Blogger Carnival: Art Vs. Craft

Art vs. Craft: Is it an issue / non-issue and how do you feel about the argument?

First let me state that I didn't know there was any kind of a debate here. The only problems I've found is when asked to label my blog or art work: Is it art? Is it craft? I dunno... It is what it is.

However, when trying to define it, my first thought is that if your selling it or displaying it in a museum or art gallery, then it's art, but crafting is something you do with your kids; it brings to mind construction paper, white glue, tempera paints, and popsicle sticks. When discussing it with my 15 year old daughter, though, she brought up a good point: Art is personal - you do it for yourself - while a craft is something you do with other people as a group activity.

But what about all those *Craftsmen* I wonder... Furniture builders and architects, who don't really work with other people, still call what they do a craft. But I know a lot of scrapbookers who would take offense if you called what they did crafting.

After checking the internet for the definitions and to see what others are saying, I am even more confused. Art is usually defined as human efforts to reproduce the world around them according to aesthetic principles, while craft is usually the skill used to create the art. Some arguments say craft is closed-ended, cookie-cutter, follow-a-recipe type of creating, while art is open-ended, creative, do-what-you-want creating.

It's all very confusing to me, and I really don't think it matters, but what I do think is important is that the sites that want you to categorize your art/craft should clearly define what *they* mean by the terms, so when *I* want to list with them, I know which to choose!