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Creativity

The blurred line between art, craft and design

Casey Milone interviews artist Sam Stubblefield

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Casey MiloneSeptember 24, 2024
Your whole job as an artist is to make the observations that broader society isn't having.
Sam Stubblefield

In this conversation with Sam Stubblefield, Casey Milone leads us on a journey to understand the relationship between art, craft and design, from Sam’s perspective. They discuss Sam’s thoughts on the synergy of art and technology, the role craft in design play in carrying an artist’s message and the commodification of art.

About the artist

The Studio of Samuel Stubblefield relentlessly pursues intuitive curiosities. As an individual artist, Sam has exhibited visual, sonic, performative, interactive and immersive works alongside artists such as Marina Abramović, Carl Andre, Louise Bourgeois, Jeff Koons, Yoko Ono, Keith Sonnier, Hank Willis Thomas, Richard Tuttle, and Lawrence Weiner.

He has also composed music and performed live with a number of Grammy-Award-winning artists, symphonies and choruses, including vocalists from The Brooklyn Youth Chorus, The New York Metropolitan Opera, and numerous musicians and bands.

View Sam’s work

Interview Summary

0:25

The synergy of art and technology

Sam elaborates on being a horizontal artist and how it grants him an opportunity to work with different types of mediums. He also shares details on the range of work his studio takes on, from installations to video and sculpture to works of art involving music, tech and architecture.

Sam Stubblefield sits in a modern studio filled with an eclectic array of equipment and materials. In the background, a large, vividly colored sculpture resembling a stylized flower adds a dramatic flair to the setting
Sam stands focused and engaged in his modern, minimalist art studio. He looks intently at a laptop on a standing desk, surrounded by art materials and technical equipment. The photo embodies the blend of art and technology in his creative process.
1:58

Art versus craft versus design: a blurred line

In exploring the overlap between art, craft and design, Sam challenges traditional boundaries, questioning where one ends and the other begins. From Sam’s point of view, craft and design are essential for communicating artistic ideas.

He talks through the ongoing debate in the creative industry on the definition and value of art versus craft versus design.

9:35

Artistic integrity in the face of commercial pressures

Sam discusses how collaboration influences his artistic process, stating, "Whoever I work with, they change my process because they bring things. They know things I don't know." This philosophy underpins his approach to creating art that is enriched by curious and diverse perspectives.

I can have an original idea and observation I make in society, or in nature, but when I want to connect people with that idea, that's where craft and design come in. They're how I reach inside this person and resonate with them.
Sam Stubblefield
15:32

The role of artists in society

Reflecting on the balance between maintaining artistic integrity and navigating commercial pressures, Sam shares his views on the commodification of art. He argues that artists should focus on making the observations that broader society isn't having," thereby allowing art to be a critical, insightful and transformative force in society.

25:54

Investing in artistic growth

Sam talks about the importance of investing in your artisting growth, highlighting that no amount is too small. He also tackles the often pondered question of when an artist knows they've 'arrived.'

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Casey Milone

Casey Milone is an author and creative director living in Victoria, British Columbia. Over the course of his career, he has been given the opportunity to help rebrand Alaska Airlines, launch products at Microsoft, and drive AI messaging strategy at NVIDIA. His latest work of fiction, ALGO, is self-published and can be found on his website.