| Last Sunday I found myself relaxing in the | | | | applies to the design. Handmade items can |
| living room as I surfed the internet while my | | | | further be catagorized by seperating them |
| husband flipped channels on our | | | | into two groups: traditional crafts (that are |
| seldom-watched television. After what seemed | | | | created in the same way they have been for |
| an eternity of switching from fishing shows | | | | hundreds of years) and modern crafts, which |
| to hunting shows, he finally settled on | | | | tend to be variations on traditional |
| Antiques Roadshow on PBS . The objects took | | | | crafts.Traditional crafts were typically |
| us on a journey through the past, introducing | | | | produced in very small geographic areas and |
| us to a wide array of pottery, woodworking, | | | | were often based on necessity. For example, |
| sculpture, glass blowing and other crafts. | | | | a young child who lived in rural America |
| The announcer then informed us that the item | | | | might have been apprenticed to a glassblower, |
| they would be examining next would be the | | | | a master craftsman who would teach the child |
| highest appraisal of any item shown on | | | | the art of making glass items that were often |
| Antiques Roadshow. I'm sure you can imagine | | | | used in the homes surrounding his shop. Over |
| my surprise when, as they returned from a | | | | the years, the master craftsman would impart |
| commercial break, I was greeted with the site | | | | knowledge to the apprentice, who would spend |
| of an elderly gentleman standing next to what | | | | years refining his techniques and eventually |
| appeared to be a rather innocuous blanket.As | | | | be ready to set up a shop of his own, earning |
| I listened to the history of the yellow | | | | a living off the skills he had aquired. |
| threads that were woven into the heirloom, I | | | | Activities such as woodworking, glassblowing, |
| knew that he did indeed have a treasure on | | | | metalsmithing, dressmaking and even the |
| his hands; a Ute-style blanket made by a | | | | manufacture of pottery became known as |
| Navajo Indian with such skill that the | | | | 'crafts' because they were a profession.In |
| tightly woven threads were actually water | | | | the last part of the 18th century America |
| proof, rumored to have been a gift to a | | | | experienced an industrial revolution that |
| family member from Kit Carson . The amazing | | | | began to alter the way everyday items were |
| example of craftsmanship gave me pause, | | | | manufactured. The number of factories began |
| bringing my mind to a discussion that I have | | | | to increase, leading the way to the |
| encountered in various forms across the | | | | mechanisation of the production process. |
| crafting community.There was a time when the | | | | Over time, this gradually reduced or even |
| term 'craft' referred to a highly skilled | | | | eliminated the role of the professional |
| trade. Now, it seems to evoke memories of | | | | craftsman, relegating the term to the few who |
| being small and working diligently to glue | | | | continued to practiced their age old art out |
| popsicle sticks together and coat them with | | | | of either necessity or defiance. Additionaly, |
| glitter to make a picture frame for mom. When | | | | items traditionally made by each family (such |
| did this subtle mental perception change; how | | | | as soaps, clothing and toys) became the |
| did we as a society lose our respect for the | | | | provenance of the assembly line.The |
| word 'craft'?In order to understand the | | | | far-reaching fingers of the Industrial |
| change in society's opinion, we must look to | | | | Revolution affected every aspect of society. |
| this history of arts and crafts. The term | | | | It was a time that took a greater toll on the |
| 'arts and crafts' comprises an entire lot of | | | | everyday life of a family than nearly any |
| activities and hobbies that share one common | | | | other; a toll that was immediatly recognized |
| denominator- the items are made by hand, with | | | | by those who were not making profits from the |
| the quality of the final piece relying on the | | | | machines. |
| knowledge, experience and skill the crafter | | | | |