her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever. all man may be created equal but artists are not. we know this. i won't name names here but as we survey the art scene we see frauds and charlatans everywhere. i visited my friend at art school once and i was able to listen in to a conversation about the difference between an artist and a craftsman. i hope i'm paraphrasing this conversation correctly because my memory could be jumbling up the terms and the distinctions and if that's the case, disregard this entire entry.



anyway. an artist can be just about anyone. if you paint, sing, dance, perform, write, sculpt or basically use your imagination or talents in any way, you can be called an artist. a craftsman on the other hand is someone who is not just an artist but one who respects and is able to achieve a high level of skill in a particular art form. what kind of art they produce may not matter, but the skill level they achieve does. there are many artists who make wonderful affecting things but they are not necessarily craftsman.



it's a tough line to draw because even the word "artist" can mean one of great skill. like you are "an artist in the kitchen." but that's not the definition i'm clinging to. i'm trying to separate out the creativity from the skill. artist meaning imagination, talent, and creativity; craftsman indicating great skill. it's hard for me to put this idea into clear concise form because i am not an artist or a craftsman. i have not personally experienced it as much as i have conjectured from looking at the world around me.



perhaps to bring it down to my level. a basketball player -- were sports to be considered an art (which it easily could be) -- can be a great artist based on natural talent and extensive experience. but a craftsman basketball player would be the type that really gets into the mental and strategic game, understanding every facet of what happens on the court. these craftsmen players could move on to become coaches, because they want to be well versed in not just being the best basketball player they can be, but in deconstructing the game of basketball and then perfecting it.



i don't know. does this make any sense at all? perhaps some of it has to do with the idea that as an amateur, you can make some great things, but a professional will understand what makes it great and can do it consistently. that might be the difference between an artist and a craftsman. maybe. there is also a question of technique. you can put paint to canvas, but can you do it with technique?

"it is, therefore, important to always stress craftsmanship along with creativity, because craftsmanship, the thing so foreign to much of our generation, is what allows an artist to unleash his gifts. stick to these stresses, and continue setting a good example, and never accept all art as equal. doing so in politically correct these days, but deep down in our heart of hearts, we know some art is of better quality. right on with your observations! don't back down now."

-(weblogs and) the mass amateurisation of (nearly) everything...-