Holy Craft, Look Out!!!! It's Extreme Craft.

If someone asked you to define art as opposed to craft, what would you say?

That is one of those questions which I tend to roll over in my mind while showering (isn't that where all the good ideas come from?). I really don't have an answer to this question; I think it really all boils down to context. Dada's 'Readymades' are certainly very functional and Judy Chicago's Dinner Party is made up of traditional craft elements, and at the same time Tiffany & Co. make vases, lamps, and other chotchkies fabulous enough to be considered art. Maybe the only difference is in the price tag (not that Tiffany's is cheap...). Sadly right now, I can only afford to buy craft, and the non-Tiffany kind at that (yes, I am still waiting for my Obama-bucks).

What with these muddled definitions of craft and art and their mutant, degenerate love children, we need to consider the Extreme Craft Blog brought to you by one, Garth Johnson. Here "craft" is defined as follows: art masquerading as craft, craft masquerading as art, and craft extending its middle finger. Frankly, I think that covers a good chunk of what you see in a gallery or museum. Tara Donovan or Tom Friedman could fit into those categories on quite a few occasions, not to mention countless community based, guerrilla works. Extreme Craft covers all of this. It is an excellent read... not to mention a fount of information if you need to find a groomer who can make your poodle look like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (you can't handle the truth!!).

Take a gander: http://extremecraft.typepad.com/