These people slowly stopped acting as subsistence farmers (who created goods in their own homes to trade with neighbors) and began to represent what we think of a "craftsman" today.In recent years, crafts and craftspeople have slowly been gaining momentum as a subject of academic study. For example, Stephanie Bunn was an artist before she became an anthropologist, and she went on to develop an academic interest in the process of craft - arguing that what happens to an object before it becomes a product is an area worthy of study. The Arts and Crafts Movement
The term crafts is often used to describe the family of artistic practices within the family of decorative arts that traditionally are defined by their relationship to functional or utilitarian products (such as sculptural forms in the vessel tradition) or by their use of such natural media as wood, clay, ceramics, glass, textiles, and metal. The Arts and Crafts Movement originated in Britain during the late 19th century and was characterized by a style of decoration reminiscent of medieval times. The primary artist associated with the movement is William Morris, whose work was reinforced with writings from John Ruskin. The movement placed a high importance on the quality of craftsmanship, while emphasizing the importance for the arts to contribute to economic reform. Studio crafts
Crafts practiced by independent artists working alone or in small groups are often referred to as studio craft. Studio craft includes studio pottery, metalwork, weaving, woodturning, paper and other forms of woodworking, glassblowing, and glass art.
Craft fairs
A craft fair is an organized event to display and sell crafts. There are craft stores where such goods are sold and craft communities, such as Craftster, where expertise is shared. Tradesperson
A tradesperson is a skilled manual worker in a particular trade or  craft. Economically and socially, a tradespersons status is considered between a laborer and a professional, with a high degree of both practical and theoretical knowledge of their trade. In cultures where professional careers are highly prized, there can be a shortage of skilled manual workers, leading to lucrative niche markets in the trades. See also
References
External links

 Media related to Crafts at Wikimedia Commons