What is metalworking, exactly? We know it is not just cutting sheets of metal and fastening them together. It involves a number of disciplines ranging from casting to welding and grinding. What we are not quite sure of is whether metalworking is technically an art or craft. It could be both.
As a master craftsman, I love working with metal. Concrete and wood are fine finishing materials in their own right. But there's something special about metal. Its color and finish are mesmerizing. Its visual texture adds a primitive element to every piece. Indeed, it possesses a unique beauty that cannot be matched by any other material.
None of what we know about metal answers the primary question. To get an answer, perhaps we have to temporarily set metalworking aside and look at the difference between art and a craft.
What Is Art?
Art is defined in many ways. The one thing nearly all definitions have in common is its purpose. By design, art is intended to be expressive work. It is intended to be appreciated for its aesthetic appeal and emotional power. A good piece of art moves those who see it in some way. It might move some people positively and others negatively.
With that definition in mind, certain pieces made by experienced metalworkers can be considered art. Indeed, there are genuine artists whose only medium is metal. They do with metal what a painter does with watercolors or oils.
Perhaps few would argue that a metal sculpture created with the same mindset as one carved from stone constitutes art. Where this gets tricky is the arena of functional art. This is what I do. I use materials like metal, concrete, and wood to create pieces that are artistically beautiful and simultaneously functional. Do my metal pieces constitute art, or are they functional only?
What Is a Craft?
A craft can be defined in one of two ways. First, a craft is a highly specialized skill utilized to make things. Second, it is the process of making such things using one's skill and knowledge. Metalworking certainly applies. Metalworking is a broad practice covering a range of disciplines, as previously mentioned. Each one of those disciplines requires a certain level of specialized skill.
The definition of a craft certainly suggests that my metal creations qualify. I make things using knowledge and skills not everyone possesses. Moreover, what I do is not easy. It takes a lot of time to learn. It takes many years of practice to perfect. Still, would you consider any of my metal pieces art? I do.
Every piece I produce, regardless of the materials I choose, is art. But it is also the result of a craft. I guess the point I am trying to make is that metalworking doesn't have to be defined as one or the other. It shouldn't be defined as one or the other. Metalworking is both an art and a craft.
What Is Functional Art?
Perhaps the whole issue of art versus craft boils down to the fact that craftsmen like me create functional art. It might be difficult for people commissioning a piece of metal furniture to think of it as art. Likewise for concrete and wood. On the other hand, I work with plenty of clients who, upon receiving the finished piece, remark about how breathtakingly beautiful it is. Clearly, they were moved by my work, which is one of the qualifications of art.
Metalworking as functional art combines the best of craftsmanship with the exhilarating appeal of artistic beauty. It is something I'm quite passionate about. Hopefully, you are too.