The intersection of art and utility

I went to New York City over a long weekend recently to see the Bauhaus exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. Here’s what struck me most: It was practical and useful. And it was art. The movement brought together painters, graphic designers, furniture makers, weavers, architects, and more to not only create art but to figure out how to make art and craft available to everyone. The Bauhaus school worked on mass production techniques among other things. I was completely fascinated.

And I realized that being able to create for money is one of the things l like most about being a freelance writer. That sounds crass but it isn’t meant that way.

I love getting paid to write and I like knowing that what I write for the most part is useful or for a good cause. It’s fun to figure out how I can use words to convey needed information or to draw someone in to what I’m writing or to teach someone something she didn’t know before. And then I get a check and I can pay bills.

And that’s what drew me to the Bauhaus exhibit, that the Bauhaus artists managed to combine utility and beauty. Even their class schedules were a work of art.

Where is the intersection of art and utility in your work life?