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Art 'n' Craft... there is no craft, only Art

8 areas of art.

I'm not sure if this is an asian thing, or if you encounter this all around the world, but parents often look at their kids work and say "Oh, this is just craft, not art... art is drawing and painting". I often laugh and correct them... "There is no Art and Craft... Only Art..."

This misconception about art is something I am always passionate to correct, and I guess comes down to intention and communication.

Art has 7 recognised Areas at the moment (I teach and emphasise 8) and most art falls into one of these areas...

- Painting

- Drawing

- Printmaking

- Textiles

- Collage

- Modelling

- Construction

- Digital Art (my number 8)

And of course 'mixed media' is when we cross over between these areas.

All of these can be used to communicate and express ideas, emotion, thought and feeling, and engage in the strategies and techniques used by most artists.... and I guess... that, if there is 'Art & Craft' this would be the difference... Art (the way I teach it) is always intentional, it has a depth of intent and thought and emotion behind it... maybe if craft is real... it is when art is taught without intent... just a creative looking step by step creation with no expression or depth poured into it's existence.

As teacher's let's lift the intention and concept behind what we do... We should always be looking at ways to lift the expectations around student (and adult) work to be more than just 'something they made'. Especially in sculptural, constructed, or 'modelled' work.

No one ever looks at the 'Statue Of David' and says, "Arghh, just craft! where's the real art?"

The emotion and heart that is created in a 3D form can be extremely poignant and impacting... it invades our space, it begs us to take notice, it can't be hidden in a book, or lost in a stack of paper... it draws us into it's world, as it makes a space in ours.

We can extend our language around art, we can take time to discuss intent and feeling and thought. We can explain to our students and parents the importance of each 'Area of Art'... pointing out the value, learning and opportunities to be creative and expressive between each.

Happy Wednesday :)