"Artisan" breads I understand. Artisan lettuces, not so sure. I guess it's inevitable that words like 'artisan' and 'heirloom' would go the way of 'gourmet', becoming hideoulsy overused and wrongly applied for marketing purposes.
But I did buy something called Artisan Romaine at the new Trader Joe's yesterday, and it's definitely not like anything I've ever purchased anywhere else. Having grown romaine, I can assure that this isn't just baby romaine with a fancier name--it's a short head, about 6" tall, very full and robust. The leaves are a bit curlier in the way things get a curly/siezed look when they're shrunk, and the color is more contrasty than usual, a lovely pale white-green at the base and very dark at the tips. A breathing cello package of two was $3. I have yet to prepare anything with them so I can't report on the flavor, but I love the look of these--they should be fab for a grilled or whole leaf preparation.
Have you seen "artisan lettuces" showing up in your area?