The Muse Dialogue

A Trip to a Craft Show, To Find Art

themusedialogue — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:08:36 +0000

One of a Kind Toronto (Photo: OOAK Toronto (c))

Alexandra Holness enjoys visiting the One of a Kind Show, an annual exhibition of creative crafts presented in Toronto. Yet this experience leads her to questions regarding the distinctions made between art and craft. Craft has a useful function and is often created with the intention of selling, and because of these two facts many have placed it in a place somewhere below true “art.” As Holness writes, “So, as it seems, if a piece of art serves some utilitarian purpose or is designed primarily to reap financial profits, it no longer quite deserves that coveted “art” title. This bothers me.”

In this article, Holness takes up the challenge and argues that craft represents the product of imagination and creativity, and so possesses the hallmarks of art — and does not deserve the subordinate position that it is often given. Follow her reflections in “A Trip to a Craft Show, To Find Art” (click here for the full article).

Finding the Beautiful Before Us: When Craft Becomes Art

themusedialogue — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:04:18 +0000

Often creative works are dismissed as mere “craft” because they have a useful function, and their utility may prompt us to overlook their artistry. Andrew Swensen argues that this prejudice could prevent us from finding remarkable art works in our immediate environments, some of which we discover only after time has removed their usefulness. We may also find profound artistic statements in places where creative expression takes the form of traditional crafts.

So step into the world where transforming craft into art may be a function of altering our reception, and giving credit where credit is due. Step into “Finding the Beautiful Before Us: When Craft Becomes Art” (click here to read full article).

Artists, Craftsmen…and the Craft of Art

themusedialogue — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 15:46:35 +0000

Virgil once wrote, “Practice and thought might gradually form many an art.” Indeed one wonders how much of artmaking can be attributed to questions of craft, that is, to those things that one can practice and improve with dedication and commitment. Yet how much of art is in the craft? When does the focus on craft impede the expression of the art?

A trumpet player now entering a life as a professional artist, Erin Yanacek contemplates the questions of where art and craft intersect. A trip to a local arts and crafts store creates a touchstone for reflection on her education and on the future of her artistry. Read a fascinating look inside the mind of an artist in Yanacek’s “Artists, Craftsmen…and the Craft of Art” (click to view full article).