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Chapter 11
Decorative Arts, Crafts, and Design
Instructor’s Manual
Overview
In this chapter introduce Decorative Arts, Crafts and Design. Discuss how many of the
everyday items we use—both handcrafted and mass produced are well designed
utilitarian art.
Sub Headers
• The Craft Media
o Ceramics
o Glass
o Fiber Arts
o Metal Work
o Wood
• The Studio Crafts Movement
• Contemporary Approaches to Crafts
• Design
Terms
appliqué
ceramics
forged
glassblowing
graphic design
industrial design
loom
matte
plastics
porcelain
raku
stoneware
throwing
typography
warp
weft
wrought
2
Lecture #1
Discussion:
In Lecture #1 discuss the different craft media: ceramics, glass, fiber arts, and wood.
Discuss the materials and the techniques used to craft the materials into usable art
objects. In contrast, also discuss the studio crafts movement and why some craft artists
have moved away from utilitarian objects in favor of making fine art objects.
Class Questions/Prompts:
The Idea of Craft Ask the class to try to define the word “craft.” What items do the
students associate with the word “craft”? Are these items cheap or expensive? Does it
conjure images of utilitarian goods like vases, pots, and rugs or items that are meant to be
appreciated as beautiful objects? What is the difference between fine art, decorative arts,
crafts, and design?
During the Renaissance, craft objects were degraded as mere handiwork, not designed for
serious contemplation or for aesthetic value. This distinction did not exist in other parts
of the world, such as in Japan where a teacup could be considered a priceless work of art.
How did the Industrial Revolution impact attitudes towards crafts and design?
Japanese Tea Ceremony The tea ceremony, a ritual performance in which the audience
takes part, is a unique aspect of Japanese culture. The setting, the ceremony, the artwork,
and the utensils are all supposed to conform to the principles of harmony, respect, purity,
and tranquility, and wabi, the principle of quiet simplicity. Discuss images of the
Japanese Tea Ceremony. Are these aforementioned aspects present in the ceremony and
the design of the tools used? What is the significance of calligraphy in the ceremony?
What is the significance of the floral arrangements?
Exercise #1
1. Analysis
a. Have students make observations on materials, methods,
cultural and historical context.
Figure 11-3 Exekias, Achilles and Ajax Playing a Dice Game (detail from
an Attic black-figure amphora), from Vulci, Italy, ca. 540–530 AD.
2. Compare and Contrast
Figure 11-7 Louis Comfort Tiffany, Vase, 1921. Favrile glass, 13” high.
The Museum of Modern Art, New York.
3
Figure 11-14 Harvey Littleton, Blue Crown, 1988. Potash glass with
multiple cased color overlays. Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana.
Lecture #2
Discussion:
In Lecture #2 discuss the importance of design and the fields of graphic design, industrial
design, interior design, and landscape design. Highlight the importance of design in many
of the interactions with spaces and objects we have every day. Use examples from real
life and the text.
Class Questions/Prompts:
Versailles Landscape design is the alteration of the earth for aesthetic pleasure,
something seen at a golf course or in your own yard. The garden of Versailles is built
around a main central axis nine miles long and includes a variety of plants, statues, and
fountains. Using images of the gardens, create a virtual “walk through” which highlights
a variety of landscape design, sculpture, and architecture found there. What do the
gardens communicate to you about King Louis XIV? Think about any landscape design
you have personally seen, such as golf courses or landscaping done around homes and
businesses. How do the designs you have seen compare to the garden of Versailles?
Exercise #2
1. Analysis
a. Have students make observations on materials, methods,
cultural and historical context.
Figure 11-24 Marcel Breuer, Club Chair B3 (Wassily), 1925. Tubular steel
and the textile Eisengarn, developed at the Bauhaus.
2. Compare and Contrast
Figure 11-31 Gardens of Versailles, 1669–1685, Versailles, France.
Figure 11-33 Isamu Noguchi, Gardens for UNESCO, 1956–1958.
UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France.
