Response to Gina's post (Dewey's Dinnerware)

In Gina's most recent post, she poses a question: "Likely all would agree that the fancy tableware is art while on display on the shelf or in the cabinet, but does it decline in artistic stance when it gains in practical (yet still just as artistically beautiful for, the piece itself doesn't change) importance while presenting food upon the table?" This question reiterates focus on the intentionality theory. As I would normally argue with Goodman that "when" art occurs is the most important aspect when considering objects, I feel that many found artifacts, "fancy" dinnerware, or handcrafted furniture could have dual definitions-- that is to say that they could be art while at the same time serving a practical purpose. There is a difference between a white china plate and one with intricate designs. There is a difference between a leather couch and a set of furniture placed strategically in a feng shui pattern. I think that some craftspeople may want to construct something for more than just making a tool-they want to put a bit of themselves into it, therefore, arguably making them artists. Can an object be a piece of art and a tool simultaneously?