| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/23/2006 3:31:23 PM | I have a question for everyone. I make pottery. It is my primary means of artistic expression. In my field, the discussion of whether what we do can be defined as art or craft comes up often. To be honest, perhaps a bit too often and, just as often, to no conclusive results.
That being said, this is an entirely different demographic from the one I'm ususally exposed to, so I'd be curious to know how you all feel about it. Do you regard pottery as art or craft and to what degree, if there is any, do you differentiate the two?
Ps...are there any other potters who exist on this list? If so, speak and be heard! | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/23/2006 3:41:01 PM | The differece between art and craft is...?
You use hand eye coordination for pottery, imagination, and inspiration to create something...same as any other art form....it is art, same as architecture, or any other form of design is art.
Clay or glass is just another medium in art, like paint or pencil.
I'm not a potter myself, but it's something I'd try, I used a pottery wheel once, I rather enjoyed the experience, it came out well, had some shape....till a friend distracted me.  | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/23/2006 3:57:28 PM | Hello ASP...
You bring up some valid points regarding creative expression and I would agree that what we do could easily be defined as art. What is interesting is that there is often a sort of "prejudice" from "art" galleries when it comes to representing ceramic artists. Unless our work is figurative or abstract or sculptural, then we (potters) are often relegated to "craft" galleries. We are not given admission or acceptance into the regular mainstream art galleries.
Keep in mind that I am defining "potter" here as someone who choses to express themselves artistically within the parameters of functional pottery. I understand that there are even more degrees to which this can be broken down. Considerations as to what degree form follows function are always in question. | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/23/2006 5:32:50 PM | How do I explain this... I think something that is considered "ART" seems to contain the creators soul and passion. When you see it it catches you and draws you in, it arouses an emotion or 'curiosity' inside the observer.
A CRAFT is something you make to sell at a booth or give away as a present.
As for pottery... I have seen pottery that I would consider ART. When you look at it you want to touch it. You can see and feel the spirit that went into the piece. You can imagine how the potter felt when he/she shaped the curves and edges. You can see the intensity in the work. And other pieces of pottery are just CRAFT.
I practice martial ARTS. Now a person can be technically good at a martial art but he/she may just be going through the motions, this I would call "martial CRAFT". When a person puts their being into the martial art and they "become" it then it becomes a martial ART. Observers can "feel" what the artist creates.
(Does that make any sense to you?) | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/23/2006 9:56:15 PM | | anything involving some sort of emotional expression is art in my eyes, even pottery | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/23/2006 10:10:50 PM | I paint watercolour...but I dable in other forms of things....I believe that the artist gets to decide. However there will be others who will not classify pottery as fine art...who cares. I have however seen some beautiful pottery that I would consider as close to fine art as a painting I would have done.
J | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/24/2006 8:16:27 PM | To me Art is to a home cooked meal as Craft is to heating up a frozen pizza. I know, I know....it's a weird analogy.
Art is done from scratch. It comes from within using passion and imagination. A typical response to a piece of art "I love that landscape of Muskoka you painted....you must really love it there."
Craft is prefabricated. Your copying what has already been done before. A typical response to a craft could be "that's a real nice wreath you made...reminds me of the ones at Walmart." | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/25/2006 1:01:37 AM | Speaking as someone with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, I can tell you that the kind of people who try to differentiate between "art" and "craft" have too much time on their hands and obviously don't choose to spend any of it making anything with any creative significance. Unfortunatly, these are also the kind of people who assign a letter grade to everything you make while you're in school, and set the prices when you try to sell the stuff you make.
I don't think it matters what you call the stuff that you make. If you try to get it into museums and galleries, it's art. If you sell it in an elementary school gymnasium on a saturday in mid-november, it's craft. Enjoy doing what you're doing, and if you can make a few ducats in the process, more power to you. | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/25/2006 7:31:37 PM | hawkwind - Craft is not prefab!
the word 'craft' has been shit on for the last couple of years due to the home decorating kick and the help of such places like Micheal's. There is nothing wrong with having the word craft as a description for good work.
Keeping painted Ceramics outa craft shows since 1998 | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/26/2006 12:39:50 PM | I would say it takes Craft to create Art.
If it is inspired by emontions and/or stirs up emontions, then it,s art, no matter the media.
Of course it is all subjective, not everyone gets Picasso. | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/26/2006 6:09:08 PM | I am not a potter but I feel
the difference between if pottery is an art or a craft depends on the
peices.
Some pottery can be very bland and just functional...
but if it is decorated or done in a way that adds some interest through either form
or decor...
then it is art.
thats how I would see it and define it. | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/26/2006 6:21:56 PM | Hi there! As an artist ,my opinion would be that the art of pottery,is that, "art"!I also think the difference is with potter , you mold and create something out of nothing, with a craft, the materials are provided and from them you create a craft,but this is only my opinion...lol All the best pottery man
Maritime | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/27/2006 1:37:35 PM |
I can tell you that the kind of people who try to differentiate between "art" and "craft" have too much time on their hands and obviously don't choose to spend any of it making anything with any creative significance.
I very much agree with you. Sometimes people complain that I call my work "art" (I dye and make yarn, then knit and design patterns with it) since it's so often considered a craft. I think that if there's a certain degree of creativity and passion that goes into it, it almost has to be considered art, though. I actually got into an argument with someone last week about this, at a local gallery! | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/28/2006 10:40:08 AM | Fraises
I find that different galleries are asking for certain requirments when selecting artists. When i first started to introduce myself no body would look at me until I recieved my BFA. And it wasn't until I did foundation that I realized my mistakes...
After balancing the line between art and craft...I choose craft. I make more money selling function than forum. Which allows me to create and play when the bills are paid. | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/29/2006 4:41:00 PM | I've seen this topic discussed so often, and I've yet to see any sort of conclusion on the matter. Personally, I consider myself a fiber artist these days. When I occasionally did the odd piece here and there, I considered myself crafty. But in the last couple of years I've taken to expanding my knowledge of my craft - I no longer depend solely on others for inspiration for my work, but create my own pieces of art. So to me, that is what defines the difference between the two. Craft is when a person recreates something someone else does, or follows exact instructions. Art - is a lot more inspired.
Fraises - I would love to see some of your work.. I've been a knitter since I was a kid, and have recently started selling some of my hand dyed fibers. It's interesting, but I find the my moods and recent experiences are reflected in the colours that I choose to dye on any given day. I let my world around me influence what I create and end up with a finished item that people want to reach out and touch (or in the case of some extreme enthusiasts, they've told me they want a tub full of my yarns to roll around naked in! Now there's a mental image!). I've been told by my customers that certain colours just called out to them and whether they had a need for it or not, they felt they had to own it. So while some people consder dyeing yarn to be a craft - when it evokes that sort of response in a person, it can't possibly be anything but art.
Jas | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 9/30/2006 5:21:40 PM | | I've always been under the impression it had to do with functionality. If what your making has primarily a functional use I'd call it a craft. This would be things such as knitting, sewing, quilting, and primarily functional pottery. If the primary purpose is for it to be admired for it's appearance I'd say it's more art. This would be things like painting, sculpture, decorative pottery. However, there's lots of things that really blur this this distinction, jewellery would be something that immediately comes to mind. I would say few things can be called exclusively one or the other, but are some combination. | |
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Lonie
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Joined: 7/4/2006
Msg: 18 | |
| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 10/1/2006 6:21:57 AM | OK i tend to agree with those that say craft IS art
I'm going to make my parents a wood rack for there fireplace this year and I'm going to use some ancient mathematical equations to come up with the deminsons
the golden rectangel.....it was figured out by a Greek mathimition. research it and you will find that it has more to do with art than you could ever imagine since nature is the subject of alot of art
if any thing you do you put your energy in to making creating you put some of yourself into the object
is a rose made of iron a piece of art? i say yes
is a butterfly made of iron a peice of art? i say yes
is a clay pot art? i say yes
is a quilt a piece of art? i say yes
is a canvas that looks like its had paint thrown at it by a 3 year old art?.....not for me but what the hell do i know I'm just a blacksmith
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 10/1/2006 11:21:09 PM | is a rose made of iron a piece of art? i say yes
is a butterfly made of iron a peice of art? i say yes
is a clay pot art? i say yes
is a quilt a piece of art? i say yes
is a canvas that looks like its had paint thrown at it by a 3 year old art?.....not for me but what the hell do i know I'm just a blacksmith
heheheheheheeheee... That was funny as hell.
The art vs craft debate is to me a bunch of horse shi*t. The visual arts have been ruled by a bunch of essay writing pseudo-intellectuals for years. There is no difference between art and craft. Although I liked the frozen dinner analogy, there is only good art and not so good art, oh yea then there's great art... That's the stuff they'll be trying to figure out in a hundred years, not the duck decoys.
The same gang that has shi*t on the craft world has come up with this idea of explaining work via the "artist statement," another load of horse shi*t. If it has to be explained, why even look at it. If I don't like it when I see it no amount of social context or intellectual discorse will change my mind...
I had a sculpture instructor once who told me when he was doing his MFA his studio was an eight by eight room with a typewriter in it...
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 10/3/2006 9:18:20 AM | A fellow potter here....& of course, I say yes. Then again I don't do alot of 'pedestrian' pieces either. But even a simple bowl can be are if you can see a part of the potter in it.
I worked as a stone mason (not brick/block layer, the traditional type) and quite a few people remarked that some of my work fell into the aart category for them.
while digging around the base of the fireplace on my 1930'2 farmhouse I found a twisted, discarded hand-made brick w/ the mason's finger marks clearly visible. to me, that was art as well, tho he certainly neverr intended it to be such, I'm sure. | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 10/3/2006 10:03:46 AM | Your a crafter of art pieces :)
I wouldnt worry too much about labels. | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 10/24/2006 8:13:46 AM | | crafts to me, are a commercialized, simplified and easy form of art...something that anyone can do. however, i think that all art media can be considered a craft depending on the levels of said factors. not just anyone can throw on the wheel, or hand build pieces properly, there are way too many factors involved to be a craft: the equipment is expensive, mixtures of clay and glazes, trimming, throwing, firing, etc. those all take a lot of knowledge and skills that are learned over time. i'd say no, it's not a craft. | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 10/24/2006 8:19:55 AM | | i forgot to say...it's a taste level, it's personal preference. i don't like a lot of art, but i respect it for what it is...same thing with what is considered crafts. someone spent time making it for whatever reason, and that's respectable to me. who are any of us to judge others (unless we're critics haha) | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 10/24/2006 1:48:10 PM | For me, craft implies function.
A potter may throw one and produce a remarkable piece of art-
but if it doesn't hold water (or whatever) it lacks craftsmanship
the same with furniture makers, luthiers, brick and stone masons, blacksmiths, glassblowers, basket weavers,... | |
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| Art vs. Craft
Posted: 10/24/2006 10:03:25 PM | Art Vs Craft was a big debate back when I was in art school. It was also a big debate back in the Rennisance period of the 1500's (? or so) Artists were stuggling to acheive higher standing in society- they argued that they were not simply 'craftsmen' and that their thinking and their work was more in line of philosophers and scientists.
From what I learned, is that in order for something to be called 'art', it needs to have the ability to intellectualy engage the viewer/patron. It needs to have substance and meaning Build a little clay bird that looks cute for the kitchen windowsill and thats craft. Build a little clay bird, paint it black, and be able to explain that the birds are the canaries in the coal mine, and that the blackness represents the current ecological crisis on our planet...then keep exploring the theme, making more birds, a series, and trying to find a way to express your concept...delving deeper and learning as you go...and then you're getting closer to art. (The kind of stuff the galleries are after)
In a way its a big head trip, but if you really want to break into more of an 'artistic recognition' that how you do it. If your peice makes someone 'feel' or 'think', rather than just be nice to look at or nice to use...then it has substance. It is more likely to be recognized as art. Remember, art is communication. What, as an artist, a creator, are you communicating?
I think as you are a potter, because your pieces are functional, it is harder for you to break out of the label of 'craftsman' People generaly look at a peice and say 'oh its just a ceramic bowl, good for soup' They dont think to look further and think about what it means. A painter on the other hand, could paint a bowl on canvas and people will stop and look and think 'now why the hell did he paint that?'... and look deeper. Harder for a potter to get people to take him seriously. It can, and has, been done, however.
I only made it to yr 2 of school (being a single parent of two young boys and full time art student at the time) I was going to major in ceramics. Ceramics is art, cermics is science, ceramics is zen
God I wish I had a place to get into some clay! I love handbuilding and can play with clay all day! Its so sensual, so relaxing, so satisfying! | |
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