Accurately is Better

[Craft - XVI]

“Feel free to express yourself however you want.”

There’s a lot of latitude in that kind of freedom. Unlimited.

Perhaps that’s why some are drawn to the arts. There’s an implicit freedom to express oneself. But that’s not the appeal of craft.

Expression of self is fine. Expression of self accurately is better.

The spirit of craft is not a spirit of limitless freedom first but a spirit of self-awareness. A craft is merely the vehicle by which an artist (broadly defined) displays the hard work of introspection. The spirit of craft is the impulse to understand more deeply—the self, but also the possibilities a given medium offers to communicate accurately and fully oneself.

Craft is what art becomes when it’s given focus and is used to accurately (though often indirectly) tell the world who we are.