What is the difference between Art and Craft?

What is the difference between art and craft?
by Mary Rayme

It seems like many times arts and crafts get lumped together into a catch phrase most often used to describe camp activities for children. But what is the difference between art and a craft?

Here’s my theory – A craft is usually a cookie-cutter or close-ended activity. The craft activity is based on a formula or recipe and all participants follow the same directions and end up with roughly the same result every time. For example, creating a god’s eye from two sticks and colored yarn is a great craft example. Yes, it involves creating something, but the end product is most always the same and there’s not a lot of room for variation.

An art activity is more open-ended. So for example, in a drawing project all participants may start with the same materials of paper and pencils and maybe they are asked to create drawings that represent their family. The results of this project will create many different drawings and therefore many different solutions to the same problem. While the end result may not always be considered art, the possibility of creating an original drawing that transcends its parameters and materials is always possible, and that, to me, is the definition of art.

Art is a work that transcends its humble materials to create an original statement or expression in a meaningful and enduring way. Crafts can transcend their humble materials as well to become art but it takes an experienced and determined crafter to do this.