Online Diary

July 2008

Am I a craftsman? Yes! Is what I do “craft”? Dunno!

It would appear that a shift is taking place…

How would you define craft? Do you envisage a bearded man in a smock covered in wood shavings, or the wily old potter with clay under his finger nails? Do you picture hand-embroidered book covers; knitted tea cosies; hand-made jig-saw puzzles?

Dictionaries define “craft” as “a skill in doing or making something, as in the arts; proficiency.” Invariably, the skill element refers to hand skills.

This seems relatively clear cut, but these are questions that I have heard raised time and again in recent months as well-established craft fairs are trying to move with the times and modernize. Not only in terms of the clients they are trying to attract, but the exhibitors that are attending and showing their work. More and more focus is being placed on modern and contemporary design and the content of these shows appears to blend more and more with what would be more popularly described as “art”. The target audience also appear to be wealthier.

The Chelsea Craft Fair was a very long-running and popular fair held in Chelsea Old Town Hall for many years, it is now called “Origin – the London Craft Fair” – very 21^st century! Brighton Craft Fair, after only 2 years, has renamed itself “MADE”. Other examples exist of a move away from the dowdy old knitted jumpers, long hair and scraggly beards that have become associated with craft. Some of the more traditional craftsmen and women: woodturners, potters, carvers, feel that they are becoming marginalized and edged out of these events that they have helped to make a success over many years…so is it right that the craft sector modernizes and moves on? There are plenty of arguments for and against…

 

The reason I raise this issue, is that furniture is a bit of a tricky one to categorise.  My work is not craft, in the sense that you cannot by it for under £50. Yet it is craft, because I do it with my hands and I endeavour to use skill and dexterity in doing so. In this context, I suppose see my work as more of a “high craft”, functional art or functional sculpture.

On a more self-promotional note, my St. Ann’s writing desk is to feature in the Reader’s Gallery of Fine Woodworking, the prestigious American magazine! Yee Ha!

I have also delivered two more versions of my Exmouth table to satisfied clients and am currently in discussions with a client about creating a dining table and chairs for their new home, to be made from an English Walnut tree that they had taken down…Good times!

Don’t forget to come to see my work at the Devon Furniture Makers exhibition in Dartington!