Craft

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Shoes are repaired by a skilled shoemaker; here he evaluates a pair of shoes with a customer watching Swanson Shoe Repair 18.jpg
Shoes are repaired by a skilled shoemaker; here he evaluates a pair of shoes with a customer watching
Japanese potter at his wheel (1914) NSRW Japanese potter at his wheel.jpg
Japanese potter at his wheel (1914)
Bagh Print Traditional hand block print craft in India Traditional Bagh hand block print master craftsman-artisan-artist Mohammed Bilal Khatri, Madhya Pradesh, India.jpg
Bagh Print Traditional hand block print craft in India

A craft or trade is a pastime or an occupation that requires particular skills and knowledge of skilled work. In a historical sense, particularly the Middle Ages and earlier, the term is usually applied to people occupied in small scale production of goods, or their maintenance, for example by tinkers. The traditional term craftsman is nowadays often replaced by artisan and by craftsperson .

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Historically, the more specialized crafts with high-value products tended to concentrate in urban centers and their practitioners formed guilds. The skill required by their professions and the need to be permanently involved in the exchange of goods often demanded a higher level of education, and craftspeople were usually in a more privileged position than the peasantry in societal hierarchy. The households of artisans were not as self-sufficient as those of people engaged in agricultural work, and therefore had to rely on the exchange of goods. Some crafts, especially in areas such as pottery, woodworking, and various stages of textile production, could be practiced on a part-time basis by those also working in agriculture, and often formed part of village life.

When an apprentice finished their apprenticeship, they became a journeyman searching for a place to set up their own shop and make a living. After setting up their own shop, they could then call themselves a master of their craft.

This stepwise approach to mastery of a craft, which includes the attainment of some education and skill, has survived in some countries to the present day. But crafts have undergone deep structural changes since and during the era of the Industrial Revolution. The mass production of goods by large-scale industry has limited crafts to market segments in which industry's modes of functioning or its mass-produced goods do not satisfy the preferences of potential buyers. As an outcome of these changes, craftspeople today increasingly make use of semi-finished components or materials and adapt these to their customers' requirements or demands. Thus, they participate in a certain division of labour between industry and craft.

Nature of craft skill

The nature of craft skill and the process of its development are continually debated by philosophers, anthropologists, and cognitive scientists. [1] Some scholars note that craft skill is marked by particular ways of experiencing tools and materials, whether by allowing tools to recede from focal awareness, [2] perceiving tools and materials in terms of their practical interrelationships, [3] or seeing aspects of work that are invisible to the untrained observer. [4] Other scholars working on craft skill focus on observational learning and mimicry, exploring how learners visually parse the movements of experts. [5] Certain researchers even de-emphasize the role of the individual craftsperson, noting the collective nature of craft understanding [6] or emphasizing the role of materials as collaborators in the process of production. [7]

Classification

There are three aspects to human creativity:[ according to whom? ] art, crafts, and science. Roughly, art relies upon intuitive sensing, vision, and expression; crafts upon sophisticated technique; and science upon knowledge.

Street handicraft: here a skilled metalsmith in Agra, India sits between scooters in a commercial area making careful observations in the practice of his trade India StreetCraft.jpg
Street handicraft: here a skilled metalsmith in Agra, India sits between scooters in a commercial area making careful observations in the practice of his trade

Handicraft

Handicraft is the "traditional" main sector of the crafts. It is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. The term is usually applied to traditional means of making goods. The individual artisanship of the items is a paramount criterion, an such items often have cultural and/or religious significance. Items made by mass production or machines are not handicraft goods.

The beginning of crafts in areas like the Ottoman Empire involved the governing bodies[ specify ] requiring members of the city who were skilled at creating goods to open shops in the center of town. These people slowly stopped acting as subsistence farmers (who created goods in their own homes to trade with neighbors) and began to represent what we think of as "craftspeople" today. [8]

Besides traditional goods, handicraft contributes to the field of computing by combining craft practices with technology. For example, in 1968, the Apollo 8 spacecraft's core memory consisted of wires that were woven around and through electromagnetic cores by hand. The core rope memory they[ specify ] created contained information used to successfully complete the mission. [9]

Crafts and craftspeople have become a subject of academic study. For example, Stephanie Bunn was an artist before she became an anthropologist, and she went on to develop an academic interest in the process of craft. She argues that what happens to an object before it becomes a "product" is an area worthy of study. [10]

Mexican craft. Artesania de las calles de Puebla..JPG
Mexican craft.

The Arts and Crafts Movement

Woodworking being done in a workshop MorganWoodworking.jpg
Woodworking being done in a workshop

The term crafts is used to describe artistic practices within the family of decorative arts that traditionally are defined by their relationship to functional or utilitarian products (such as sculptural forms in the vessel tradition) or by their use of such natural media as wood, clay, ceramics, glass, textiles, and metal.

The Arts and Crafts Movement originated in Britain during the late 19th century and was characterized by a style of decoration reminiscent of medieval times. The primary artist associated with the movement is William Morris, whose work was reinforced with writings from John Ruskin. The movement placed a high importance on the quality of craftsmanship, while emphasizing the importance for the arts to contribute to economic reform.

Studio crafts

Crafts practiced by independent artists working alone or in small groups are referred to as studio craft. Studio craft includes studio pottery, metalwork, weaving, woodturning, paper and other forms of woodworking, glassblowing, and glass art.

Craft fairs

A craft fair is an organized event to display and sell crafts. There are also craft stores where such goods are sold and craft communities, such as Craftster, where expertise is shared.

Tradesperson

A tradesperson is a skilled manual worker in a particular trade or craft. Economically and socially, a tradesperson's status is considered[ by whom? ] between a laborer and a professional, with[ ambiguous ] a high degree of both practical and theoretical knowledge of their trade. In cultures where professional careers are highly prized, there can be a shortage of skilled manual workers, leading to lucrative niche markets in the trades.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Handicraft</span> Item production made completely by hand or with simple tools

A handicraft, sometimes more precisely expressed as artisanal handicraft or handmade, is any of a wide variety of types of work where useful and decorative objects are made completely by one's hand or by using only simple, non-automated related tools like scissors, carving implements, or hooks. It is a traditional main sector of craft making and applies to a wide range of creative and design activities that are related to making things with one's hands and skill, including work with textiles, moldable and rigid materials, paper, plant fibers, clay, etc. One of the oldest handicraft is Dhokra; this is a sort of metal casting that has been used in India for over 4,000 years and is still used. In Iranian Baluchistan, women still make red ware hand-made pottery with dotted ornaments, much similar to the 5,000-year-old pottery tradition of Kalpurgan, an archaeological site near the village. Usually, the term is applied to traditional techniques of creating items that are both practical and aesthetic. Handicraft industries are those that produce things with hands to meet the needs of the people in their locality without using machines.

The knowledge economy, or knowledge-based economy, is an economic system in which the production of goods and services is based principally on knowledge-intensive activities that contribute to advancement in technical and scientific innovation. The key element of value is the greater dependence on human capital and intellectual property as the source of innovative ideas, information and practices. Organisations are required to capitalise on this "knowledge" in their production to stimulate and deepen the business development process. There is less reliance on physical input and natural resources. A knowledge-based economy relies on the crucial role of intangible assets within the organisations' settings in facilitating modern economic growth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tradesperson</span> Skilled specialist

A tradesperson is a skilled worker that specialises in a particular trade. Tradespeople (tradesmen) usually gain their skills through work experience, on-the-job training, an apprenticeship programme or formal education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artisan</span> Skilled craft worker who makes or creates things by hand

An artisan is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates material objects partly or entirely by hand. These objects may be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture, decorative art, sculpture, clothing, food items, household items, and tools and mechanisms such as the handmade clockwork movement of a watchmaker. Artisans practice a craft and may through experience and aptitude reach the expressive levels of an artist.

A millwright is a craftsperson or skilled tradesperson who installs, dismantles, maintains, repairs, reassembles, and moves machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folk art</span> Art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople

Folk art covers all forms of visual art made in the context of folk culture. Definitions vary, but generally the objects have practical utility of some kind, rather than being exclusively decorative. The makers of folk art are typically trained within a popular tradition, rather than in the fine art tradition of the culture. There is often overlap, or contested ground with 'naive art'. "Folk art" is not used in regard to traditional societies where ethnographic art continue to be made.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craft production</span> Factory where products are hand-made

Craft production is manufacturing by hand, with or without the aid of tools. The term "craft production" describes manufacturing techniques that are used in handicraft trades. These were the common methods of manufacture in the pre-industrialized world.

Traditionalcrafts in Japan have a long tradition and history. Included in the category of traditional crafts are handicrafts produced by an individual or a group, as well as work produced by independent studio artists working with traditional craft materials and/or processes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American craft</span> Craft work produced by independent studio artists

American craft is craft work produced by independent studio artists working with traditional craft materials and processes. Examples include wood, glass, clay (ceramics), textiles, and metal (metalworking). Studio craft works tend to either serve or allude to a functional or utilitarian purpose, although they are just as often handled and exhibited in ways similar to visual art objects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tool and die maker</span> Class of machinist in manufacturing

Tool and die makers are highly skilled crafters working in the manufacturing industries. Variations on the name include tool maker,toolmaker, die maker,diemaker, mold maker,moldmaker or tool jig and die-maker depending on which area of concentration or industry an individual works in.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nepalese handicrafts</span>

Nepalese handicraft history can be traced back to the Stone Age when human beings were inadequate of tools of every things. The history of artistic handicrafts only began during the 5th century AD, when different religions began to form their bases among the people of Nepal. Hence we see a lot of religious influence on Nepalese handicrafts.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to crafts:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thewa</span>

Thewa is a special art of jewelry making which involves fusing of intricately worked-out sheet gold on molten glass. It evolved in Pratapgarh district, Rajasthan India. Its origin dates back to the rajput era.

Economy is conventionally defined as a function for production and distribution of goods and services by multiple agents within a society and/or geographical place An economy is hierarchical, made up of individuals that aggregate to make larger organizations such as governments and gives value to goods and services. The Maya economy had no universal form of trade exchange other than resources and services that could be provided among groups such as cacao beans and copper bells. Though there is limited archeological evidence to study the trade of perishable goods, it is noteworthy to explore the trade networks of artifacts and other luxury items that were likely transported together.

Laila Tyabji is an Indian social worker, designer, writer, and craft activist. She is one of the founders of Dastkar, a Delhi-based non governmental organization, working for the revival of traditional crafts in India. She was honored by the Government of India in 2012 with the Indian civilian award of Padma Shri. She is the daughter of late Badruddin Tyabji, ICS, who was a senior Indian civil servant and diplomat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kashmiri handicrafts</span> Traditional art of Kashmir, India

Kashmiri handicrafts is a traditional art of Kashmiri people and artisans who make, craft, and decorate objects by hand. Ganderbal, and Budgam are the main districts in central Kashmir which have been making handicrafts products since ages. The rest of its districts, including Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Budgam are best known for its cultural heritage which extends handicraft industry in Jammu and Kashmir, India. Embroidery is an integral part of many Kashmiri handicrafts, shawls, carpets and Kashmiri ladies pheran are adorned with intricate embroideries or flower styles made of thin metal threads and this kind of embroidery is known as 'Tille' in Kashmiri language. Embroidery work is done by both men in women in the region conventionally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concepts in folk art</span> Folk and traditional arts are rooted in and reflective of the cultural life of a community

Folk and traditional arts are rooted in and reflective of the cultural life of a community. They encompass the body of expressive culture associated with the fields of folklore and cultural heritage. Tangible folk art includes historic objects which are crafted and used within a traditional community. Intangible folk arts include forms such as music, dance and narrative structures. Tangible and intangible folk arts were developed to address a need, and are shaped by generational values derived from family and community, through demonstration, conversation and practice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistani craft</span> Craft work of Pakistan

Pakistani craft has a long tradition and history. It is a traditional work or art of Pakistani people to produce, design or shape objects by using simple tools or simply by hand. It is generally produced by an individual, group or independent artists, and while it is an ancient custom, artists process traditional craft material such as brass, wood, clay, textiles, paper, or other embroidery material to create handmade items. Stone carving, sandstone, onyx, metalwork, pottery, and ajraks are commonly used techniques and materials to work upon handicrafts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthropology of technology</span>

The anthropology of technology (AoT) is a unique, diverse, and growing field of study that bears much in common with kindred developments in the sociology and history of technology: first, a growing refusal to view the role of technology in human societies as the irreversible and predetermined consequence of a given technology's putative "inner logic"; and second, a focus on the social and cultural factors that shape a given technology's development and impact in a society. However, AoT defines technology far more broadly than the sociologists and historians of technology.

References

  1. Martin, Tom (2021). "2: Enduring Questions in Craft Research". Craft learning as perceptual transformation: getting 'the feel' in the wooden boat workshop. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN   978-3-030-64283-9. OCLC   1237490664.
  2. O'Connor, Erin (2007). "Hot glass: The calorific imagination of practice in glassblowing". In Calhoun, Craig J.; Sennett, Richard (eds.). Practicing culture. London: Routledge. pp. 57–81. ISBN   978-0-203-94495-0. OCLC   174255786.
  3. Martin, Tom (2020-12-21). "Relational Perception and 'the feel' for Tools in the Wooden Boat Workshop". Phenomenology & Practice. 15 (2): 5–23. doi: 10.29173/pandpr29441 . ISSN   1913-4711. S2CID   234377859.
  4. Grasseni, Cristina (2018). "Skilled Vision". In Callan, Hilary; Coleman, Simon (eds.). The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Hoboken, N.J. ISBN   978-1-118-92439-6. OCLC   1013888029.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. Marchand, Trevor H.J. (2010). "Embodied cognition and communication: studies with British fine woodworkers". Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. 16: S100–S120. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9655.2010.01612.x.
  6. Lave, Jean; Wenger, Etienne (1991-09-27). Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Cambridge University Press. pp. 27–44. doi:10.1017/cbo9780511815355.003. ISBN   9780521413084 . Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  7. Suraiya, Faroqhi (2014). Artisans of Empire : Crafts and Craftspeople Under the Ottomans. I.B. Tauris. p. 119. ISBN   9780857710628. OCLC   956646181.
  8. Rosner, Daniela K. (2020). Critical Fabulations: reworking the methods and margins of design. MIT Press. ISBN   978-0-262-54268-5. OCLC   1194870241.
  9. Ingold, Tim (2011). Redrawing Anthropology: Materials, Movements, Lines. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing Limited. pp. 21–22.

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