Arts and crafts

Arts and crafts refers to a wide range of activities involving making things with one's hands. Arts and crafts is usually a hobby. Some crafts (art skills) have been practised for centuries, others are more recent inventions. Both children and adults enjoy arts and crafts. Children in schools may learn skills such as woodworking, wood carving, sewing, or making things with all sorts of material. Many community centres and schools have evening or day classes and workshops where one can learn arts and craft skills.

Overview

The term "arts and crafts" is also applied, especially in the United States and mostly to hobbyists' and children's output rather than items crafted for daily use, but this distinction is not formal, and the term is easily confused with the Art and Craft movement, which is in fact as practical as it is aesthetic.

Arts and crafts can be subdivided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" (doing things the old way) and "the rest". Some crafts have been practised for centuries, while others are modern inventions, or popularisations of crafts which were originally practised in a very small geographic area.

History

The Arts and Crafts movement originated in the late 19th century in the United Kingdom and advocated for traditional craftsmanship using simple forms, and often used medieval, romantic, or folk styles of decoration. It developed first and most fully in the British Isles but spread to Europe and North America. It was largely a reaction against the impoverished state of the decorative arts at the time and the conditions in which they were produced.

Types of Crafts

There are almost as many variations on the theme of arts and crafts as there are crafters. Some of the more common types include:

• Ceramics and pottery
• Metalworking
• Woodworking and wood carving
• Textile arts which includes knitting, crochet, weaving, quilting, and sewing
• Paper crafts such as papier-mâché, origami, and scrapbooking

Educational Aspect

Arts and crafts are often associated with children, as activities like painting, cutting, and gluing are often taught at young ages in educational settings. However, these activities are not just simple pastimes; they help in the development of physical coordination, fine motor skills, and the enhancement of problem-solving abilities. They also encourage creativity and can be a means of expression and understanding of the world.

Modern Day Crafts

In the contemporary landscape, arts and crafts have evolved to include both traditional techniques and new, innovative forms of crafting. With the advent of DIY culture and the rise of craft fairs and online platforms like Etsy, craftspeople and artisans are able to sell their creations to a global audience.

See Also

• Art and Craft movement
• DIY culture
• Handicrafts

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