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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>Well, this is an outrageous conversation, I know.
lol I better get back to the studio before I cause a riot, but this
should be a good place for a discussion like this.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>That is great, Ann! So true. There is really not a
fine line between the two, it is very clear and distinct. And artist or a
crafter can take the exact same materials, but the mind that works with them is
quite different and the results are quite different. It's really about "ideas"
and "concepts" and what we are thinking about as we work, and where we go with
the materials in our process of working. In Pittsburgh, PA there is a very
fine museum/gallery called the Society of Contemporary Crafts - now, what is
done there, and shown there is high art. So there is crafts and there is CRAFT,
too. There is the "crafter" and there is the "Craftsman." very
distinct differences between them - and as a sculptor you would be very aware of
this, too.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>I was so fortunate to teach in a small private
college (Geneva College, in western PA) where I was free to teach across
disciplines, as I have my MFA in painting/printmaking, and my MA in English
Literature. Because of this background, I was very marketable for a good
position. I was able to create multi-discipline courses - alway a
combination of literature and art, as well as studio courses in painting, fiber
arts, printmaking, drawing. It was a dream of a job, working in
interdisciplinary studies and doing so many projects with profs in other
disciplines. I was very active in conferences on interdisciplinary
studies. I created an European experience for art and literature
students and we lived in Austria every summer and then traveled to other
countries. I even had an art exhibition in Austria for my students every
summer. They worked so hard in the studio and out on location every day,
and at the end of the month they had a show - so much fun. I also did this
with Puerto Rico, and students came to PR with me each spring as part of their
course in Puerto Rico Culture - which I have continued to visit every March even
though I am now retired. It bacame how we spent our spring time. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>OK, back to my studio where I am working my tail
off to get a piece done today! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>Lynda</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Ann@acunningham.com
href="mailto:Ann@acunningham.com">Ann@acunningham.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=artists-making-art@nfbnet.org
href="mailto:artists-making-art@nfbnet.org">An exploration of art by and for
blind persons</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, February 07, 2014 9:08
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Artists-making-art] arts or
crafts new member</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">
<DIV>Lynda, Nice answer to craft and art. If someone who is reading this is
still torn I wouldn't be surprised though since there are all sorts of shades
in the continuum. </DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>I was talking to my daughter and a friend one day. I went off on a
tangent tangling all sorts of events together rather randomly. They started
laughing and saying something akin to how do you make it from day to day. And
I said you guys are pilots and for you to be a good pilot you know and follow
rules. That is what they pay you for. I am an artist and I am paid to break
the rules. No one wants to hear from me if it has already been done.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>What did you teach before you retired? Ann</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: andale mono,times">Ann Cunningham</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: andale mono,times"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><EM><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Tactile Art - a
creative way to see the world!</SPAN></EM></SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: andale mono,times">303 238 4760</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: andale mono,times"><A
href="mailto:ann@acunningham.com">ann@acunningham.com</A></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: andale mono,times"><A
href="http://www.acunningham.com">http://www.acunningham.com</A></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: andale mono,times"><A
href="http://www.sensationalbooks.com">http://www.sensationalbooks.com</A>
</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><BR><BR></DIV>
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<DIV id=wmQuoteWrapper>-------- Original Message --------<BR>Subject: Re:
[Artists-making-art] arts or crafts new member<BR>From: "Lynda Lambert"
<<A
href="mailto:llambert@zoominternet.net">llambert@zoominternet.net</A>><BR>Date:
Fri, February 07, 2014 6:03 am<BR>To: "An exploration of art by and for
blind persons"<BR><<A
href="mailto:artists-making-art@nfbnet.org">artists-making-art@nfbnet.org</A>><BR><BR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>Hi Laurie, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>So nice to see you here. I did not start
this group though, I am like you, I just came on to ask a question about
something I needed to know and was so glad to meet Ann who helped me with my
question. I am furiously working right now (oops, split that
infinitive!) getting work done for the opening of a two-person exhibition at
a museum - the show is called _Vision and Revision: Two artists with
limited sight, not limited vision_ It is my pottery and mixed-media
fiber works, and a legally blind painter. It opens one month from today, and
if I stop to think about what else has to be done yet, I'll get nervous. So,
I won't do that, but just will keep on working on the details. The show will
appear at two locations this year and will have a video that plays in the
gallery with the art works, Braille labeling, and artist's talks. I will
even be teaching in the gallery one afternoon, for the Women in the Arts
course at Geneva College. That is where I taught when I was a professor of
fine arts and humanities, before I retired. I'll be lecturing on the
historical context of my work and where the ideas have come from when
creating it. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>To make matters even more difficult, I am
scheduled to speak at a conference at Slippery Rock University of PA for two
sessions, the day before we hang our show. So, I have those presentations to
be working on every day now, too. I officially retired from teaching 5
1/2 years ago, but I am still very much involved in everything but being in
the classroom.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>Here is my response to the question you have
asked. The gap between an artist and a crafter is like crossing the ocean,
it is that wide. Some basic things may be similar between the two, but most
things are very far apart philisophically.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>Both work with the hands, and both love working
with the hands and most have done it all their life. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>Both love the materials, and the handling of
them, and the satisfaction of the finished product that comes out of it.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>While the crafter will usually be satisfied
with beginning something and knowing where the end will be, the artist
begins with no notion of where the end will be or even if it will be.
the crafter has a clearly defined path to the finished product. The artist
has only some inklings of possible outcomes, but has to find them as she
works.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>The other very big thing I see as a difference
between them is that the crafter has 'rules" to follow and seldom will ever
deviate from those rules, as they are set in stone in her mind. On the
other hand, the mature artist has learned that there are no rules at
all. They may begin in the early stages by learning techniques, but
eventually with the years of working, the light comes on in her brain when
she discovers one day - she is free of all rules when making art.
Everything can be challenged, everything can be changed, and everything is
fair game, for the artist. Is there any other profession in this world where
there are no rules? It's the most exhilerating feeling to know that there
are absolutely no rules whatsoever for me. Wow, makes me take a deep breath
just to say it. Free, free, free, at last! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>Laurie, the biggest difference between art and
a craft is where the person eventually takes the techniques, I think.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>A crafter seldom takes things to a different
level but is usually content to learn something then duplicate it endlessly,
then moves on to learn something else and does that again with it. The
artist can take crafts materials (which is what you and I both do) and
techniques, and then take them far beyond because they will combine their
techniques and materials with the imagination. If you can teach it, it
is usually a craft. If you cannot teach it, it is normally art. Art
can begin by learning some techniques, or using craft materials, but then
the person begins to ask the "what if" questions, and takes lots of risks,
failures, and bends in the road on the way to it becoming a work of art. It
is a "mind set" that is never satisfied with just the learning of something
new, but one that constantly questions, experiments, and never knows where
the "end" will be, or even if it will be. A "crafter" will never
understand what I have just said and will most likely be huffing and puffing
and angry with it. An "artist" is standing and applauding what I have
said. It is that simple, and that complex. The artist thrives on
change and making new discoveries and each work leads to other querstions
and more change and more new discoveries. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>One can see the difference when you look at
work in types of environments. One will be setting at a craft show
with a table full of things that are basically all the same while the other
will have work on display in a gallery or museum. Each has
decided where they "fit" and each is very happy with where they are. They
are different animals, with different ideas, and different end results and
outcomes. Each one has decided their own path and each one is comfortable
with the decision she has made.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>Lynda</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4>Lynda</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=free.spirit1@live.com href="mailto:free.spirit1@live.com"
target=_blank>Laurie Porter</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=Artists-making-art@nfbnet.org
href="mailto:Artists-making-art@nfbnet.org"
target=_blank>Artists-making-art@nfbnet.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, February 06, 2014
7:26 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Artists-making-art] arts or
crafts new member</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'">
<DIV>Hi Folks:</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>I’d like to introduce myself. I’m a blind person from wisconsin who
is a fledgling and budding beginner artist. my medium is beadwork. I make
pictures and tapestries out of tiny little seed beads sewn together
with thread. but most of my work is in making jewlry, but I have always
looked upon my beadwork as an art form. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>so, I have a basic question. What is the difference between an art
and a craft? I do believe that all crafts are forms of art but are
all arts considered crafts? Thanks linda and all of you for getting this
list going as it is something I’ve always dreamed of seeing in our efforts
to bring blind people together who love to both create and appreciate the
visual arts. </DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
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