Page 151 - Constructing Craft

Visiting or visited craftspeople approached their involvement with polytechnics from

a variety of positions. Some openly shared their skills and experiences; others may
have been reluctant to divulge too much commercially sensitive information that had

been amassed over a lifetime of trial and error, while some may have been hoping
to become permanent tutors.

The statements by Thorburn and Wilson reflected the diverse influences being

brought to bear on the development of the programmes. Thorburn, an

educationalist, was emphasising the academic side of the programme, while
Wilson, a practising craftsperson, was attempting to have the historical and practical

nature of craft recognized. Both acknowledged the need to promote aesthetic

ideals, but it was an uncomfortable mix and reactions to the courses exposed the
dichotomy.

Doreen Blumhardt, a pioneer of craft education in schools, took exception to

Thorburn’s article. In particular she found his “fun but not work” statement irksome,
pointing out that: ‘This was hardly the official position over the last 50 years, when

hundreds of thousands of pounds … were being spent by governments on the
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development of art education …’ She also noted that moves to develop art and
craft education programmes had not started suddenly in the 1950s, but had in fact

been underway from the 1930s. She followed the criticism with a long and detailed
history of art and craft education in schools and expressed regret that the number of

art and craft advisors had been cut dramatically during the 1960s. Her response
reflected the desire to relate craft education firmly to its primary school emphasis on

creativity for its own sake.

An anonymous reader, A. Craftsperson, who appeared to have been a self-taught

potter, could not see the point of the changes.

I often wonder what the so-called experts are doing. … I know I
had no formal art training, but that was what we were all trying
to escape. We didn’t want formal training. We didn’t want
foreign ideas – European ideas – we wanted to express
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ourselves, the bare hands response to the naked clay.

Constructing Craft