Is Handcrafted Equal To Hand Carved?
Hand carved vs machined artwork can tip into a major debate. At the core of this argument is value. We first need to define hand crafted.
I would like to begin with one clarification about fine woodworking. Many artists will say their work is handcrafted yet large portions of their work is machined.
If a wood carving is machined as opposed to hand carved, does this still qualify for handcrafted? Absolutely yes. Why? This goes into the whole argument of what is better, or rather what qualifies as genuine handcrafted wood art.
There are some who say that if a work is machined then it is not handmade art. Hand carving would be required to qualify for handmade. Typically these arguments can be found among more elite buyers or art guilds who set qualifying standards for those they take in.
As I am not a part of, nor do I ever desire to be a part of a guild, I have never faced these issues. Yet for those who believe this I will break down their logic rather quickly.
A Broken Logic
I promise that at some point modern machinery has touched the material a wood artist works with. Whether it was a chainsaw, mill, table saw, band saw, electric sander, a cnc mill, modern technology was used at some point. So allow my logic to be answered by those who claim only hand carving wood should be allowed to qualify as handcrafted.
Must a master chef use a pot belly stove and wood fire to qualify his work as fine cuisine? Would anyone hire a house painter and require them to use the tools from 100 years ago and make their own paint? If one hires a plumber would they require no pvc to be used but instead materials and tools from 50 years ago?
The answer is no. In fact the best artists who work with canvas and brush today use modern tools with more options than ever before in their paints. No one would rationally require an artist to use the same tools and materials as Michelangelo.
Our Machined Modern Reality
Why does this idea of hand carving wood persist in this modern era then? It simple. To do this requires amazing skills in woodworking beyond what most people can possibly imagine. Its amazing. Yet here is the problem. Those who do this kind of amazing art never obtain anywhere near the value of their artwork for the skill they have.
Within our modern “fast food” and “Walmart” priced society it is a very difficult sell. Because of this culture the value in art and the artisan skill have become lost. The very sad part is that this kind of art form is becoming extinct within the Western world. This is where I see the benefit of guilds as they seek to preserve this history.
Nevertheless for the purist it is absurd to expect people to produce this kind of work yet desire to purchase at the same price as mass produced items. Furthermore it is equally absurd to disqualify modern machinery for art that an individual artist uses saying his work is not handcrafted. Each artisan throughout history used the tools of his time. It is no different for us within our era and to place a sudden dis-qualifier on those today is historically hypocritical.
Each form of woodworking as a visual art has its place. It is indeed sad to see hand carved artwork fade into history. It will slowly become a thing of the past just as how we take for granted the food we purchase at our local grocery. Few children have ever dug their hands into the earth to plant their food. It is a lost connection to the past.
An individual artist who has his tools still applies his hands to the work. Unless one has worked in this nature it is difficult to understand the knowledge and skill one must acquire to create beautiful pieces of art even with modern machinery. If anything machinery allows for more exploration into what can be done, the added beauty to the artwork, and additionally the accuracy which can be achieved.
The Technology and Economic Forces At Work
The two driving factors which push machined artwork into the forefront cannot be changed. The first is technology. Few are willing to work without gas powered engines or electricity. The electric saw is a powerful tool and so are tools such as CNC mills. It is not the future but rather our present reality. Despite this reality it does not equal mass produced. Mass production has no artistic form but rather it becomes generic room decor.
The second driving force is economics. One who only hand carves wood today does so as a hobby not a profession. If it is a profession he must become highly elite and sought after to survive otherwise he will starve to death. You pay for more than the artistic creation and material. You pay for the time out of the artists life that it took to create that artwork. Time is not a cheap commodity.
Which one is better? Neither is better. The real question is which one do you the buyer prefer? Each has its benefits, costs, and drawbacks. The truth is, if the art speaks to you in some way and you desire it then do not worry about it. Enjoy the value of the wood art for what it gives you and buy it.
What kills me is seeing quality artists at a convention selling their life in an undervalued way through old art guild practices. Meanwhile the art guild excludes others for hypocritical reasons. Unfortunately for many who create they have few other options to reach the public with their work.