Art hanging on a wall or standing in a space designed to display it advantageously is great, and most of us appreciate seeing these results of someone’s artistic expression. The same goes with the artistic expression in architecture, and even ornate brick, metal or rock work.

I love to see people sharing their artistic vision and skills. My own favorite is utilitarian art and the act of using it or watching it in use by others for its designated purpose.

Often, this form of art is about creating an artistic vision on something useful, such as a custom fishing rod, walking stick, pool cue, or golf club.

The best feeling of all is learning to create art on a utilitarian device by brainstorming a vision, determining how it can best be expressed and applied, crafting it to perfection, and then going out to use the device for its intended purpose.

This typically amazes people nearby and gives the artist a feeling of deep satisfaction and pride.

The canvas for this art form can be anything from a walking stick to a sports car, and many things in between. For me, fishing rods and pool cues are most meaningful. If I were a golfer, I would add clubs. Walking sticks are also ideal for applying art before taking that walk to show it off.

Crafting art on lengthy tubular objects is a well-established art form. We have one of the best in the world here locally, in Capt. Tiffany Vague, owner of Vague Rods. She is a master artist who applies her art to custom fishing rods.

One example of her work is a woven (with hundreds of threads using an intricate loom system) dream catcher. A local boater who has a boat named Dream Catcher saw it and commissioned her to build a suite of rods for his boat.

Examples of this creative art form can be seen on her website www.vaguerods.net. On the website, someone can sign up for beginning, intermediate and advanced online classes to learn how to create their art vision on fishing rods, pool cues, golf clubs, walking sticks and other tubular devices.

People who develop such art skills take great pride in creating pieces so good that they are commonly asked if they are decals or stickers with varnish over them.

This question can annoy some artisans who invested many hours of exacting effort to create their art. Yet the results seem to defy what can be done with thread work.

It gives me a super special feeling to bend a custom rod to a big fish or take a walk with a custom walking stick.

Learning to create utilitarian art may become a source of deep satisfaction.