Art, Craft, and Art/Craft Segments among Craft Media Workers

Abstract

There has been a great increase in the last twenty years in the creation and use of handcrafted objects. Preceding and accompanying growth are changes in the way craft media workers work and in the aesthetic conventions that guide their work. Some are still guided by traditional craft concerns, some by conventions of the contemporary art world, and some by both craft and art concerns. This research investigated whether craft media workers differentially identify themselves as artists and craftspersons, and whether distinct segments of craft media workers exist based on differential selfidentification. Results indicate three distinct segments exist that are distinguished from each other by differing work orientations and conventions. The results further show that the degree of difference in artist and craftsperson identities is largely explained by differing work orientations and conventions.