When can you call yourself a craftsman?

[mikesc]

Ok , not getting on your case :)..just in light of the OPs initial question , I thought it worth making the definitions clear..
I read the thread when it began..later, when I've eaten, I might join in..if it can be of any help ..

[Grumpymann]

Quote

1 minute ago, mikesc said:

Ok , not getting on your case :)..just in light of the OPs initial question , I thought it worth making the definitions clear..
I read the thread when it began..later, when I've eaten, I might join in..if it can be of any help ..

 

Didn't think you were getting on my case, words have connotation and denotation (sp?).  And admitting when and where you are wrong is a part of being an adult. I was wrong about what an artisan is. We're cool. Thanks for straightening me out. Love to hear your take!

[cdthayer]

I was going to try to lighten things up by mentioning that a bunch of us have been sort of left out of this conversation about Craftsmen and those that are above by not including the fine work done by the wannabees, shade-tree-sewers, rif-raf stitchers, part-timers, half-fasters, here-hold my-beer-sewers, and village idiots, but I decided not to....

CD in Oklahoma

 

[chuck123wapati]

17 minutes ago, cdthayer said:

I was going to try to lighten things up by mentioning that a bunch of us have been sort of left out of this conversation about Craftsmen and those that are above by not including the fine work done by the wannabees, shade-tree-sewers, rif-raf stitchers, part-timers, half-fasters, here-hold my-beer-sewers, and village idiots, but I decided not to....

CD in Oklahoma

 

I'm a definite apprentice wannabee but have had some shade tree sewing instruction from a plumber. PS don't touch my beer! lol

[cdthayer]

1 hour ago, chuck123wapati said:

have had some shade tree sewing instruction from a plumber.

Isn't it amazing how much Plumbers know about sewing? Enough to boggle my mind!

I recently did a golf cart seat and backrest job for my local Plumber.  He's a younger guy than me and a great plumber that claims he doesn’t know anything about sewing.  When I found a shop towel stuffed into the seat cushion of his used golf cart that had been put in by a previous upholsterer to fill the void in one end of the seat where the driver usually sits and the foam had gotten worn away from use with a damaged seat cover, and told him about it, he asked if I'd put the shop towel back in before I stapled the new seat cover on.  I told him that of course I did, and he said "Good, it was there for a reason, and I don't want to buy new foam. Good job."  Last I heard, he was totally tickled with the new seat covers, but now his batteries had crapped out.  There goes $1000 for a new set of batteries....but since it's got totally awesome seat covers and backrest pads on it, I would assume that his wife will allow the purchase of new batteries.  I’ll keep you posted....

CD in Oklahoma

Edited July 21, 2019 by cdthayer

[bikermutt07]

5 hours ago, Grumpymann said:

Didn't think you were getting on my case, words have connotation and denotation (sp?).  And admitting when and where you are wrong is a part of being an adult. I was wrong about what an artisan is. We're cool. Thanks for straightening me out. Love to hear your take!

Don't feel like the lone ranger, I had the same assumption about artisans.

I was reading your post going, "yep, yep, that's on the money, yep."

Nothing wrong with a little humility from time to time.

[chrisash]

The Oxford dictionary description of a artisan, does not have quite the same meaning but rather watered down to modern times

artisan | Definition of artisan in English by Oxford Dictionaries

 

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/artisan

noun. 1A worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand. 'street markets where local artisans display handwoven textiles, painted ceramics, and leather goods'

[HaloJones]

So my 2p worth:

it’s a matter of perception, words (despite dictionaries) have fluidic meaning depending on what the speakers intent is.

I am a hobbyist leatherworker, I will never (in my opinion) be a master crafter as I don’t have the time to practice to get to that level and I am happy with that.

I see stuff forum members post on here & I am blown away; however, friends & colleagues have said my work is amazing; but this is because they do not know better or have not seen work from a leather professional.

Any one can give themselves a title, but the work will make or break their reputation, so I would suggest not to worry about others, be comfortable in what you call yourself & then let your work do the advertising.

 Slightly off-topic I can call myself a Chartered Surveyor MRICS ;)

 

[billybopp]

14 hours ago, cdthayer said:

I was going to try to lighten things up by mentioning that a bunch of us have been sort of left out of this conversation about Craftsmen and those that are above by not including the fine work done by the wannabees, shade-tree-sewers, rif-raf stitchers, part-timers, half-fasters, here-hold my-beer-sewers, and village idiots, but I decided not to....

CD in Oklahoma

 

LOL.  I love it!   And that's a great story about the golf cart too!   THANKS!  

3 hours ago, HaloJones said:

So my 2p worth:

it’s a matter of perception, words (despite dictionaries) have fluidic meaning depending on what the speakers intent is.

I am a hobbyist leatherworker, I will never (in my opinion) be a master crafter as I don’t have the time to practice to get to that level and I am happy with that.

I see stuff forum members post on here & I am blown away; however, friends & colleagues have said my work is amazing; but this is because they do not know better or have not seen work from a leather professional.

Any one can give themselves a title, but the work will make or break their reputation, so I would suggest not to worry about others, be comfortable in what you call yourself & then let your work do the advertising.

 Slightly off-topic I can call myself a Chartered Surveyor MRICS

 

Funny you should mention this ...I was just thinking before I saw your post, even ... Maybe you can call yourself a craftsman when somebody other than family or friends say something about your work and its fine craftsmanship.  

- Bill

[Handstitched]

G'Day,

If brick layers can  lay bricks,  why can't plumbers lay plums ?   

@fredk Just a little extension of what I said earlier in regards to the um....' competition' ,  marketing etc. , one particular market I used  to do, I did leather  craft demonstrations . I had a little bench , an old  fashioned converted bedside table with  a drawer, and space for stuff  , and a  spare marble slab, that I carried in an old laptop bag, carried all my tools,books  leather etc.  in a custom made  wood carry  case, all of which I still have.  They all fitted in the station wagon....just .  I did stamping, carving, tooling , hand stitching on sample sized pieces of leather ( all  of which I kept ) , everything except dying.   So if I wanted to, I could do leather craft demo's at markets   .   I thought of this just this arvo .  What a smarty bot bot I am eh?   

HS