This field has many names. I have seen it called craft, minor arts, applied arts. I began my investigation into the world of ‘craft’ by beginning to look at the arts and crafts movement. I do realize that the notion of craft begins long before this (the ancient greeks held tapestry weaving in high esteem and the ancient egyptians are well known for their jewellery), however, it appears that it is at the turn of the century that we see the development of the ‘craftsman ideal’ . Based on the work of John Ruskin and William Morris, the ideal was “a reaction against industrialization, urbanization, modernization-”. (Boris xi) The time was trying to reunite the art and labor worlds that had been divided almost 100 years earlier. They were trying to bring beauty back into everyday life, and joy back into creation of everyday goods. (Boris xi)
In her book Art and Labor Eileen Boris quotes Raymond Willis to offer an explanation of the relationship and difference between artist and artisan:
" An art had formerly been any skill; but Art, now signified a particular group of skills, the ‘imaginative’ or ‘creative’ arts. Artist had meant a skilled person, as had artisan ; but artist now referred to these selected skills alone...Art came to stand for a special kind of truth, ‘imaginative truth,’ and artist for a special kind of person.” the industrial revolution divided the arts into fine art and industry. (Boris xii)

"It is only by labor that thought can be made healthy, and only by thought that labor can be made happy, and the two cannot be separated with impunity. It would be well if all of use were good handicraftsmen in some kind, and the dishonor of manual labor done away with altogether.”
-John Ruskin (from Art and Labor)

For Ruskin the importance in the movement was not only with the creator but with the consumer as well, he developed the following guidelines:
1. Never encourage the manufacture of any article not absolutely necessary in the production of which Invention has no share.
2. Never demand an exact finish for its own sake, but only for some practical and noble end.
3. Never encourage imitation or copying of any kind except for the sake of preserving records of great works. (Boris 6)
This seems to clearly illustrate Ruskin’s vision for the movement; the laborer should have the freedom of creativity. The consumer needed to begin to appreciate the beauty of something handmade and embrace irregularities and uniqueness.

The arts and crafts movement began in London. It was believed that by supporting the work of designers and craftsmen the economic system was being challenged. In this way the movement went beyond simple artistic definitions. (Boris 13)
There was a desire to bring beauty back into everyday life. For William Morris (a leader in the movement) the desire was “To give people pleasure in the things they must perforce use, that is one great office of decoration; to give pleasure in the things they must perforce to make, that is the other use of it.” (Boris 14) There is a focus beyond the object being produced and how it relates to the happiness off the user and the maker.
For Morris the ideal craftsman would produce his craft from beginning to end. This can be most easily seen in ceramics. The clay required no industrial process, a small studio could design, make, and decorate. The entirety of the process could and should be completed by one individual. (Cumming 73-74)

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