What is the definition of an Artisan?

From Wikipedia, the definitive source for all things factual

An Artisan (from French: artisan, Italian: artigiano) is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates things by hand that may be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture, decorative arts, sculptures, clothing, jewellery, household items and tool

I think the marketing aspect of the word is what has brought it to be almost synonymous with "quality". It is also particularly responsible for the devolution of the word to render all but meaningless.

For some time, the word "artisan" implied that it was made by someone that cared very deeply about what they were doing, and by proxy, a high=-quality product that is not available in mass-produced quantities.

However, over the last 10 years or so, the word has lost all valuable meaning. We have Miller and Budweiser working together, making an "artisan" beer. I call crap on that. No chance that Miller Brewing Company is making small-batch brews by hand...especially not if Budweiser, the king of alcoholic sewage is a partner.

We have Boboli bread making "artisan" pizza doughs that are frozen in your local supermarket next to a cooler containing "Artisan asiago cheese" made by Kraft. Not a chance that these products are actually artisan made, and only a very slim chance that they are of any better quality than any other frozen pizza dough or mass-produced cheese-product.

We have to either change our understanding of the word "artisan", or become much more discerning as to what we allow to be sold to us as "artisanal".

It is either purely a marketing term, like "flame broiled" or "farm fresh", or it means something special. More and more it seems to be nothing more than a marketing term designed to grab your attention and make us feel like we are getting something special, when we truly are not...

Even Wikipedia includes the word "Skilled". Just because someone makes something by hand, doesn't make them an artisan.

Many of these definitions would exclude all shave artisans or include all of them. I don't think you are an artisan just because you make something by hand, that is too broad.

Small batches? Nothing outsourced? Money driven? No machines used?

Show me an Artisan soap maker, razor maker or brush maker that doesn't have money at the top of their motivators and I'll show you an artisan who probably won't be around in a year.

I still have yet to pocket one single dollar so far. Any surplus revenue has been reinvested in the company thus far so I can have fun making new scents and doing new projects. So far I'm 10 months into it.

But I guess technically I don't make soap, so maybe that doesn't count. But certainly money hasn't been my singular focus and longevity is most certainly no issue here.

It's definitely become a marketable term with a very loose meaning. But consider this: There are a lot of products in the wet shaving world that the community refers to as artisan, despite that claim never being made or implied by the product's creator. Since the term is generally considered to be positive, it doesn't make a lot of business sense for them to start a crusade to change that perception. However, if asked directly, that person should answer appropriately (IMO).

To touch on earlier conversation, I think it's also reasonable to claim something is artisan, even if you didn't make it directly (assuming it came from an artisan source). My expectation there is that you cite said source. Maggard's private label soap is a good example of that.

hawns

But after 10 months, you would still be considered in the growing stages. You can sustain it for a while, knowing that the money will eventually start coming in? Would you continue to do what you are doing, knowing there will never be a profit?

Either way, I don't see too many people in it just stuff for the fun. It's a business for most. Be it their main source of income or supplemental income.

As for me, I consider my go-to soap Artisan. Even though they make no claims on any label or description, make a lot of it and are likely driven by money.

To answer the dichotomy that BadDad offers at the end of his last post, I tend to think that "artisan" is a marketing term, largely because I find defining what is and is not an artisan to be largely impossible. That's not necessarily a bad thing, by the way. Marketing is not inherently evil lol .

hawns

But after 10 months, you would still be considered in the growing stages.  You can sustain it for a while, knowing that the money will eventually start coming in?  Would you continue to do what you are doing, knowing there will never be a profit?

Either way, I don't see too many people in it just stuff for the fun.  It's a business for most.  Be it their main source of income or supplemental income.

It's unreasonable to expect any artisan to not turn some sort of a profit. The question is whether or not profit is the main motivator.

However, if asked directly, that person should answer appropriately (IMO).

To touch on earlier conversation, I think it's also reasonable to claim something is artisan, even if you didn't make it directly (assuming it came from an artisan source). My expectation there is that you cite said source. Maggard's private label soap is a good example of that.

Your definition is very pure, and I appreciate that (except hunting the Buffies). But lets go back to 1888.

"Artist is a practiser [sic] of fine arts
Artisan is a practiser of vulgar arts

Mechanic is an Artisan in the mechanic arts

The artist ranks higher than the Artisan. The former requires intellectual refinement in the exercise of art; the later requires nothing but to know the general rules of his art"

Am I incorrect to think you might consider yourself an Artist by your own definition?

BTW,

"Artificer, one ... who does or makes according to art ... manufacturers are artificers"

And you do not have to grow the lavender Although  you do get points for making your own plastic containers.

Do you have to drill for and produce the hydrocarbons used to make the plastic? Neil Young would not approve

Crap, I guess I need to go figure out where I can buy some sheep or just stop using lanolin.

hawns I believe you are able to buy sheep credits from local shepherds who have excess sheep.