Artist vs Artisan

The words artist and artisan are often very confusing for
most people although there is a key difference between the two
words. An artist is a person who performs any of the creative arts.
This can range from painting to music. An artisan, on the other
hand, is a skilled worker who makes things by hand. The mere
definition of the two words can be rather confusing because both
involve the creation of something. The key difference is that
while the product or output of an artisan has a clear functional
value, this may not be the cased for an artist. The output can be
an expression of the beauty of art itself without having any
functional value. Through this article, let us examine the
differences between an artist and an artisan.
Who is an Artist?
An artist is a person who performs any of the creative
arts. This captures all forms of art. For an example, a person
who paints can be referred to as an artist. In the modern
world, the term artist is also used for musicians as well. This is
why people often tend to hear the words ‘young artist,’
through media to refer to emerging musicians. Here it is
important to highlight that the term artist is not only
attributed for those who create art as an occupation, but also
for those who are skilled in a particular activity such
as drawing, designing, composing, etc.
• The specialty of an artist is that he is able to create art for
the sake of art itself without needing any ulterior motives.
Some artists create their works of art for the satisfaction of
the society in which they live. In this case, they have to
confine to the societal demands and limitations. However,
there are also others who go beyond the social restrictions
and create art for the pleasure of creating. It is believed
that through art the artist can create a change in society.
This is because art appeals to all senses of people.
 Who is an Artisan?
An artisan is a skilled worker who makes things by hand.
This includes various objects ranging from jewellery to
furniture. An artisan should not be confused with an artist
because there is a clear difference in the things that they
create. An artisan is able to produce something that has a
functional value; although it should not be limited to its use
value alone. However, it must be stressed that there are cases
where the objects created by an artisan has only decorative
value.
• Most artisans have the skill of adding aesthetic value to
the objects that they create. This transcends the object
from a mere object of utility. This is why most handmade
objects are much more expensive than mass-produced
objects.
Leonardo Da Vinci (1452–1519)
• Renaissance painter,
scientist, inventor, and
more. Da Vinci is one of
most famous painters in
the world for his
iconic Mona Lisa and Last
Supper.
• Mona Lisa, also called Portrait of Lisa
Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo,
Italian La Gioconda, or French La
Joconde, oil painting on a poplar wood panel
by Leonardo da Vinci, probably the world’s
most famous painting. It was painted
sometime between 1503 and 1519, when
Leonardo was living in Florence, and it now
hangs in the Louvre Museum, in Paris, where
it remained an object of pilgrimage in the
21st century. The sitter’s mysterious smile
and her unproven identity have made the
painting a source of ongoing investigation
and fascination.
• There has been much speculation and debate regarding the identity of the
portrait’s sitter. Scholars and historians have posited numerous
interpretations, including that she is Lisa del Giocondo (née Gherardini), the
wife of the Florentine merchant Francesco di Bartolomeo del Giocondo,
hence the alternative title to the work, La Gioconda. That identity was first
suggested in 1550 by artist biographer Giorgio Vasari. Another theory was
that the model may have been Leonardo’s mother, Caterina. That
interpretation was put forth by, among others, Sigmund Freud, who seemed
to think that the Mona Lisa’s mysterious smile emerged from a—perhaps
unconscious—memory of Caterina’s smile. A third suggestion was that the
painting was, in fact, Leonardo’s self-portrait, given the resemblance
between the sitter’s and the artist’s facial features. Some scholars suggested
that disguising himself as a woman was the artist’s riddle. The sitter’s identity
has not been definitively proven. Numerous attempts in the 21st century to
settle the debate by seeking Lisa del Giocondo’s remains to test her DNA and
recreate an image of her face were inconclusive.
Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890)
• Dutch post-
impressionist painter.
Famous paintings
include; Sunflowers, The
Starry Night, and Cafe
Terrace at Night.

The Starry Night

Rembrandt (1606–1669)

• Dutch Master. One

of the greatest
painters, admired
for his vivid realism.
Famous paintings
include The Jewish
Bride and The Storm
of the Sea of Galilee.

The Jewish Bride

Michelangelo (1475–1564)

• Renaissance sculptor, painter

and architect. Famous
paintings include his epic
ceiling mural on the Sistine
Chapel.
• Creation of Adam is one of his
greatest work.
Claude Monet (1840–1926)
• French impressionist
painter. Famous paintings
include Waterlilies, Women
in Garden, and Impression
Sunrise.
•

Women in Garden
Pablo Picasso (1881–1973)
• Spanish, modern
‘cubist’ painter.
Famous works
include Guernica and
Bird of Peace.

Guernica
Raphael (1483–1520)
• Italian painter. Raphael, da
Vinci and Michelangelo make
up the high Renaissance
trinity. Famous paintings
include Mond
Crucifixion and The Wedding
of the Virgin.

Mond Crucifixion
 Auguste Renoir (1841–1919)
• French painter, one of the early
pioneers of impressionism. Also
influenced by Italian
renaissance. Famous works
include Dance at Le Moulin de
la Galette and On the Terrace.

Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette

 Jan Vermeer (1632–1675)
• Dutch painter who
specialised in genre painting
– vivid depictions of still life.
Famous paintings
include View of Delft, Girl
With a Pearl
Earring, and The Milkmaid.

View of Delft
 Paul Cezanne (1839–1906)
• French post-
impressionist painter.
Famous paintings
include; The Card
Players and Still Life
with a Curtain.

The Card Players

Fernando Amorsolo (1892-1972)
• Labelled the
country’s first
National Artist in
1972 by then
President Marcos,
Fernando Amorsolo
is often known as
the ‘Grand Old Man
of Philippine Art’.
‘The Fruit Gatherer’, 1950
 Juan Luna (1857-1899)
• The young Luna studied at the Ateneo de
Manila, and studied designing at
the Academia de Dibujo Y Pintura in
Manila
• In 1875, he obtained his certificate as a
pilot or seaman at age 17. He traveled to
Spain in 1877, and entered Escuela de
Bella Artes in Madrid
• In 1881, Juan Luna won the gold medal
for Death of Cleopatra ( later sold for
5000 pesetas). In 1884, he painted his Spoliarium, 1884
best known work, the "Spoliarium"
José Joya (1931-1995)
• A Filipino pioneer of
Abstract expressionism,
multi-media painter José
Joya uses bold and
vibrant colours with a
variety of painting
techniques, layering,
loose impasto strokes
and controlled drips. His
harmonious colours are ‘Granadean Arabesque’, 1958
influenced by Philippine
landscapes and tropical
wildlife
 Ang Kiukok (1935-2005)
• Born to Chinese immigrants, Ang Kiukok is the
pioneer of Philippine modern figurative
expressionism. Rewarded as the country’s
National Artist in 2001, he was one of the
most successful commercial figures on the
local art scene from the 1960s until his death
from cancer in 2005. Like Amorsolo, his
paintings are popular at auctions and have
received exceptionally high bids at Sotheby’s
and Christie’s. He is known for his distinct
‘The Fishermen’, 1981
cubist and surrealist portrayals of the
crucifixion of Christ and mother and child.
 Benedicto Cabrera (1942-present)
• Fondly known as ‘BenCab’ in the
Philippines, Cabrera is the best-
selling commercial painter of his
generation and a prominent head
of the local contemporary art
scene. He studied under José Joya
at the University of the Philippines
and received his degree in Fine
Arts in 1963. His fruitful career has
spanned five decades, where his
paintings, etchings, sketches, and
prints have been exhibited across
Asia, Europe, and the US.
‘Sabel in Blue’, 2006
 Ernest Concepcion (1977-present)
• Concepcion is a studio artist whose
work experiments with intense
emotion, deconstructing images in
his paintings, sculptures, and
installations. He creates art like
recording a music album, where
each painting is from a series of
nine. Concepcion describes it as
producing an old favorite, a classic,
sleeper hit and one piece he
doesn’t really like but keeps coming
back to. 'OMG CHRIST', 2015
 Ronald Ventura (1973-present)
• Ventura is a contemporary artist from
Manila, with a Bachelor’s degree of Fine
Arts in Painting from the University of
Santo Tomas. He initially taught in the
same school after graduating but found
his true calling as a visual artist after his
first solo exhibition at the Drawing Room
in Makati in 2000. Ventura’s work is
known to consist of multiple layers, using
imagery that focuses on the human form.
His paintings are a dramatic union of
comic sketches, reality, and graffiti. He 'Grayground', 2011
draws inspiration from Asian mythology,
Catholicism, science fiction and comic
book characters.
 Dex Fernandez (1984-present)
• Another Caloocan native, Dexter
practices a variety of mediums
ranging from painting to street art
and animation. He most recently
participated in art residency
programs in Lir Art Space,
Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2013), Asian
Cultural Council in New York, Fine
Arts Work Center, Massachusetts
(2015), and Ongoing Art Center,
Tokyo (2016).
• His work is influenced by pop
culture, graffiti, children’s drawings,
'Heartache', 2018
and tattoos – creating pieces that
challenge people’s views on fine art.
 Neil Pasilan (1971-present)
• Brother to artist Diokno Pasilan, Neil is a
Bacolod-born artist from a family of craftsmen
and boat builders. He is a self-taught visual
artist who displayed creativity as a child.
Pasilan has moulded clay figures for most of his
life and continues to use this in his work.
• Currently based in Manila, he has become
known for his paintings that hold multiple
layers, using different mediums to expose new
forms. Pasilan’s work has been represented by
'Isla Hubad', 2012
the Drawing Room of Manila, Artinformal
Gallery, and West Gallery. A notable
collaboration with Raffy Napay was featured in
Art Fair Philippines in 2017.
 Glass Blowers – Murano, Italy
• Located just north of Venice is the island of Murano, one of the
best places in the world to see the art of glass blowing. Although
the island’s unique industry may have altered somewhat since its
beginnings in the 8th Century (the art form originally developed
in the Middle East around 300 BC), it remains a thriving
industry. Using a hollow steel tube, the molten glass is pulled
from the furnace and rolled into shape on a steel table, known as
a marver. Blowing into the pipe, the warm air causes the glass to
bubble, at which point it is reworked until the desired shape is
achieve. Demonstrations given by Murano’s extraordinary
craftspeople can be seen year round.
 Knife Makers – Tibet, China
• Like many Artisans around the world, the 20th Century saw Tibetan
knife makers struggle to maintain their trade. But, with support
from the Chinese government and the artists’ continued
perseverance, Tibet’s knife makers are clinging on. Following the
teachings of their forefathers, workers reply a variety of materials;
copper is often used for the blade, whilst the horns of bulls and
antelopes, along with wood and metal are used for the
handles. Protecting anyone naive enough to stoke the razor-sharp
blades with their fingertips, knives are never without their sheaths.
Made from animal hides, wood and horn, the coverings not only
provide protection, but allow the artists the opportunity to
showcase the splendor of their work.
•
 Leather Tanners – Fes, Morocco
• Continuing a craft that hasn’t changed since the 11th Century, Morocco’s
leather tanners provide a lasting example of how arts of the past can be
maintained in an ever modernising world. Amidst the low-lying buildings of
the Moroccan city of Fez, you’d struggle not to be moved by the colour, and
indeed odour, of the city’s most famous tannery, Chouara. Set out like a
giant sheet of honeycomb, the large stone vessels built through the square
are filled with scores of colourful liquids, some, such as the cow urine vat,
less pleasant than others. And, wading thigh-deep through the liquids are
the Artisans. First treated and then stained in natural dyes – such as saffron,
henna and cedar wood – the final stage of the process sees the skins
thrown onto the surrounding roofs where they are left to dry in the heat of
the North Africa sun.
 Ikebana Flower Arrangers – Japan
• Ikebana is a Japanese art form which brings together both nature and
humanity. For most, flower arrangement involves the placement of various
different blooms, cut at their stems, into a vase. However, in Ikebana –
which translates literally to ‘flowers kept alive’ – the welfare of the living
plant is as integral as the beauty of the final composition. Abiding by a
number of rules – materials must be living, colours and shapes pleasing to
the eye and, moreover, the displays must have meaning – the artists remain
silent during their work, allowing them to enhance their appreciation for
nature. Differing from the artisans of many other countries around the
world, Ikebana is far from a dying practice; it is taught widely in schools in
Japan and is televised regularly for those keen to appreciate it beauty from
home.
 Flamenco Guitar Luthiers – Madrid, Spain
• The beauty of the song that resonates from the strings
and body of a flamenco guitar are matched by the artisan
behind it. Traditionally made from rosewood, sycamore,
cypress and spruce, a flamenco guitar is the result of
centuries of fine tuning, if you’ll excuse the pun. From
using the right wood and polishing the fret board to
bending the ribs of the inner body, a visit to one of the
many guitar making workshops in Madrid, Spain is a great
way to see the luthiers at work.
 Calligraphers – Pakistan
• Calligraphy is the art of designing and producing decorative letting with a
pen or brush. The origins of calligraphy, much like many crafts, are difficult
to identify, for it was a practice that grew from many corners of the globe,
from Europe to East Asia and the Islamic world to the Mayans. Although the
art has evolved since its beginnings, it still remains as an important trade in
many countries. One of the world’s most renowned calligraphers is
Khurshid Gohar Galam, from Pakistan. Khurshid Gohar’s work, which
includes almost 500 different calligraphic styles, is widespread throughout
the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, adorning mosques, tombs and many other
important buildings.
 Rug Makers – Turkey
• For centuries, the Turks have been knotting rugs. With variations in climate,
society, history and the economy, materials for the craft vary from place to
place, from cotton to wool and viscose to silk, the finest of the four threads.
Raised on farms in Turkey, the silkworm cocoons are harvested and then
soaked in steaming water. Teasing the strands from the cocoons, workers
spin the silk onto large wooden wheels, after which it is twisted and then
coloured with natural dyes. Unlike many other countries, Turkish rugs are
double-knotted, giving them strength and durability. The patterns and
symbolism of the rugs are often extremely intricate, making their work all
the more impressive.
 Jade Lapidaries – Hokitika, New Zealand
• Long before the Europeans (or, pākehā) landed, the native Māoris had
been fossicking in the river beds of New Zealand’s South Island for jade,
known to the Māoris as paunamu. Intricately carving the stone into
decorative forms, the treasures were passed down through the
generations, each with its own meaning and increasing cultural value.
When the Dutch and the British arrived, they too established a love for the
greenstone, though undoubtedly for different reasons, valuing it strength,
durability and beauty. Hokitika, on the west coast of the South Island, was,
and still remains, the best place to discover the jade, where
demonstrations and workshops now allow you to view and learn about the
carvings from the artisan masters.
 Azulejo Tile makers – Lisbon, Portugal
• Dug up in Southern China, archaeologists determined that the
oldest fragments of pottery dated back some 20,000 years. With
such a vast timeframe in which to evolve, it’s no wonder the
world is now steeped with a deep history of ceramic
production. One such example is that of the Portuguese Azulejo –
delicate, glazed tiles, with such an extensive past that they now
embed much of the architecture and decor throughout the
country. Uniting the tradition of the Azulejos with today’s
modern structures, cities such as Lisbon provide a great
opportunity to see the work of present day tile makers.
 Origami – Japan
• Paper folding has been an art form long practice by many
civilizations around the world, from Europe to Asia. Perhaps
the most famous of these, is the craft of origami
in Japan. Comprising the arts, science and mathematics, this
longstanding tradition, still practiced today, held value in
many areas of the Japanese society – from the iconic paper
crane, worn as a fashion piece, to the representation of a gold
stone, burnt during a funeral.