Teacher Tips
Crafts in the Curriculum
By Mick Luehrman, PhD
Chair, Department of Art & Design and Art Education Program Co-Director
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, MO
What is art? What is craft? The distinction between these two categories has been continuously blurring over time as post-modern attitudes have led to a more open consideration of the design qualities and beauty of practical artifacts. Art is no longer limited to just the "high" art of the great museums. (The Craft in America Web site, http://www.craftinamerica.org/, is a great place to explore the intersection of craft and art. The TV series of the same name that first aired in May 2007 is an excellent way to show students how craft has expanded its scope to be included within the art world.)
An open attitude about the boundaries of "art" becomes an excellent basis for broadening the types of art-making activities and materials that we already incorporate into our art programs: ceramic, fiber, print-making, woodworking, etc. Considering the artistic qualities of a craft object creates opportunities for using art criticism strategies, challenges students to consider issues in aesthetics, and forces students to ask questions about the nature of art and its value and purpose. Having students develop definitions of art and use them to examine a craft object can lead to some excellent critical thinking opportunities, and even some heated arguments! The interdisciplinary aspects of studying craft are also well worth considering. Craft is an outgrowth of human activity in general and has strong connections with social studies curriculum.
Traditional craft is increasingly finding a place within the art world, and is an important topic and source of activities within the K-12 art curriculum.
Crafts in the Curriculum
By Bonnie Black
Retired art education professor
Vice President, Missouri Fiber Artists
Camdenton, MO
What is meant when we say that we are teaching "crafts"? Are we doing a hands-on activity such as gluing cotton balls on a cutout rabbit? Or are we teaching a process that has meaning to the student and makes connections to our society or other cultures?
The area of craft provides students with a variety of materials and a knowledge base that supports the process leading to the final product. The teaching of crafts provides opportunities for teachers to make meaningful connections for students between the art-making process and the history behind the craft. For example, students can learn that woven fabric has been produced by cultures around the world from ancient times to the present. The process and technique of weaving varies among cultures and time periods, from simple looms, such as back-strap looms originated by South American peoples, to the two harness Rio Grande loom used to produce blankets and tapestries, to power looms used during the Industrial Revolution and computer-run looms of today. A brief history of weaving helps students make connections between the craft and the cultures that create the works.
As we know, art is not made in a vacuum. An artist's work provides a window into the time in which he/she lives. Crafts are no exception. The process and the product are often intertwined with the culture, the time frame in which the object was made, and the materials that were available. Adding the historical component into the craft lesson ensures that crafts are meaningful to students and that the process is just as important as the product.