The cave is two levels high, contains several stat-boosting items, and the only wild Pokémon found inside is Smeargle. This is the only area in the third generation core series games (other than via the unused Altering Cave event) where the player can find Smeargle.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
Artisan Cave appeared from A Sketchy Smattering of Smeargle to Skirting Around Surskit II, where Emerald, Todd Snap, and all of the Frontier Brains, save for Noland, went there to investigate if Jirachi was there. As soon as they entered the cave, they were surrounded by a herd of wild Smeargle that attacked them; however, Emerald ignored them. Soon Emerald found Jirachi. However, when he tried to capture it with a Timer Ball, Guile Hideout showed up and sliced the Poké Ball in half with his sword, intending to capture Jirachi for himself. Following Crystal's instructions, Emerald chose to ignore Guile and focus on catching Jirachi. However, Guile then sent out all the rental Pokémon he had stolen from the Battle Factory to attack everyone, revealing the he was the one who had attacked Noland earlier.
Angered by this, Spenser, Brandon, Tucker, and Lucy attacked Guile Hideout, but he easily reflected all of their Pokémon's attacks right back at them with his sword without getting even scratched. While Greta used her Umbreon's Double Team to distract the rental Pokémon, Anabel used her Raikou's Thunder Shock to trap Guile in an electrical cage, leaving Emerald alone to focus on capturing Jirachi without distractions. After weakening Jirachi using Crystal's Bonee and Monlee, he attempted to capture it with a Luxury Ball. Although Jirachi went into the Poké Ball, Guile Hideout used his Surskit's Psybeam to prevent the ball from closing and then destroy it. He then broke free from the electrical cage and tried to attack everyone with his sword, but Emerald's Sceptile, Sudowoodo, and Dusclops protected them. When Guile tried to snatch Jirachi, it disappeared, and he left the cave to continue pursuing it.
Later, Noland was revealed to have visited the cave and captured three Smeargle living there, due to them having Sketched Jirachi's Wish, which he hoped to use to find Jirachi before Guile.