Studio Craft

Studio Craft though it takes many forms, can be thought of in general as the tendency to practice craft methodology in an environment similar if not equivalent to an artists studio. Viewed in comparison to the practice of traditional craft which tends to generate craft objects out of necessity or for ceremonial use Studio Craft represents a contemporary shift from traditional craft by producing craft objects at the whim of the maker or intended owner and which tend to be at best only "desirable" for use and sometimes outright in opposition to it. Because Studio Craft dissents from objects of pure necessity Studio Craft inspires significant comparisons to works of Studio Art which also tend to be made specifically to stimulate. It is often argued by contemporary craftspeople that because of Studio Crafts diminished reliance on objects of necessity the Studio Craft object becomes more viable for the kind of aesthetic critical theory which occurs in fine art theory.

Craft Theory

Though Studio Craft works do seem to have some of the necessary conditions required for injection into critical Art discourse simplifying Craft theory as synonymous with Art theory strikes some crafts theorists as problematic. Glenn Adamson has argued persuasively that the interesting thing about Craft is that it "is" perceived to be 'inferior' to art. In his book "Thinking Through Craft" Adamson presents an overview of this question by presenting five aspects of this supposed second-class identity: supplementarity, sensuality, skill, the pastoral, and the amateur [Adamson, Glenn. Thinking through craft / Glenn Adamson. Oxford ; New York : Berg, 2007.] Contrary to the implied second-classness of these themes Adamson suggests that these are in fact the things that make Craft significant and unique.

History

The Arts and Crafts movement The Arts and Crafts movement has played a significant role in the formulation of the Studio Crafts due in large part to the Arts and Crafts movement's emphasis on both the hand made object and the importance of the individual maker. This has been especially true in North America (see American craft )and the British Isles. Though the Studio Crafts have been in development for more than one-hundred years since the Arts and Crafts movement proper these two themes remain remarkably consistent.

DIY

One of the more recent developments in Studio Craft seems to be the emergence of a solidified "amateur" movement. Since the Mid-Century turn towards the conceptualization of the Craft object significant academic and institutional structures have emerged to support Studio Craft. As of 2008 there are hundreds of Masters and even Doctoral programs dedicated solely to working in Crafts media and theory, and as many museums and cultural institutions supporting these makers. This trend however has not been without its opponents who claim that Studio Craft has undercut its origins by inflating its product. These arguments have grown louder and a significant trend towards listening to the voices of "DIYers," that is makers whose training has not come from a necessarily institutional source and whose audience lies outside the narrow confines of "Studio Craft Institutions." DIY craft can be found in many places among them the internet hub Etsy and in many craft fairs and venues around the country. The work of "DIYers" is often pejoratively referred to as "Crafty Craft"

External links

* [http://www.bergpublishers.com/JournalsHomepage/TheJournalofModernCraft/tabid/3254/Default.aspx/ The Journal of Modern Craft]
* [http://www.contemporarycraft.org/ The Society of Contemporary Craft]
* [http://www.museumofcontemporarycraft.org/ The Museum of Contemporary Craft]
* [http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/ British Crafts Council]
* [http://www.craftcouncil.org/ The American Crafts Council]
* [http://www.craftaus.com.au/ Craft Australia]

Citations