What is Craft?
Craft is for the everyday person. Despite its ambiguity, craft can be defined by its reliance on developing skill sets, emotion behind the craft and the intention for it to be a craft. It is important to note that it is often used as an outlet for people in times of stress and illness.
When looking at academic literature, craft has many different definitions and attributes. In stating that ‘Craft is a process, a product, a tradition and a skill set’, scholar Thatch demonstrates a common view on craft, separating the person from the act of crafting, outlining a recipe for craft. In this broad definition, we see craft encompassing many laborious tasks as one would complete when craft was a financial necessity. The globalised market has changed our relationship to craft to one that is emotional and conscious.
In this new production landscape, craft can be distinguished from task completion as it is distinctly ‘made with love and personalised by the makers’ personal histories’ (Pöllänen 2013, pg 217). The aforementioned skill oriented definition negates the amateur and children, who craft for enjoyment without much objective skill or even the goal of selling their works.
It is ultimately a personal connection that defines craft, but also the conscious engagement with the craft for ‘pleasure’ (Dissanayake 1995, pg 40) and skill development combined. It must mean something, or be of high value to the craftsperson regardless of objective skill. This can manifest as the protection of craft in someone’s life, a designated time or place to create, or a ‘self-imposed obligation’ (Pöllänen 2013, pg 221) to continue crafting. Scholar Goldfarb shares the same sentiment regarding rigidity stating that people who craft show ‘desire to do a job well for its own sake” (Goldfarb 2009, pg 265). This is evident across academic literature, that craft is not enforced by a job or by other individuals, but the craftsman themselves. There is a private relationship that continues only because the craftsperson wants it to. This intention is a defining trait of what makes a craft.
The most comforting discourse surrounding craft is the ways in which people use craft to cope with their illnesses, whether it be physical or mental. When life is disrupted by illness, craft provides people ‘unity, coherence and consistency across time’ (Crossley 2000, p. 20 via Reynolds and Prior 2006, pg 333) furthering the emotional bond people have to their crafts. It can also offer ill people something positive to identify with in times where their careers and social life may suffer. Whilst this describes an effect of craft, rather than its innate properties, the relationship between craftsperson and craft is so important to defining craft that I believe case studies like this help to constitute craft.
Since mass production, craft has served as an emotional outlet for those in turbulent times. Craft is highly valued by those who do craft and fills an important part of people’s lives. Whilst craft does rely on skill, a greater emphasis should be put on what craft means to craftspeople.
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Bibliography
Dissanayake, E 1995, ‘The Pleasure and Meaning of Making, American Craft Council’, The Pleasure and Meaning of Making, New York.
Goldfarb, J C 2009, ‘The Craftsman’, Sennett R (eds), American Journal of Sociology, vol 115, iss 1, pg 265-267
Holmes, H 2015, ‘Transient Craft: Reclaiming the Contemporary Craft Worker’, Work, Employment and Society, vol 29, iss 3, pg 479–495.
Marcus, A 2017, ‘The Meaning of Craft: Craft Makers Descriptions of Craft as an Occupation’, in Stonorov, T 2017 (eds), The Design-Build Studio: Crafting Meaningful Work in Architecture Education,, T 2017, Taylor and Francis Online.
Pöllänen, S 2009, ‘Contextualising Craft: Pedagogical Models for Craft Education’, The International Journal for Art & Design Education, vol 28, iss 3, pg 249-260
Pöllänen, S 2013, ‘The meaning of craft: Craft makers’ descriptions of craft as an occupation’, Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, vol 20, iss 3, pg 217-227
Reynolds, F & Prior, S, 2006, ‘The role of art-making in Identity Maintenance: Case studies of people living with cancer’, European Journal of Cancer Care, vol 15, iss 4, pg 333–341
Shiner, L 2012, ‘Rethinking the Concept of Craft and its Relation to Art and Design’, Philosophy Compass, vol 7, iss 4, pg 230 – 244.
Thatch, A 2019, ‘Craft, Textile History’, Taylor & Francis Online, vol 50, iss 2, pg 244-248