Ashton Crabtree Fuentes English 1101-9 7 November 2013 The Arts and Crafts Discourse Community

When researching what is it that makes people of a discourse community different from others there are a variety of things to consider. A discourse community is a group of people working together towards a common goal and interacting with language and vocabulary that is specifically related to their work. Some examples are sports teams, people in the medical field or people in an Arts and Crafts class. People in Art Class may not realize they are a part of a discourse community until an outsider comes in and has to have clarification about what the members are saying or doing. When someone is involved with a discourse community they have specific words or phrases they use to communicate with and unless you are a part of that community, you do not understand their language. Everyone shares a specific group goal. In an art class everyone has the same goal which is to produce quality work; but members also have their own personal goals. When group members share the same discourse but have specific goals they are called a community of practice. A community of practice is a group of individuals who share genres, language, values, concepts, and ways of being (Geertz, 1983), often to distinct from those held by other communities (Johns, 500). A community of practice describes an Arts and Crafts Class better than a discourse community would because it is more specific. In a

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discourse community everyone shares the same common goal and works together to achieve that goal. Look at a soccer team, they all have the same goal to win the game and they use specific language to communicate. In a community of practice everyone shares the same language but members have their own tasks or projects they want to get done. To accomplish their projects they have different names for materials and certain sayings for how to use those materials. In an Arts and Crafts class students offer valuable advice to each other and respect others space, materials, and each other. In an interview with Lizzie Tart, a member of the Crafts Class at Clayton High School in Clayton, North Carolina, Lizzie talks about her experience in a community of practice. We were all able to collaborate on our ideas and share our inspirations. I asked Ashton A LOT what she thought about different color schemes, patterns, or techniques I used on different projects.(Tart, Interview). This is an example of how in the class students would work together. Part of participating in a discourse community is that everyone supports each other and offers advice on how to improve their work. They asked opinions about what color schemes would work together or if a specific pattern would be able to be chalked onto the project. To chalk something onto a project simply means to print off a picture or quote and cover the back of the paper with chalk. Then you flip over the paper, picture side up, and place on the project to start tracing the image. When you pick up the paper the chalk is left behind and you can paint the picture. Students also asked others about the different mediums of artwork. Because paint comes in many different types, students had to be careful not to mix for example, acrylic and oil based paints on a project. There are also other paints for indoor projects

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and outdoor projects as well. When it comes time to add the finishing gloss to the projects that have been created artists use a hard shellac type substance called resin. Artists must know how to properly use resin so that the misuse of it will not damage their finished work. Using resin is a time consuming and hard task. A benefit of being involved with a discourse community or community of practice is that you make connections with the people and are able to gain knowledge from one another. Tart also says it was very easy to just go to one another for help on a project or ask advice on techniques (Tart, Interview). All the members of an Arts and Crafts community want to see each other succeed on their projects. After observing an art studio on the University of North Carolina at Charlottes campus one can gain more insight about communities of practice and discourse communities. When walking in, expect to find students hard at work on their projects. They will most likely be so wrapped up in what they are doing to not even notice someone came in. With so much focus on their specific tasks the members rarely talk to each other. In an art studio there are multiple understood things that are going on that make up for the small amount of communication. The observer would have to be careful not to touch a piece of artwork in the studio. It is extremely hard to know what is still wet or unfinished. Also, an important piece of information is to never just pick up a piece of work and move it. If an artist is in the process of finishing a project but had to step away or come back another day to finish, a note would usually be left on the project saying DO NOT TOUCH! in very big and noticeable letters. Just as every discourse community and community of practice have conflicts, so does an Arts and Craft class. Sometimes students are placed into classes they do not

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particularly like. When this happens the student is not motivated to do the work or put forth the effort needed to have a passing grade. Tart describes the kids who did not appreciate Art by saying They were disrespectfuland they abused the supplies (Tart, Interview). As you progress through school and you go to college students are more serious about their education. Tart was in a high school Arts and Crafts class where some students did not care about wasting supplies or doing the work. With observing the studio one can expect something completely different. Students will not waste anything and tend to put forth twice the effort because majority of the students want to make a career out of Arts and Crafts. They do not take their opportunity to go to school and learn to better their skills for granted. Whenever a group of people who share the same interests are together they all work together to help each other grow and learn. Every community of practice and discourse community has its advantages and disadvantages. By being part of either one someone can gain knowledge and experience about a certain topic and acquire skills specific to that area. If someone was to join the arts and crafts community they would become a better artist by learning the basic rules of painting, drawing, and art in general. Learning about the different color schemes and what colors go together is part of the foundation for Art. As you progress you would learn all the different techniques for starting projects and easier ways to create an art project. Upon first joining a community it can be challenging to learn the discourse and understood meanings of things. Unless you have heard the discourse before it will take a little longer to adjust but it is still possible.

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Works Cited Geertz, C. (1983). Local Knowledge: Further Essays in Interpreted Anthropology. New York: Basic Books Johns, Ann M. Discourse Communities and Communities of Practice: Membership, Conflict, and Diversity. Text, Role, and Concept: Developing Academic Literacies. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge UP, 1997. 51-70. Print. Swales, John. The Concept of Discourse Community. Genre Analysis: English in Academic and Research Settings. Boston: Cambridge UP, 1990. 21-32. Print. Tart, Lizzie. Personal Interview. 2 November 2013.

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