The craftsmanship of a master is different from the elegance of an artist

I was watching a documentary on the history of Sushi and this quote grabbed my attention. It started me thinking about if there is really a difference between craftsmanship and art.

I started doing some research into the history and definition of "craftsman". Aspiring master craftsman would have to go through a series of career steps until they could produce a "masterpiece" and present it to a jury to determine if they were in fact good enough to join the guild and be considered masters. And now while many guilds do not exist as such, many trades still follow this model (think electricians and carpenters).

Florida State University has a "Master Craftsman Studio" that is an auxiliary (functioning in a subsidiary manner) to the College of Visual Arts, Theatre, and Dance (the artists). Here students see a working studio and are exposed to inner business workings including design, estimating, installation, and invoicing. It is meant to "demonstrate to students the confluence of creativity and entrepreneurship".  So here a master is someone who can mange transforming an idea to an item within schedule and budget constraints.

So are artists supposed to be elegant but not good business people. Is that where the concept of "starving artist" comes from? Do we loose some of our artistic nature if we are also can make a living at it? Is that why there is a pervasive belief that artists that become famous must "sell out" to do so?

So does a master craftsman automatically make art? I don't think that is right either. Things can be made beautifully, skillfully, and in a way that will last many lifetimes, but that doesn't mean they have a good visual aesthetic either. The items may last, but that doesn't mean that people will want the items hanging around that long.They can be made on time, and under budget , and the customer can be happy, but that still doesn't make the final piece art. Even if you try and call it art, time will tell the truth.

But looking at is another way I was thinking of "outsider" art and "tramp" art. These are beautiful things made by someone who has little to no formal training. It doesn't make them less of a piece of art, but they most often are not made by a skilled master craftsman.

So yes, I think there is a difference between craftsmanship and art, but the best have elements of both things, and if the artisan can make a living too, what a bonus!