Once I was approached by a well-intending guy in the basement of a Presbyterian church where everybody gathered after a decent performance of the excerpts from the Messiah and he said “ I hear you are also growing antique roses-that’s an art too,I’m sure” . Perhaps because I was angry having to drink non-alcoholic punchless punch with tiny marshmallows floating atop I told him,no,growing roses or raising guinea-pigs is not an art,it is a skill,like shoe-shining .We have among our activities skills, crafts and indeed art, the last one being very rare nowadays.
How hastily and undeservedly just about anything gets to be Art! Pierced nostrils, nipples, tattoo is Body Art. Some tossed julienne-cut medley of vegetables is now Culinary Art. Significantly just when there is so scantily little real art among the contemporary arts productions, pretty much everything gets the distinction of art, Hardly any mediocre potter is considered a craftsman because his level of competence does not warrant that once proud name, but be sure he thinks of himself as an artist and exhibits in art-shows.
There was once a different edition of the mental world .In it only art was art, while crafts had to shine with masterful workmanship, where one had to exhibit mastery in execution or else would be dismissed and considered a failure or a con-artist.
That world has been, piece by piece almost totally dismantled.
