, and to know that the choices I make will be difficult to change if they don’t pan out. Well HELLO! This is what artists struggle with continually, right? It’s that very struggle in the process that makes the results so rewarding.   A John Mellencamp song comes to mind,

Hurt so good
Come on baby make it hurt so good
Sometimes love don’t feel like it should
You make it, hurt so good

Creativity, art, and process, that is.

The engineering minded upholsterers stand back, stay detached, do what they know to do and carry out their skills emotionally unscathed. How green that grass looks while wallowing around on the dry sod of mind- exhausting creative uncertainty! On the other hand, how much I would miss the ecstatic satisfaction of being allowed to do it in my own way. For me, that’s the gold. It’s the complete idea, from concept to tangible form that fills my tank.  It’s that feeling that keeps me from giving up, or settling for less than I imagined. Looking back to when I’ve been eyeball deep in a temporary state of self-doubt, I just know in my heart and soul that I can bring this idea into being with skill, patience, agony, solutions, and eventual triumph and dominion over the materials. It’s like giving birth; it’s addictive and it’s unbelievably self-validating.

Different approaches and visions contribute to balance and wonderful possibilities. I celebrate the analytic, engineering minded upholsterers out there. I wish I had it like you do. But I also celebrate us—–operating from heart-felt passion, desire, intuition and knowing how to learn new things. Honoring all of you who possess different skills and talents than I do, while still honoring my own, is a freeing and happy-making attitude. Here’s to all of us and our valuable, unique selves!