Info about Crafts
Crafts
‘Crafts’ is an umbrella term for a large number of activities which produce items of great beauty and interest. In modern times, the definition of craft has changed from the production of practical and striking pieces of work to the practice of young children creating small pieces of artwork from everyday items such as Popsicle sticks. This almost correlates directly with the fall of many skilled crafts due to the industrialization of many fields that once required skilled craftsmen. The interest in the skilled work of people from many years ago is undoubted, and the success shows such as ‘Antiques Roadshow’ demonstrate both the monetary value and our own personal interest in many items.
The antiques industry is of great value and interest to a large number of people. Almost all items that are considered antiques and desirable by these individuals are the result of someone, at some point in time carrying out their craft and producing the item through their hard work and ingenuity. This includes items such as Jewelry, furniture, painting and maps. Antique furniture is perhaps the most eagerly sought out result of craft from the past, and a large market has built up around it. In the past, furniture was not mass produced on a production line in the same way it is today. Each item of furniture was created by a craftsman, and no two pieces of furniture- even if they belonged to the same line- were the same. Today, this means that there is an almost infinite selection of different furniture to choose from, all of which in some way can add great beauty and aesthetic appeal to our homes. The material from which the furniture is made can vary greatly, and antique furniture of the same type, such as a chair, can be made from such varied materials as wrought iron, oak, marble, stone and upholstery amongst others.
Over the centuries, the location of an individual had a great impact on the craft that they were likely to undertake. Some regions would focus specifically on metalwork, whilst other more agricultural regions would produce crafts that were in some way linked to the farming industry, such as the creation of milking stools and churners to assist with various tasks on the farm. Something that is often unappreciated today is the use for which many ‘decorative’ antique crafts now have. Items such as the aforementioned milk churner may be put out to display in someone’s house, without them ever considering the story behind it, and that it was doubtless used a great number of times in a different age when things were done in a completely different manner to the modern era.
One of the most challenging crafts for many centuries, that has unfortunately been replaced by technological advances is the art of glassblowing. This is a craft that dates back millennia to the 1st Century BC, and was a skill that was passed down from generation to generation. It required precision and hard work, and was responsible for producing beautiful pieces of glasswork. The practice continued for centuries, along with other unique ways of shaping glass, but began to die out after the industrial revolution provided cheaper and more efficient methods of producing glass.
Although many valuable crafts are no longer in common use, there are groups of people who are dedicated to keeping the arts of the past alive. They can be found at a number of heritage centers throughout the world, and provide demonstrations and tutorials in the hope of encouraging other people to take up the skills shown, and create their own work by utilizing the crafts of the past.