Radical Explorations in Button Making

I will begin this article by stating that I have only made buttons on one occasion. What I learned about the craft was that it is both joyful and frightening due to its endless potential for expressive discovery.

This is my journey into the artistic landscape of button craftsmanship.

I discovered button-making in the Fall of 2019 at the local library a few blocks over from my apartment. It was a gloomy Tuesday evening, and all I longed for was a sprinkle of excitement. I asked the library clerk what events were being held that week, and they informed me that there was a button-making class that was about to begin in the basement.

With my curiosity peaked, I ventured down the stairs into the dank library basement. Little did I know that what I was walking into would open my eyes to the sheer raw power of expression that button-making yields.

After several minutes of searching the library basement, I found a small room filled with magazines and scissors. Surely I had reached my destination.

Our instructor was efficient. She presented what appeared to be a Yale-quality lecture on button-making craftsmanship. Under her guidance, I was able to learn the complex physics of the button-making device and materials.

It was time to begin my journey into button-making.

Many thoughts raced through my mind as I looked into the large pile of magazines and books that were available to us. I didn't want to waste time making some holiday-themed run-of-the-mill button set. Rather, I wished to craft something truly expressive and unique. I needed to make buttons that would push the boundaries of modern art.

I started my first piece with a US celebrity magazine. The visual language and contents were representative of our societal obsession over celebrity lifestyles. This would be the fuel to create something truly unique and boundary-pushing.

After carefully studying the works within the pages, I located an image of what looked to be Hailey Baldwin in sunglasses. The piece was urban, punk, and candid. I had to use it.

I cut a square out of the page using a pair of scissors and was ready to press it into a button using the clamp. The materials were carefully aligned. With one swift press of the clamp, my artistic creation was realized.

The finished button, named "Sunglasses & Baldwin" was everything I imagined.

Expressive. Modern. Raw.

I desired to finish my exploration by a creating 'punk realist' button collection. For the first step in creating a series of mini-masterpieces, I needed to discover images that had elements in common with my first button.

After digesting more celebrity stories about heartache and scandals, I was able to locate several new images that would fit together as a set and complete my set. I had my visual language and collection theme defined.

Celebrities in sunglasses.

The collection was unbelievable. The sheer expression from each sunglass-covered face was candid, real, and of the times. Each button worked on its own, but as a collection, there was true beauty.

I was frightened by the endless possibilities of what could be made into buttons. Home decor catalogs, pop-culture reads, more celebrity magazines. I had no idea where to begin, or where it would end if it began. The possibility of button-making taking over every second of my free time was real. It had to be stopped.

I took my expressive button collection, "Celebrities in Sunglasses," and put them into my pocket. After thanking the instructor who taught me so much that night, I left the library and continued home, never to make buttons again.

Someday, if I can overcome my intimidation of the endless potentials in the button-making, I will continue my journey and build something truly unique once more.