Perhaps a way to refine this understanding is to consider a different medium more typically believed to be artistic: film.
A director will construct the artistic vision (akin to the requirements/concept) and then work with film music composer to add music (analogous to development). Is the composer and artist practicing art? I would suggest that the word "craftsman" is better suited to the work the film composer does (assuming that they aren't also directing). That doesn't mean that a film composer cannot also be an artist in his/her own right, but in this context their input is arbitrarily limited by the artistic vision of the director... even if the director's vision allows for significant discretion by the composer.
Most development work, as you point out, has this separation of creative impulse from the implementing crafts. I do think there is "art" involved in programming, but only when the creative impulse is joined with the craft of development in a single mind.
Perhaps a way to refine this understanding is to consider a different medium more typically believed to be artistic: film.
A director will construct the artistic vision (akin to the requirements/concept) and then work with film music composer to add music (analogous to development). Is the composer and artist practicing art? I would suggest that the word "craftsman" is better suited to the work the film composer does (assuming that they aren't also directing). That doesn't mean that a film composer cannot also be an artist in his/her own right, but in this context their input is arbitrarily limited by the artistic vision of the director... even if the director's vision allows for significant discretion by the composer.
Most development work, as you point out, has this separation of creative impulse from the implementing crafts. I do think there is "art" involved in programming, but only when the creative impulse is joined with the craft of development in a single mind.