Looking at Art:

A simple mug which is created over and over in the same size and design for utilitarian use, has been categorized as craft. At one time there might have been a clear distinction between crafts and art, but today that boundary has dissolved. Some of the most ingenious creations in pottery, for example, are so inventive it would be discrimination to call them less than art. Teapot competitions challenge crafters to design the most outrageous vessels for pouring tea and I have seen them take on every possible form until they are unrecognizable as a pot for tea. Both creative crafts and art require technical skill and, when handmade and designed with originality, they can have a substantial effect on the viewer. So can we make an easy distinction between the two? What do you think?

 Work in the Studio:

I started serious art making by creating vessels which often had sculptures on them. Eventually I deliberately closed the openings of the vessels so that their utilitarian function was removed and they became sculptures. I always felt I was making art. Here is an example of one of my early vessels.