Ok I an artist which has not got the luxery to spend what I would want on his art. If I hjad the cash I would have a few things more which would make life easier. But alas. So I look through Chraigslist a few times a week, looking for deals. What I find is tons f arts and crafts stuff, to me useless things. So I got to thinking about art and arts and crafts, is there a difference, what is that difference if there is one and does it matter. So first what is arts and crafts?
"
arts and crafts
–noun
the handcrafting and decoration of esp. utilitarian objects.
Use arts and crafts in a Sentence
See images of arts and crafts
Search arts and crafts on the Web
Origin:
1885–90
and:
arts and crafts
- 2 dictionary results
Michaels Crafts
View Michaels Online Circular for Great Savings. Print Coupon Now!
www.Michaels.ShopLocal.com
Easy-to-Make Crafts Kits
Sale on Disney FamilyFun Craft Kits $7 Sale Ends Soon.
Don't Miss Out!
FamilyFun.go.com
Blick Art Materials ®
Huge savings on Craft Supplies. Outstanding service, since 1911.
DickBlick.com
arts and crafts
–noun
the handcrafting and decoration of esp. utilitarian objects.
Use arts and crafts in a Sentence
See images of arts and crafts
Search arts and crafts on the Web
Origin:
1885–90
and:
arts and crafts
noun
the arts of decorative design and handicraft; "they sponsored arts and crafts in order to encourage craftsmanship in an age of mass production"
In order to to encourage CRAFTSMANSHIP in an age of crap (mass production). So it is training to be better, a form of exercise in order to get good at what your doing. Does this mean that arts and crafts is less then just art? In order to know that we need to know what is art:
"the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance. " is what the dictionary say's.
What strikes me is the word quality. Does arts and crafts has quality? Less to me then "true" art. Arts and crafts is playing, nothing wrong there, but creating true art is not playing. Modern,abstract, impressionism and styles like that are to me NOT art. The are arts and crafts.
I hang out with a group of people whom art journal and the man whom "runs" the show every thursday, places the same feelings and "honour" to arts and crafts the he does on art. Stamping is not art, nore is flinging paint on a surface, it's playing, to loose and un controlled, art is control, knowing what you are doing, in control of the out come.
I do encourage people to play with their crafts. It allows them a place to freely develop skills they are otherwise afraid or ashamed to practice. By playing loosely in their journals and such, they develop a style of their own so that they are not copying other artists for the rest of their lives. I give the same accordance to stamping as I do photorealistic drawing or painting because I see them the same way. They are all simple mechanics that can easily be trained. ART to me is applied creativity. Take those skills and make something no one has seen before in a style all your own. Just as you can look at the classic masters and distinquish Leonardo, Michelangelo, Reubens, etc., I should be able to look at your work and distinguish it from all others.
ReplyDeleteTo quote Robert Genn: So much of the art that many of us like to make is "skilled" (for lack of a better word) art. For most, it's difficult to do. Sure it can be done, but it's difficult to do well. Skilled art may take a few years of private effort, studentship, technique development and maybe even apprenticeship. Shock and awe art takes imagination and courage.
I think it's a bit ridiculous that you're implying that the arts and crafts movement, true craftsmanship, IMPRESSIONISM for christ's sake involves no vision or control, and comparing them to housewives messing around with rubber stamps.
ReplyDeleteDo you actually know anything about the Arts and Crafts movement? William Morris for example?
I'd argue that true art does require play as well as control. Play alone isn't art, but to lose it would be to lose the spark of freedom and enjoyment that fuels art.