What is word art?

One of the things that confounds and confuses me is the popularity of word art today.  You know what I mean.  Everything from paintings to dishes to coffee mugs to throw pillows is a blank canvas with some word on it.  The words are seldom profound.  A wreath that says simply welcome.  A mug that says coffee.  Sometimes the words are puns.  Sometimes they are jokes.  Sometimes they are merely vulgar words passing for humor.  Why?  Why do we call that art?  Why do people pay money for such things?

For my part I am convinced that beauty is in short supply and that it does not help things to presume that throwing a couple of words on fabric or ceramic or pottery or wood constitutes art.  This seems to have replaced sofa sized paintings sold out of the backs of trucks as the style of the day.  I did not like the sofa size paintings and this does not seem to be an improvement.  Is that what we have become?  Words to replace real art?

I am not at all suggesting that good writing is not art but I would not consider most of the junk sold with words on it good writing.  I am not saying that eloquence or craft should not be fostered when it comes to good writing (even sermons!).  What I am saying is that throwing a word on something is not eloquence or crafty.  It is cheap and easy and trendy, to be sure, but not art.  Or do you think I am wrong?

The truth is I am over it.  Don't get me any more coffee mugs with a word or two on it.  Don't buy me a throw pillow adorned with a word or two on it.  Don't expect me to go gaga over your painting which is a beige canvas with some word on it -- in a fancy script that is both playful and fun.  Hey, wait a minute. I thought folks could not read cursive anymore?  So why are they using that cursive font on that word art?

Church banners in particular are far too wordy and do not employ symbolism enough.  Even some paraments on altars and pulpits are simply words on fabric.  The Church has enough words what with the readings from Scripture, sermons, prayers, hymns, and liturgy.  Is it too much to ask that we cultivate the power of the symbol and set it in a context of beauty?  I fear that plastering a Bible passage or a Biblical word (Alleluia, for example) on something meant to be used in a church building is considered the height of creativity and faithfulness.  Is that all there is to it?  Should this be called Christian art?  Do our people suffer from a shortage of words that needs to be answered by stitching words on fabric or gluing them to felt?

Okay.  It is a pet peeve of mine and not a mighty meandering thought.  But some days I wake up and wonder why has this taken the world by storm.  You should have the same questions.  Are you also one who thinks that the world will be a better place when they stop making dishes and paintings and pillows with a word or two on them?  Of course, when they stop producing them it will not diminish the over abundance that exists but they will shift from stores and homes to flea markets.  Some of them already have.  I don't want to see them there either.  This is one trend I hope will pass away into an early grave and not simply because I don't like it but because it is trite and banal in a world that screams for real beauty.  If we cannot convince the merchandise buyers at the home stores, at least we do not have to copy this unfortunate trend in the Church.