What’s the difference between art & craft?
It's not an easy
question to answer.
I recently read some very interesting comments made by veterans of
the craft community on this and other topics.
One of the ideas that struck me was that craft served a purpose.
Somehow the utilitarian in me likes that idea. Don't get me wrong, I admire
fine art as much as the next guy (I even studied it in college) but the thought
of people using and enjoying the fruit of my labours for decades to come gives
me a great sense of pride and satisfaction. The idea that somehow your spirit,
energy or chi flows into the work you produce is one that I firmly believe in.
Just think about curling up in the solid wood rocking chair that was custom made
for you by a craftsperson vs. a mass, factory produced model you had to put
together yourself with an Allen key! You know which one is going to end up at
the end of a driveway in a couple of years.
Another thought that was expressed, which was has always been a
pet peeve of mine, is how craft work is undervalued in the marketplace.
Compared to the aforementioned field fine art, the field of craft rarely gets
the same kind of attention. The work of great woodworkers like, George
Nakashima, James Krenov and Sam Maloof command high valuations, and rightly so.
However even their work does not sell for nearly as much as their contemporaries
in the fine art world. The point was, as craftspeople are we doing enough to
increase the public’s awareness of the role handmade pieces of “useable art”
play in our society. Are we putting our heart and soul into our work and into
expanding our creativity or are we letting the market dictate the extents to
which we will go to deliver the best product we can.
I for one hope that this conversation continues, and that we as a
society learn to appreciate craftsmanship and quality over cheap consumption.
