I just read through some comments made by some of my fellow members in a group on LinkedIn. The question posed for discussion was; “Who do you think this group is meant for? Artisans and crafters who sell their handmade creations, wholesale businesses, companies who sell to the arts and crafts industry.” After many comments and opinions one of our members got the answer from the group creator. The answer doesn’t matter to what I am going to write about so I’m not going to go into it further.

I went to Wikipedia, this is what was written about handicrafts…

Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanal handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means of making goods. The individual artisanship of the items is a paramount criterion, such items often have cultural and/or religious significance. Items made by mass production or machines are not handicraft goods.

Usually, what distinguishes the term handicraft from the frequently used category arts and crafts is a matter of intent: handicraft items are intended to be used, worn, etc., having a purpose beyond simple decoration. Handicraft goods are generally considered more traditional work, in traditional non-industrial and transitional societies created as a somewhat more necessary part of daily life (in comparison to industrial societies), while arts and crafts implies more of a hobby pursuit and a demonstration/perfection of a creative technique. In Britain in the late nineteenth century, however, the Arts and Crafts Movement was not a matter of hobbies, but of creating useful as well as creative work for people, using natural materials and traditional techniques. In practical terms, the categories have a great deal of overlap.

What I see from this is…if you create art and crafts as something you do or started doing in your spare time or is a talent that you discovered, but you don’t need to make and sell it in order to feed your family or yourself. It is ARTS & CRAFT.

HANDICRAFT; the author of the contribution has suggested are made by artisans who produce their craft for sale, and are sometimes the only means of supporting themselves and their families. These persons are usually found in poor or under-developed/developing countries.

Let’s go back to the LinkedIn discussion for a minute; one of the members mentioned crafts that are mass produced in countries, India for example where, due to the sheer size of their population can MASS PRODUCE HANDICRAFTS. I use the word “handicrafts” purposely here because in many instances the items are made by hand and the artisan must have minimal skill to produce a salable product. But most importantly these artisans produce these handicrafts as a means of feeding their families.

Now take into account the cost of shipping, duties, tariffs and other taxes; I sit here wondering what these hard working artisans are PAID because many times the end product ends up on the international market at  trade shows, exhibitions, arts & crafts shows and bazaars at ridiculously low prices.

Just my thoughts…please tell me yours on the subject.