by Marcy Hutchins

Created on: October 20, 2008   Last Updated: May 03, 2012

Now this is a good question. This one should provoke lots to write about. First and for most, I believe that jewelry making is both a craft and an art from. I believe that many craftsmen have gone to great lengths of well designed and crafted details in what the project maybe, whether it be furniture, painting/drawing, or even jewelry. the greats artists of the past had their art as their craft putting much time and effort into what it was they where working on. Jewelry making provides much skill, imaginative thought/insight and work. It can also be a great joy and worth the hard work that was put into it. Many have put jewelry making on the list of their hobbies for the qualities it possesses, it can make for a good home craft for adults and kids. As I see it as both an art and both types of crafts, hobby and labor-man.

I come from a long line of craftsmen and women. My family has always been quite imaginative to design all sorts of things than make it. My great-great grandfather was a weaver in Northern Ireland, my grandfather was a carpenter whom did his own work and made his own designs working for himself mostly and not for big contractors. My mother has always been a crafty person as well. She has been a seamstress done crafts as a hobby, but made some money from time to time from her crafts. Mom has always been a maker of things whether it be of plush toys, clothing, blankets, shawls, quilts, jewelry and everything else you can think of as a home hobby craft or art. she has the most boldest, meaningful and beautiful insight as far as her designs go making her project and art when she is finished with the project. So to answer the question is jewelry making an art form or a craft, I feel it is both because to the creative nature that is put forth making it an art, and the quality of skill that goes into it making it a craft. But for this debate I will have to say and art because of the insight, unique visions displayed and imagination. Yet still to my general stand point I see it as both. It is great to broaden your horizons, and I do believe this question does just that. You can explore many different possibilities of on topic and end up not thinking of it the same way again. This question definitely does put forth much thought on such a complex subject. Never had I really thought of its many walls of being, what really makes arts and crafts exist. True with many pieces out there called art that some many not see as such, yet to look into the world of arts you can see a vast many walls which structure the art to be art. Yet at the same time there is that visible fine line between what is is art and what can not be called art, and that is very difficult to explain unless you see and experience that for one's own self.

There are many catalogs out there for jewelry, looking through these can expand your mind to reach farther than you have thought before on that one subject, jewelry. Many people who look at a piece of jewelry may just think of it as just that, but if that person expanded their mind of thinking of just that piece letting the image of what it is take hold of them, than maybe they may see it as more than just a material object. This art appreciation is what many of us lack, yet many of us lack the skill of the craft to be able to make such an object. I do see jewelry making as both, but for this article I will side with art for all of the reasons I listed above and many more of the complex subject not listed and may not yet be understood. In saying that, I feel it is that that gives art its charm and appeal is not understanding everything about it.

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