Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Craftivism

There is a term out there that is new to me that a friend recently shared with me: Craftivism = Activism + Craft. Wikipedia has defined craftivism as "a form of activism, typically incorporating elements of anti-capitalism, environmentalism or third-wave feminism, that is centered around practices of craft- most notably knitting. Practitioners are known as craftivists."

I think anytime you make something yourself it is a form of craftivism because a statement is being made, whether it is to purposefully avoid supporting "the man," or just ackowledging you can add more value to a product. Any one item you can make that avoids supporting a larger mass-production operation is craftivism.

Read more about the topic here:
Craftivism.Com
An article on Treehugger.Com
Etsy.com

Monday, December 6, 2010

Gifts Mom's Keep


IMAGE: http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/05/kids_crafts_for_mothers_day.html

Sitting on my Mom's desk at work is a heavy green-glazed hand-smashed turtle with a top hat that holds nothing other than paper clips. For over 15 years, maybe 20, the turtle has performed it job. My mom cherishes it. Because I made it. (Sorry, no actual photo available at this moment)

The turtle is not the only object that has held such a long life; there are countless other horrible pieces of pottery, decorations, and cards I have made all through her home. What these items hold is an emotional connection and a story. Surely a store bought paper clip holder may have been trashed years and years ago and she wouldn't have thought twice about the disposal. There is a lot of discussion about what green design means and how we can create products with a smaller environmental footprint. Handmade items hold meaning and connection that mass-produced items have a harder time developing.

I ran across an interview with Technology Designer GAdi Amit discussing green design, and his following statement made me think about that silly paper clip holder:

The problem with sustainability design today is the perception that it's pure mechanics -- let's analyze carbon impact, toxicity, and so on...Objects have a cultural meaning, and objects that are lovable, that are well integrated into culture, won't be trashed after five years, and so are sustainable. If the object is connecting emotionally, connecting culturally, people will keep it. ...The bottom line is there's no replacement for emotional connection. Sustainability promoters need to understand that without this emotional, cultural enabler, they face a very tough uphill battle.

I think we all have these top-hat-turtle objects in our life. Can this emotional connection be the driver for sustainable design? Can we design products that create such a bond that we want to hold on to, fix, and never replace? How can we create business models that can succeed with these old-fashioned mentality?

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Stories Disguised As Objects

The story behind an object is often where the beauty lies. Handmade objects provide a manifestation of how a person is feeling and often how they view the world around them. I love understanding artisan's process: how they get inspired, choose their materials, and execute their designs. I am fascinated by the internal thought process and the external influence.

Etsy has put together some great videos on the stories behind an artisan and their items. These stories add an incredible value to objects which mass produced items can't possibly match. Enjoy!



Thursday, December 2, 2010

Weekend Event: Urban Craft Uprising

IMAGE: http://www.urbancraftuprising.com/index.htm

Attention Seattle lovers-of-craft: this upcoming weekend (December 4&5) is the Urban Craft Uprising at the Seattle Center Expo Hall. It's free! Looks like there will be over 120 differerent vendors selling items from yarns to desserts.

There will also be a few book signings with Twinkie Chan, author of Crochet Goodies for Fashion Foodies: 20 Yummy Treats to Wear, Moxie, author of I Felt Awesome: Tips & Tricks for 45+ Needle Poked Projects, Anna Hrachovec, author of Knitting Mochimochi: 20 Super-Cute Strange Design for Knitted Amigurumi, and Kurt Reighley, author of United States of Americana.

Check out their website for more information. Doors are open from 11AM till 5PM. Hope to see you there!