Judgement Day

The author of this piece has a good sense of humor. I'd like to note some of my favorite points he brings up:
Anarchic Brother Art
Sell-Out Sister Design
The Chicken and the Egg Question
Current local and global Government and Educational influence on Craft
Society's back turn to Craft
The Contemplative Object
Difference between one potter's pots and another potter's pots.

These are awesome points. I have only been aware of this conversation for a year or two now, but it seems like it goes around in circles with no answers within the context of Craft itself. My response is one that is found outside of other things, because everything is connected. It seems that the notion of Craft being under attack or endangered has nothing to do with making things. It seems like the whole system is against craft. We (the public) don't need potters to create all of our coffee cups and house wares because they can be bought so cheaply at Dollar General. The global government and educational system is tied into this whole thing with, what's it called... economics. The egg came before the chicken. The system does not have emotions. It has incentives and money.

I cut my finger an hour ago opening the plaster container holding my pineapple slices. That could happen to a child! If that didn't make me consider the craft of that particular object, nothing will. And the same goes for the public. I am the public. I am also a maker. I take the craft of the things I make into account every time I make something. The object is the mediator between the designer/maker/seller and the public. Most people who I've met that can fill all of those shoes are usually some very nice, well-rounded, open-minded, short and tall people. It's up to the public to decide what they need and what they want. What is best. So come on, gang, think of the children.

Value Judgement Response (Petersilge)

Rather than thinking of “handmade” as something that is outdated, I prefer to think of it as existing in an evolved form, coherent with the technology that has become a part of our every day lives. The role that human hands play in creation and production now exists more deliberately. It has shed its ties to production necessary to sustain a society, and exists now to oversee the work that machines do for us. In that sense, design overshadows art function-wise.

Aesthetic pleasure, however, is arguably a function. In a society where aesthetic pleasure can be obtained from merely playing a game of one’s phone, galleries may seem obsolete. Art is, however, incorporating itself into the technology that now exists, and is adapting as such. People are intrigued by artists working in technologically based mediums, while inadvertently supporting traditional art as well. As we have so many times before, we are merely adapting (not forgetting) traditional art to the way we presently exist. It is alive and well, in the hearts of those raised in a technological explosion. 

Article: Value Judgment

I believe that design has started to steal the light from the gallery, but I also think people like to go to galleries and art museums to look at traditional art. I believe that kids should have the chance to go out and get their hands dirty and they should be able to experience traditional art. Technology has become such a huge thing and kids only want to be on their phone or playing video games. I know when I was younger I loved to go outside and play or work on art projects as a family. As a designer, before technology everything was hand-drafted. We took one course that focused just on hand-drafting to have those skills when we go out into our field. Everything we do now is on the computer using software such as Autocad and 3d rendering. I have heard that companies are even firing older designers and hiring younger designers because of the new technologies. I am really glad that I was taught the traditional way as well as new technologies that have been coming out. Overall I believe that people have not forgot about craft, but people are just trying to keep with with all the technology.

Value Judgment

I don’t think that craft isn’t the same anymore just because people are using computer-controlled technologies and not doing anything by hand. I think that the idea and thought behind creating the craft is more important than how it is actually done. I would actually prefer to buy a craft that is perfect rather than just buying it because someone made it by hand. The part about children now a days growing and not making things outside of school kind of made me sad because I remember making things out mud and letting it harden then showing it off but kids now a days would rather be inside playing their Xbox, watching TV, or playing on their tablets. I agree that craftspeople have to find new ways to interest people in their work but I don’t think that it is a bad idea to take advantage of the new technologies that are available to them. Technology is what we find interesting and it is constantly changing so the art world is going to have to adapt to that too. I would also like to add that I did not appreciate that in the beginning of the article the author referred to design as crafts “ sell-out sister.”

Personally I don’t think you can really connect with work you make without having your hands on it, I thinks part of being a craftsmen is getting your hands dirty. Although I do agree that you have to adapt to survive but that goes for any and every area of work and business. It is sink or swim, take advantage of the technology and create new ways to make craft that works with the times. However; I disagree that this can mean ‘selling out’, there is this obvious obligation of paying the bills and that means creating work that sells which may mean making ‘kitch’ work but that doesn’t mean that’s all that a craftsman can make. I think the key to being a successful artist or selling your craft being your only means of income is not only making what sells but still being able to take risks in your other craft work.  

I hate to think that the development of new technology is hindering or eliminating craft instead of broadening the options for exploration and experimentation. I can unhappily acknowledge that some craft is being pushed out and replaced by easier ways of production such as printmaking. I think the issue is the economy and this idea that craft is created out of the middle class choice, and made for people of high class that can afford useless objects. I think there is a definite lack of understanding of craft in general and that is a huge effect on the world of craft. 

kelly johnston

Craft & Technology

      As for the revitalization of craft processes and production I agreed with his notion of bringing the crafts into the contemporary and keeping alive the practices of the past. The basket makers that had transitioned their practices into hot air balloon basket making were able to continue their work but on a larger scale. Though there is a sense of "selling out" ones artwork that goes along with switching the function of craft pieces.
      However I have to disagree that students of these crafts are being dulled down into creating work that is not challenging or respectable within the craft community. I think that there will always be students and young artist that are willing to go against the grain and challenge both past and present methods of creating crafts works. Now more than ever artists and craftsmen are able to create on both commercial and personal creative levels that allows them to make money within practicing their craft while also staying true to the separate work that they want to create.
      For craft to survive in the future technology and craft must coincide with one another. Like members of the Autonomatic group, creating craft works with the help of technology must not diminish the integrity of the craft object, but should heighten what we considered is a craft object, and what it is becoming in the future. 

-t.m.

Glass Artist

Carol Milne
Carol Milne is an internationally recognized Canadian sculptor iving in Seattle, Washington.She is best known for her Knitted Glass work,winning the Silver Award, in the International Exhibition of Glass Kanazawa Japan 2010