The Perception of 'Craft'

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