Arts and Crafts Movement Notes

Arts and Crafts Movement

  • Reaction to Industrial Revolution:
    • Artists noticed mass-produced items (wallpaper, furniture) looked identical due to automated processes.
    • Aimed to revive handcrafted, unique items.

Objectives

  • Discuss the Arts and Crafts Movement's impact on art and architecture.
  • Compare fine art and functional art using examples.
  • Outline crafts and materials used in their production.

Key Terms

  • Art
  • Craft
  • Handicraft
  • Utilitarian
  • Weaving
  • Embroidery

Historical Context

  • Late 19th and early 20th century.
  • Addressed dissatisfaction with mass-produced, uniform products (clocks, furniture).
  • Emphasized both the creation process and the finished product.

Philosophy

  • The process of creation is as important as the final product.
  • Use of local materials (e.g., Wisconsin wood for a Wisconsin-made chair).

Architectural Trends

  • Frank Lloyd Wright:
    • Inspired unique, locally-integrated building designs rather than mass-produced "cookie-cutter" houses.
    • Emphasized warm, earthy materials and colors.
    • Manipulated light to create warmth.

Design Elements

  • Rustic, unfinished qualities.
  • Visible craftsmanship (e.g., not fully painted, rough corners).
  • Aim: to create a lived-in feel, contrasting with sterile mass-produced objects.

Defining Art and Craft

  • Art: Expression of an idea in a physical form.
    • Examples: dance, song, painting, sculpture.
    • Communication of an idea in visual form.
  • Craft: Focus on the creation process.
    • Emphasis on physical effort, skill, and materials used.
    • Importance of local materials.

Handicraft

  • Art designed to serve a functional purpose.
  • Made by hand for utilitarian use (e.g., carrying water, storing grain).
  • Often adorned with artwork (e.g., ancient Greek vase).

Weaving and Embroidery

  • Ancient handicrafts, historically overlooked due to being considered "women's work."
  • Gaining importance with recognition of women's roles in historical societies.

Weaving

  • Creating cloth by interlacing materials.
  • Typically done on a loom.

Embroidery

  • Using thread and needle to create designs on existing cloth.

Review of Lesson Objectives

  • Arts and Crafts Movement:
    • Emphasized craftsmanship, creativity, and hand skills.
  • Fine Art vs. Functional Art:
    • Example: Vase as a functional piece.
  • Crafts and Materials:
    • Weaving and embroidery.

Conclusion

  • Importance of craftsmanship and creative process.
  • Example: David Chikuli's "Orange Basket Forest" shows overlap between crafts and fine art.
    • Handmade glass baskets with emotional meaning and skilled creation.