Art/Craft
See Art Avenue at: www.artavenuegardenstudios.com and artavenue.etsy.com
Above, the "craft" of Art Avenue: Chez BeBe Dog Mannequins
Since when did the term "craft" get the disdained overtones?
I've got this picture, way back when, when artists starved until they were commissioned (at hefty sums) to do portraits for wealthy aristocrats. I picture the craft people (shoemakers, potters, jewelry makers) thinking, "Well, those upstart artists sure get paid a lot for their work, and we just get pennies for our wares!"
Then, someone must have said something to get this whole thing rolling. Something like, "Pierre's shoes are so perfect, he has made an art of shoemaking!" Aha, Pierre now raises himself above the other shoemaker on the block, and calls himself an artist....
"Art, is craft imbued with meaning," someone said, I can't recall where I read that, but I like it.
And being excellent at your craft is at the heart of art. The woman I take ceramic lessons from put it well this week. She said, "I never have an artistic "block" . (She makes incredible ceramic totems 5 feet high of fun colors and wonderful whimsied designs) When I get a little stumped, I turn to my craft: I make bowls and platters and mugs. When I do this, I become more excellent at my craft, and that allows me to be able to later render my art precisely the way I envisioned it."
So, this week when I got a big order for my dog mannequins, I didn't fuss that it took me away from my art...I told myself that this is my craft, and the more proficient I become at my craft, the better my art will be.
Crafting is enjoying an upswing lately. That's good. And I applaud the young people on sites like Etsy who are having a ball peddling their wares. Those are the future artists. We need to encourage their craft, and their art.