If This is Saturday...What Time is it in Blogland? Rant Forthcoming...
No. I didn't intend that to make much sense. I'm absolutely exhausted from another craft show weekend - Friday night and Saturday. (Tis the Holiday Season, dontcha know?) While we had a decent weekend, it surely did not look like it was going to be last night, which caused for an even more stressful Saturday.
And I have a pet peeve I'm going to rant about right now, okay? Just click on by if you don't want to hear it! Come back in a couple of days and maybe you'll find my more normal knitting content and a kitty shot or two...
now...
WHAT on earth does the word "CRAFT" mean to you?
Does it mean, something an individual spends time creating with their minds and hands and raw materials? Is it something stitched, knit, carved, painted, even cooked for heavens' sake, but all carefully created with attention to detail by an individual who takes pride in the workmanship?
This IS a knitting blog, and I think probably I know that most of you reading will say "Why YES!" and then move along to add to my brief descriptions here.
Apparently, more and more and more, "CRAFT" does not mean this in the "CRAFT SHOW" arena.
Do you know what it apparently means now?
Any ticky-tacky thing made in another country with machines and almost-slave labor, knock-offs of designer originals for a fraction of the price, and makeup, jewelry and other home-show products that are created in a factory. OH...and especially the licensed items for the "home team" whatever one that may be.
Please don't get me wrong. I do believe in The American Way, I believe in capitalism, I think everyone should have the opportunity to make a living however they can in this day and age.
But don't call it a craft show if you're going to allow dollar store merchandisers in.
Craft is artisanship.
End of Rant...you may return to your regular knitting schedule!
And come see me at the Lee District ReCenter Juried Craft Show in Franconia, VA next weekend (Saturday and Sunday!).
I'm expecting an entirely different scenario there, from what I'm hearing. And it's also my last show before the holidays! Whew!
(((hugs)))
And I have a pet peeve I'm going to rant about right now, okay? Just click on by if you don't want to hear it! Come back in a couple of days and maybe you'll find my more normal knitting content and a kitty shot or two...
now...
WHAT on earth does the word "CRAFT" mean to you?
Does it mean, something an individual spends time creating with their minds and hands and raw materials? Is it something stitched, knit, carved, painted, even cooked for heavens' sake, but all carefully created with attention to detail by an individual who takes pride in the workmanship?
This IS a knitting blog, and I think probably I know that most of you reading will say "Why YES!" and then move along to add to my brief descriptions here.
Apparently, more and more and more, "CRAFT" does not mean this in the "CRAFT SHOW" arena.
Do you know what it apparently means now?
Any ticky-tacky thing made in another country with machines and almost-slave labor, knock-offs of designer originals for a fraction of the price, and makeup, jewelry and other home-show products that are created in a factory. OH...and especially the licensed items for the "home team" whatever one that may be.
Please don't get me wrong. I do believe in The American Way, I believe in capitalism, I think everyone should have the opportunity to make a living however they can in this day and age.
But don't call it a craft show if you're going to allow dollar store merchandisers in.
Craft is artisanship.
End of Rant...you may return to your regular knitting schedule!
And come see me at the Lee District ReCenter Juried Craft Show in Franconia, VA next weekend (Saturday and Sunday!).
I'm expecting an entirely different scenario there, from what I'm hearing. And it's also my last show before the holidays! Whew!
(((hugs)))
posted by Nana Sadie at 6:04 PM
10 Comments:
I totally agree with you about the definitions of craft.
Best wishes for a better craft show environment next weekend.
You are absolutely correct. every year there is a craft show at my sons school, and this year they decided to kick all those "crafters" out. So its not just you alot of people in many differnt places are sick of it
I agree! Good Luck next week!
I was pretty surprised by some of the booths. It seemed to go against everything crafty to allow a few of those things there. Maybe they should call it craft fair and flea market. Anyway, I got the cutest little checkbook cover there. :)
Thanks, Lisa! I hope you will LOVE using your Nana Sadie Rose checkbook!
(and I appreciate your feedback on the show, too. I'm getting over my frustration, but will definitely change my show venues more carefully in the future!)
(((hugs)))
Sallee--you're preaching to the choir. My mom and I went to a craft show that replaced our beloved show that was thrown out of the arena it had used for the last umpteen years. First--$6 admittance fee.....and then the crafts....sigh. I did find some great beeswax and lavender hand cream made on a bee farm, for lack of a better phrase, in the county next to ours. They also had unusual honeys, soaps, etc. Lavender honey--yumm. I see this as a craft even though it's edible because they have the hives there on the property, harvest the wax and honey, make the product, etc. But some of the stuff..... just tacky store bought stuff. Did see some great photography. I miss the old show in which the vendors were screened before being allowed to rent a space. Even then we were seeing a noticeable decline from year to year in the level of craft. I miss the folks from Pennsylvania, I think, who hand make wonderful wooden cooking utensils. I need new spoons. I miss the wonderful leather worker who made the purse I've carried for years. I miss the water color artist who made the print I gave dh for his birthday one year. Oh the quilts--miss those. Miss Carodan Farm who used to be a regular at this show. Anyway....I've thought about attending the huge show in Va Beach this year, but know that will be even more disappointing. I'd love to be able to get up to the Franconia show, but I don't see it happening. Maybe, just maybe I'll surprise us both.
I agree with you - if I went to a craft show and saw the junk you're describing - I would be peeved.
I totally agree with you. A lot of the "craft shows" are full of non-crafted items and it really upsets me when we make all of our own items.
Good luck at your next show.
Ruinwen
:)
It's not "craft" unless human hands made it. That's the bottom line. Then there is, as you said, artisanship. I think a crafter has to have some love or,at least, affinity for the materials, else it's drudgework - and yes, you can tell by looking at it, holding it, and just experiencing.
I am with you there... more and more it's like going to the flea market, which used to be about antiques not the dollar store, just to rant a little myself. I do appreciate some of the companies that use high standards to put on their shows; at least then you know the stuff for sale was made by the people selling it!
Post a Comment
<< Home