Arts and crafts and artsy-craftsy (Titanic soaps)

Although there didn't seem to be much of an issue made about it in this class, the few other times I've had art classes (a LONG time ago, admittedly) there were always things that came up about the distinction between "art" and "crafts," and while art was to be praised, calling something a craftwork was basically an insult.

I think the primary distinguishing feature of the discussion was that art existed for its own sake, while if something was a craft, it was basically a useful item that had been decorated. (Why an artwork would need to be useless to qualify as "art" I have no idea.)

I don't necessarily buy into this dichotomy. The artsy stuff I do on my own time, during the periods when I have any, falls into the crafty range to be sure.

For instance, since I have such sensitive skin, I started molding glycerin soaps a few years ago. I have a small collection of silicone molds that I incorporate into the soapmaking. Most of the molds were sold under the auspices of either baking (due to silicone's heat resistance) or ice cube trays (for silicone's flexibility), but they're easy to wash and there's a lot to choose from for those who don't want to spend a lot of money on specialty designs. Typically I'll make 10 lbs. or so of different small molds and then incorporate them in various ways into larger "normal" sized soaps. Sadly, this year I had no time during the summer to make my annual batch (must cure unwrapped for 2 wks, so I do as much of this as possible when the folks are out for their family reunions). Here's a few pics of some leftovers from last year's stash. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Titanic Soap Disaster Collection!