Arts and Craft Movement :Philosophy

   Arts and Craft Movement :Philosophy

Stones well, Copt Oak, Leicestershire, England.

Art and Craft furniture :Stoneywell.

Stoneywell,National Trust

Stoneywell: Desk and type writer.

Interior door bespoke craftsmanship.


Cut rock staircase traditional cave Arthurian tales.Stoneywell, National Trust.


Traditional deep window ledge, Stoneywell, Leicestershire.


" The beliefs that a well designed environment -fashioned with beautiful and well crafted buildings,furniture,tapestries and well crafted buildings-would serve to improve the fabric of society for both producers and consumers. Together with the idea that the material and moral fabric of society were connected" (Arts& craft movement by Steven Adams, Apple press 1989)


Arts and Crafts artists and designers philosophy links to contemporary fair trade consumer interest that a product was also the result of contented labour disregarding the manor of production created by the industrial revolution.
The Arts and craft movement started half way through the 19th century incorporating a variety of different art practices including , artists, crafts people, writers and poets.
They were interested in the revival of medieval-ism and christian values.
In the late 1870's Arts and Crafts were being exported across the globe.
In America, the Arts and Crafts movement and it's homespun appeal was inspirational for the infinity of the american population who were pioneers, building and making,cutting out their new lives within a new landscape full of Nature and idyllic live styles of simple living.

Shaker communities in the USA were creating simple furniture and buildings which echoed many of the creative and social ideas of the Arts and Craft movement. It's interesting to note the link between social and religious beliefs that run parallel with social and religious values.
Ideas resonated through the material and moral fabric of society were connected and linked to societies harmony and moral framework.  
Thomas Carlisle (1795-1881) and Ruskin wrote about the horrors of the industrialism and the romanticism of medieval rural idyllic England.
William Morris wrote that Art is Man's expression of his joy of labour, an expression that the industrial factory life removed.
Ruskins values of a crafted medieval society which had none of the engine turned precision of modern industry retain a sense of humanity.As Ruskin says "Men were not intended to work with accuracy of tools , to be precise and perfect in all their actions.If you will have that precision out of them and their fingers measure degrees like cog-wheels and their arms strike curves like compasses, you must unhumanize them". 
Pre-industrial society retained an understanding and element of humanity that the industrial revolution removed.
Similar to shaker values arts and crafts activities occurred inside of communities were their was a shared passion within a community.