On Sep 6, 2005, at 13:34, Carolyn Hastings wrote:
Actually, I guess what I'm fighting for here is a recognition of the value of "craft". We shouldn't have to defend our lace as art to have it valued.
How I *wish*!!! Like you, I think of myself as an "artisan", a "craftsperson", not an "artist" - an interesting design, competently executed, has plenty of merit...
I see bits of - excellently made - furniture, jewelry, sculpture/carvings, some textiles as well as prints and paintings in our local "Artists in Cahoots" co-operative gallery, and wonder why it's not called "Artisans in Cahoots"...
But, ever since "craft" began to be equated with "glue beads to a pre-cut piece of plywood, then spray the lot with metalic paint" kind of activity, the value of "craft" sank right down below the septic tank levels...
I doubt we can ever re-establish the value of "craft" and "craftsman" - I think that went down the toilet when the first *kit* ("*all* you need to create X!") was produced...
But, at least in the English language, the term "artisan" might be worth bringing back from obscurity and adopting for people like thee and me :) It's half way toward "art", without having the pretention of calling oneself an "artist". And it suggests the *old-fashioned* kind of "craftsmanship", with a solid foundation... An artisan has to study for many years in a particular technique, and "pass exams" (for real, or in one's own mind) which include original design - visionary or vsionless, according to one's ability. That's what *most of us* do, irrespective of whether we design our on patterns, adjust someone else's, or replicate someone else's "as is". We're all artisans, at a different stage of learning the particular craft.
A "modern craftsperson", OTOH needs to have money rather than dedication - buy pattern X, with the bag of threads Y, another bag of beads Z, a glue gun and glue sticks. Fabric and ribbon optional. No thought required :)
I don't think I want to share the pit with that kind of "craft", and will remain,
artisan-ly yours -- Tamara P Duvall http://t-n-lace.net/ Lexington, Virginia, USA (Formerly of Warsaw, Poland) - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
