# Arts or Crafts?



## tigerbob

Interesting that Arts and Crafts is a subforum.  The term is in everyday use, but does anybody really make a distinction between the two?

When does 'art' cease to be art and become 'craft'?  Exactly where is the dividing line?

I heard a Japanese furniture maker give a speech last year, in which he described the difference in a fairly simple to understand way:

Craft is work designed to specific tolerances _and_ for a specific purpose.  Art is more personal, more freeform and entirely speculative.

It's an interesting distinction.  Not one that I entirely agree with, but interesting nonetheless.  So, I thought I'd share it and see whether anyone else had any thoughts on the matter.

I should apologize in advance for starting a philosophical thread, and hope it won't distract people too much from the ongoing and entirely vital discussion about the tea parties.


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## Cecilie1200

tigerbob said:


> Interesting that Arts and Crafts is a subforum.  The term is in everyday use, but does anybody really make a distinction between the two?
> 
> When does 'art' cease to be art and become 'craft'?  Exactly where is the dividing line?
> 
> I heard a Japanese furniture maker give a speech last year, in which he described the difference in a fairly simple to understand way:
> 
> Craft is work designed to specific tolerances _and_ for a specific purpose.  Art is more personal, more freeform and entirely speculative.
> 
> It's an interesting distinction.  Not one that I entirely agree with, but interesting nonetheless.  So, I thought I'd share it and see whether anyone else had any thoughts on the matter.
> 
> I should apologize in advance for starting a philosophical thread, and hope it won't distract people too much from the ongoing and entirely vital discussion about the tea parties.



Just passing by, and thought I'd answer this for you, since no one else did.

Generally speaking, craftwork is primarily functional.  Artwork is primarily decorative.


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## Mr. H.




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## strollingbones

art and crafts...hmm...crafts can range from pot holders on looms to to massive homes....art to me...tend to be more fleeting at times....is christo an craftsman or an artist...

is a photographer an artist or a craftsman? 

i consider mapplethorpe one of the great artistic genius of our times.....some cannot see past his homosexual art.
























i would post his self protrait series which to me, is haunting......








i find his homo erotical to be wonderful....i will totally not post any of that....i just dont think gunny would appreciate the art of it....


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## freedombecki

I took art classes in the 60s at Chaffey College in Alta Loma, California. Robert Smith, instructor, used several books in teaching art history, design, and techniques in drawing and creating original works of art. One of the texts I saved from those days was called "Art, an Everyday Experience."

People are inundated with art works hundreds of times just driving to work and back. There is art in buildings, advertisement signs, window displays, restaurant signs, and even in road designs. That Starbucks cup? Probably designed by several artists--shape of cup, handle (or not), dot designs, logos and lettering--all from the hands of graphic, sculptural, special effects, and commercial sales artists. Every plate on the shelf, spoon, knife, fork, plastic straws, you name it. We today are seeing improvements on improvements of other eras in our everyday lives.

Art is an everyday experience, a practical, human-appealing effort that brings to the human mind a refreshing change from the expected. Art is making us think out of the box. It's everywhere.


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## Dabs

One can see art in many ways. In a store window display or in a park, a little girl holding a flower for Mom. One snapshot, and a parent holds a work of art in their hands, just like when the child comes home from school, with that special painting they made, and it gets displayed proudly on the fridge, that is a major great piece of art!
It doesn't have to be a Picasso or DaVinci.
Crafts...I do those all the time, I think of arts as that of which I can use my eyes and see the beauty and crafts is more of what I can participate in, what I do....painting myself, drawings, working with pottery, sewing.......


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## Big Black Dog

Interesting thought...  When does Chinese food cease to be food and become garbage?


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## andernorm

Arts and craft is one of the best and the effective way to show some talent. Most of the people to spend their free time love to take part in art and craft. Art and craft is best for to shows talent.


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## editec

I submit that there is no ART without craft, but there is plenty of craft that is artless.

Somre of this distiction obviously has to do with the intention of the artist, of course.

And some of this also has to do with the EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, also.

I do not think that any single metric can give us a clear line of division between the two.

But I defintiely DO think there is a difference.

Intereting question BTW,thanks for bringing it to our attention


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## lizzie

I can understand the distinction- one being primarily functional and the other more for pleasure. That being said, I think that craft can easily be art also if the approach in the creative design and implementation is inspired, then built, rather than planned, then built. Hope that makes sense. As an example, I'm currently doing a guest room remodel with all built-ins for furniture. I had an idea of what I wanted before I started the project, but I didn't start with a plan or dimensional drawings. It has been something that has slowly and gradually formed in my mind. It has my creativity in it, but it's function was the basis for the creative process.


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## Emanamana

I've been interested in this subject and have dabbled in both over the years. In recent years, I find that I derive more personal pleasure/expression by incorporating both art and craft. 
For example, I like to make useful things, like stained glass inserts for fireplace/room screens.


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