Lost, or Found? Seeking and Preserving the Education of Artisanal Arts

Crafts and the artisanal arts have a complex relationship with art and art education. Nevertheless, hands-on crafts have an important and often overlooked contribution to visual art education. In addition to their value as cultural icons, the artisanal arts can contribute to cognitive development, emotional well-being, and mental health. The practice of a craft can balance some of the negative effects of 21st century screen culture. This thesis explores the following regarding crafts education: its value, its relationship to traditional art education, and its future potential. In addition to the traditional elements of literature review and research methodology, this thesis includes the design of an ambitious interactive website entitled CRAFTSPLORATIONS. The CRAFTSPLORATIONS website provides information about craft education, including shared resources and craft-based lesson plans, information about and links to various craft education institutions around the country, identification of crafters and advocates who are assisting in the preservation and propagation of artisanal arts, and a space for crafters and others to collaborate and share resources.