ENTWINEMENTS

Here are some current Japanese pieces that show the network effect.

And these are more snow flakes, all of these are on cotton cloth.

Posted by Karren at 11:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My collegues have not yet gotten comfotable with comments oin the blogosphere but my 4 parts on the future of our market (1, 2, 3, 4) has generated dicsussion by email and telephone. Shibori Girl commented on her blog, "shibori ramblings... ",Dec.21 .Here is some email that came from Jacqueline Rice and her partner, Uosis, of Guild the Lily.

Now onto your blog and your interview with Stacy Jarit of Artrider, what you have to say is very interesting and jibes with our own experiences exactly. This past year has been our worst. We did shows in both Westchester and Washington DC. The Westchester was so-so, and everyone there said Washington DC was a much better show. WELL, it was not better. Other people near us and some having done it long time were in shock. Some told us we got into this biz too late, the good ole days are over, etc. We're not doing Atelier this February as it conflicts too much with ACC and we're feeling too old to struggle so hard. ALSO the past few shows with Atelier have not been very good, getting a little worse each time. I'm fed up with Atelier, but Uosis is more hopeful. We have decided to try and do more retail shows and send pick boxes to a few of favorite retailers to make up for not being at Atelier. Uosis called a number of them before we made this decision to see how they felt about pick boxes, and they were all very supportive of that idea. What they'll buy of course remains to be seen. Sometimes with pick boxes we let them keep the stuff for a month and try to sell from them, sort of like a trunk show without having to be there, which works well for us, as we don't feel like we're good at selling in those circumstance, as the sales staff usually works on commission and seems a little miffed at our taking their sales (very subtle----but there).

We have heard from a number of people that things are horrible and if they trying to earn a living from this whole thing, they are sinking fast. We luckily have my pension and soon my social security to back us up. If we didn't have those sources of income we'd be out of it too. We, just like many other makers, love what we do and can't seem to stop.

I recently talked with Paul Smith at SOFA and asked him how the ACC conference, held in Houston this past October, was and asked him if he knew what it's purpose was---he said it had no decernible purpose. Then I heard from some friends of mine that Garth Clark (NYC gallery owner/author/historian in the ceramics field) gave a talk at the Corcoran in DC recently, and he raked the ACC over coals for the worlds MOST BORING conference ever. Lee Eagle was in the audience! ACC had invited him to attend the conference, etc. He is VERY well respected and incredibly experienced and knowledgeable----why they don't pick his brain along with others like Murray Moss of Moss in Soho, I'll NEVER understand. I have been keening and whaling about this stuff from the time I was on the ACC board. They WILL NOT LISTEN. Mark Lyman who recently owned SOFA was on the board at that time and he and Marc Grainor (the new chairman of the board of ACC, now) were the ONLY people who wanted to talk to me at the one and only board meeting I attended. Marc still is open to my thoughts----so not all is lost.

Recently I started writing a little piece to them, before the Garth Clark diatribe at the Corcoran (I may get his talk in writing at some point, I'll pass it on). I'm racking my brain trying to think of some positives that will persuade the ACC to work MUCH harder on how to include a younger cohort, both makers and as customers. I for one refuse to go down whining. What really baffles me is the obvious thing about the shows, is that they are cash cows for the ACC, so why don't they put more effort and money into them? Why a useless conference? I HATED being on the board, but still feel that I want to say things to them, BUT will it make a difference?
I'm including what I've written, but not sent to them, to you. It's still in draft form, so excuse the errors etc. (some of this has been said to the ACC in my exit letter, that they solicited) sorry about the length:

DRAFT COPY 12/2006

Dear Marc,

IS THE CRAFT AUDIENCE DYING?

It is time to move on from the preservation of status quo fine crafts, and expand how we sell fine crafts.

It has been apparent for quite sometime that the business of craft shows, and craft collecting is on the wane. Observations range from declining sales to an aging population of collectors, disaffected younger maker/buyers, along with fear for a future that will only embrace the world of design and imported mass production. Even suspecting that fewer and fewer people really want what we make is a great motivator for change.

The word craft appears to becoming more and more degraded, which answers superficially the question is the fine crafts audience dying. Careful scrutiny of what these many different crafter venues are proliferating finds there is still a link to how the American Craft Council promotes Fine Crafts. But we can certainly see why the ex-Craft Museum and others under took the arduous task of changing their name to eliminate the use of the word “craft”.
Recently I found some very interesting things that are a window into possible solutions, perhaps not as we would like it, but given the current state of general unhappiness and economic malaise, they may have potential.

FILLING THE VOID

DIY=do it yourself venues

Craftland
Craftster.com
Bazaar Bizarre/Not Your Granny s Craft s
In Providence there is a group of young people who sponsor a show only at Christmas time, usually in abandon ‘for rent’ or lease spaces in down town Providence called “Craftland”. The work shown is a range of hand made goods appealing to all that care about individuality and artistic expression. Attached are the website connections with related venues, like Craftster.com, that especially cater to a younger audience who still love make the handmade. These places also demonstrate the keen interest that the next generation has in hand making things for sale.

Whether these somewhat primitive and naive activities will help the fine craft business at ACC shows remains to be seen. It won’t be easy as the under 45 of today are extremely hip and they do vote with their wallets. Often their iconography is repellent to those from older generations. One thing I know for sure is that humor, playfulness, whimsy, music, body art, are a large part of the picture.

People to include in assessments of current state of affairs:

Nina Garduno---Free City Supershop, Malibu, California
Joseph Holtzman---former editor/publisher NEST interiors magazine
Simon Doonan---window dresser/mastermind at Barney’s NY
Murray Moss---leading edge design retailer NYC
Bennette Bean---artist 2006 room designer for ACC
Garth Clark---you know why!!!!
In California Nina Garduno who works as the men’s fashion buyer, for the highly regarded retailer Fred Segal in Los Angeles, known as a “hard edged fashion business” has started her own venue called Free City Supershop, in Malibu. I’m attaching a copy of the article in November 30, 2006 Style section of the NY Times, for you to read for yourself. In this article a tip off regarding the future, is how even Gap, a mass producer, is attentive to this woman’s vision.
The over arching theme that connects these two, Craftster.com and the others mention above and Nina Garduno, is the idea of authenticity, of not just selection but personal and intuitive expressions for real life. So much is mass produced in China, Taiwan, Bangladesh, India, etc. that we see everywhere, it seems certain that people have a craving for something much more complex than more “merch.” The ideas expressed in NY Times article, by Cathy Horyn, about Nina Guarduno seem prescient indeed.

I remain convinced that Moss and DeVera in NYC are still very important to our venture into the future. If you connect what those two savvy retailers are doing with that of the Craftland group and Nina Garduno there begins to be a coherent but not static vision emerging.

GRANDMA’S CLOSET

Since fine craft makers have a certain sensibility and age demographic that seems cast in the concrete of good taste and well made, as content, it would be a challenge to introduce new thinking instantaneously. Here are some ideas that might energize the current situation.

Let go of the ‘my space’ concept for the greater good regarding the way exhibitions are perceived. Think of the experience of shopping at Anthropologie, a bastion of the young, where it is like a bazaar without walls. (Anthropologie and ABC Carpet, are retailers who have that particular kind of authentic vision which appeals to those of us who love faux old, whimsy, color and sometimes irreverence.)

· A no booth policy would require a large scale visionary to co-ordinate the vast quantities of items shown at current craft shows, which would help change the way the shows look and give new talking points for the media, not just the same old, same old.

· The current jurying process indicates that since the ‘same old’ get in everywhere, (especially prevalent in shows like Evanston and the Smithsonian) one has to conclude that the next generation of maker isn’t even applying to these grand old craft shows. Which leads to the idea that an ‘invitation only’ process needs to be added to these shows to engineer capturing a younger cohort. A separate boutique like area could be established for these selected things, specifically appealing to a younger vision. Additionally selected items from the ‘juried in’ exhibitors could be included. This would only be effective if the attendance of a younger cohort could be increased so someone sees and buys this work.

· Using the gallery as an additional filter. The venue SOFA attracts many especially fine makers and numerous active collectors. SOFA is a show with the selection filter of the gallery. This provides for exceptional quality with work from high end craft makers. A clue could be taken from this, in that just the individual jurors don’t provide the most effective mechanism for showing excellence from many different age perspectives.

· Adding an exchange program that includes work from the likes of the British Craft Council would be another talking point for the media. We’re One World Now.

· More ways of including a younger cohort of makers: the younger maker cannot show in the current craft shows for two reasons, the cost of doing the show is prohibitive and isn’t covered by their sales as the audience for their work doesn’t attend. So what to do? (The Mentor program is a good start, but too small and too cheaply supported.) Corporate funders need to support named scholarships for new comers, if you like, ‘seed money’ for the future of a new generation of makers and consumers.

Since ‘Grandmas closet’ is a term younger people think of when they refer to the current craft show exhibitions. I have seen this in writing and heard younger people refer to what we do, in this disparaging and very telling way, repeatedly. It seems imperative that measures for including them in our venue is a survival tactic both cultural and economic.

Getting the word out to attract the younger maker and customer would require a dramatic change in the language and advertising methods currently used. At one point during the Baltimore show a couple years ago there was an attempt to use photos of young people enjoying crafts, it greatly offended a lot of the exhibitors. You gave up too soon.

By going to the Craftland information you will see Bazaar Bizarre (“Bazaar Bizarre: Not Your Granny's Crafts!” find this on amazon.com) both shows specifically established by the next generation, which indicates two things to us; that there is keen interest by younger makers and that they are establishing their own venues. It would also be educational to know or at least witness the attendance at these shows, for both ages and numbers of attendees. The work made to sell in these venues is not fine craft, but it does embrace the ‘hand made’ ideal. I’m well aware there will be intense resistance to the inclusions of any of this kind of thing in our current shows, but this is the (much) younger generation, and to ignore them is at our own peril.

LETTING TURKEY INTO THE EU

There maybe another mechanism that could include the next generation of makers and consumers into our shows. Last years Bennette Bean rooms were extraordinary, appealing to us on a personal level, but his vision is part of the same old, same old.

· Attitudinal merchandise is called ‘street wear’, which Simon Doonan from Barney’s NY and Nina Garduno from Fred Segal in Los Angeles employ at the highest economic end. Another person who knows about attitudinal mind sets is Joseph Holtzman former publisher/owner/editor of “Nest” a magazine about interiors, has experiences directly related to how we live, he could possibly be of use. His recent venture is a book titled “Rooms”. Brain storming with these people could give ideas for connecting the current (read: OLD) fine crafters with the new crafters.

There needs to be a bridge between the generations, think of it as letting Turkey into the EU. I for one, refuse to see us just whimper, whither and die out. If any of these suggestions were acted upon the mainstream press would have something to say, they are hungry too, for new ways of thinking. Current craft show formats are not conducive to sales or even the press taking notice. The press has to come up with something to say everyday, 24-7. Media attention is paramount to the economic survival of all craft makers.

Posted by Karren at 04:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

This is the first of a series on itajime shibori. I will include a bit of history, techniques and contemporary work and many pictures since you have waded through so much text recently.

There is a chapter in my book, pages 78-82 on fold and clamp.

This is a very accessible technique, very simple tools are need to do it. You fold up the fiber into a packet and then squeeze the packet together while you dye it. Varaiations limited only by your mind.

Historically this technique was used to dye diapers in Japan. Diapers tend to wear out so not a lot of them remain. And these are indigo on cotton, a favorite of the Japanese but diffusion of the indigo adds to the beauty of the designs, often referred to as snowflakes.

Sometimes a template is placed on top and below the cloth packet and used to compress the packet. Here is DeAntonis doing it.
Her itajime work is straight forward and stunning. I like this Japanese design.

It looks to me like it was dyed brown, clamped and discharged to celery.
My students have typically put a round shape in the center of the packet. The results, on a good day, are may circles spaced out on the cloth.
From Laura Hunter.

The Japanese work tends to emphasize the edges of the packets that are connected into a network.

To get this kind of design the folded cloth packet and templates arethe same shape but the templates are slightly smaller than the packet so that only the egdes of the cloth are exposed to the dye.

Itajime is a technique that works in two colors such as white and indigo or many colors, or discharging and combinations. It works on many kinds of fabric and paper. It takes skill to fold acuarately for the network patterns. Clamps can be as simple as boards and rope or as fancy as wood working ones.

I like the paper that is done in this technique because it emphasizes the diffusion... soft fractal edges.
.
You can buy these kinds of Japanese papers or you can make them. Tomorrow we can do some paper together (wrapping paper?). You will need some absorbent papers (several kinds) and something to color it-- India ink, watercolors or fiber reactive dyes since paper is cellulose. Bring your origami skills.

Posted by Karren at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Parts 1, 2 and 3.
All of this thinking started with the conversations with Stacy Jarit of Artrider, but in the end this is my interpretation.

From the “Sea of Gray” organizers and exhibitors have perceived a need for younger exhibitors and younger customers. I don’t know if these are the same problem or different ones but lets take them one at a time and then see if they are related.

How to appeal to younger customers, Jarit talked about her attempt to get younger people to the show; they came they were in awe but they didn’t buy. Now money maybe tighter in the people with new homes and small children, but surely some of that group has disposable income. I suspect that our refined costly objects don’t fit into their life style. They might prefer to spend their disposable income on flat screen TV or latest cell phone or Blackberry-- meaning that they value different things. I don’t see much enthusiasm for objects or things in the younger generations. Some how expensive things seem oppressive. Maybe we have truly moved to the Experience Economy where you are not interested in a gumball for 25¢ but if the gumball rolls down a track and lights come on as it passes by you will pay 25¢, not for the gumball but for the fun.

ACC has ideas that repetitive booth structure of our craft fairs is boring to our customers. Customers are used to a much more sophisticated or fun shopping environment. I have to agree after a visit to Anthropologie; being in the store was exciting, the kind of excitement I remember attending the early craft shows in the 1960’s. Both ACC and Jarit have tried to move exhibitors out of their comfort zone and change their displays. Artrider tried it at a small 40 exhibitor show; only 6 participants tried something new. Jarit felt her attempts were unsuccessful because it is too much work for the exhibitors.

What does too much work for the exhibitors mean? These are hard workers who already put in long hours at their studios and on the road. Their booths have many functions; display, lighting, selling (sales receipts, credit card machines, informative info, mailing list), stock storage, packaging, and security and exhibitor support ( floor padding, water, food). Oh yes, and the materials must be fire proof for public spaces. Booths have slowly evolved from the card table days and no good idea goes uncopied. This is a lot to pack into a 10” x 10” space and it must be portable! That means that you can pack it into your vehicle, get it there, unload it and set it up. The reverse, knock down and pack into the vehicle and move out, must be accomplished in a few hours on Sunday evening after selling all day. Some exhibitors even ship their booths. Not a trivial redesign project.

Demonstrations are much loved by the public and would seem to add the experience/educational aspect to the fairs. Making is a messy business that requires many tools. My experience is that demonstrations somehow detract from selling. Is it because I am not in the booth during the demo or is it because demos appeal to makers rather than buyers? Jarit thinks that it is an increased burden on the exhibitors – more stuff to pack, carry and plan. If it is held in a separate place it removes exhibitors and customers from the selling field. Such events are poorly attended; time is a very scare commodity today. Attending a lecture or demo is just one more thing to accomplish during the few hours at the show, before meeting your friend, spouse at 4 PM. In the booth space is a problem—the booth with its tiny footprint is already fully utilized. So an improvised space can block the flow of foot traffic in your booth or the surrounding ones (endears you to your fellow exhibitors and the fire marshal).

So how do the customer learn how it is made? Somewhere other than our craft shows. This educational mission was mentioned in part 3. Once they have some idea of how your craft is made, details about your specific process can take place in the booth. I have decided that the blogosphere is one place that this type of exposure can take place and you readers are part of that experiment. No wonder you were named person of the year by Time magazine.

The idea of time as the scarcest commodity leads us to a new phenomena-- the multipurpose activity. A craft event that fits into this is visiting artists’ studios. This type of cultural tourism is organized with maps and organizations. The tourist acquires a map, via mail, Internet or handout, and then travels to several artists’ studios in a localized geographic area. There maybe a designated time, such as this weekend 10-6PM, here's the Yellow Springs one. So far the most successful are in the rural NE (Putney Craft Tour), a densely populated region adjacent to urban areas. The urbanites are attracted to the quaint rural areas in addition to the artists studios- makes a nice day trip. Getting people into the studios is ideal for education, you have all your tools there and it is easy to demonstrate with multiple works in progress. Some studio tours are less successful; could be location or distances. I don’t think all the variables are fully understood yet.

Is the Internet the future of Fine Crafts? Yes and No. This kind of work has not been a hot seller on the web. The Guild, an organization with many years experience in selling Fine Art and Craft, from a book sized catalog published several times a year, started a website, Guild.com, to sell on the internet in late 90’s. They were very enthusiastic and even I signed up. In two years with them they sold one scarf. So maybe, I think, a scarf is something that you have to see and touch and then try on. They have since returned to a printed catalog along with the website and are still selling the same type of fine art and craft to the same clientele that they built that their business.

So what types of crafts are selling on the web? A search of eBay in my field, shibori turns up nothing interesting made in the USA. Handmade things for sale on eBay seem to work best at around $25. I can’t make things I’m proud of and make a living at those kinds of prices. What about Handmade Catalog, Yabble Babble and Etsy? My idea is that they are outlets for hobbyists. Possibly important as a way to get your feet wet in the field, but the prices are discouraging low to anyone thinking about health insurance, so I don’t know if it hurts or helps. The prices on Etsy have moved up a bit but I don’t see anything say in women’s jackets like what is available in the Fine Craft Shows(Guild the Lily or Latifa Medjdoub, . In general clothing, especially unusual things you must see, touch and try on before you buy it. So I don’t think that the web is a big seller.

The websites can play a follow up role for people who do go to the shows. If some one saw something and wants to buy it later, the website is an easy way to see images to remembering the possibilities. Mark Thomas said that his site has increased sales after the shows.

What about younger makers? Here the web and blogs have shown me the exuberance of young makers. Whip Up, a group blog, and Ready Made, by the magazine, can show you the show the enthusiasm, skill and creativity of these younger makers. They make thing from different materials and different esthetics than my generation. These sewers maybe recycled or reconstructed. Remaking t-shirts is an activity that spawns books. But then most of the fabric stores have closed and there are many T-shirts available in drawers or thrift shops. So the starting materials are different but the ideas and discipline are both there, these are the future generations of makers.

Now these makers are selling at places like Craftacular (the Dec.11th,06 entry), with informal booths and DJ’s the whole time. Audiobook give-aways. This rocks! Selling at a party. I don’t know if my oldest customers would enjoy the DJ’s or even be able to carry on a conversation (needed in order to buy) in this kind of venue. I might be ready to give up the circuit after three days of loud music.

The future of selling crafts, as a way of life, is probably detectable somewhere in the fog and sound of Craftacular.

Posted by Karren at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

See part 1 and part 2.

The Sea Of Gray

One looks out from the balcony above an exhibit floor and surveys the exhibitors as they mount their displays and one sees many gray heads. If one surveys the customers as they enter the show you see mostly gray heads. This is the sea of gray at the craft shows today.

Both the exhibitors and customers are predominately from the same generation. The exhibitors, developed their passion for making as an off shoot of the 1960’s. They were also looking for a different quality of life. The customers’ and collectors’ passion for the handmade comes from the same roots. These people are also in a phase of their life when they have disposable income.

The majority of women who shop ( as in most of retail, 80% of the shoppers are women) at the craft shows have an abode and are finished with most of their child rearing tasks such as college tuition, and feel like they have earned a little self-indulgence. And their svelte, youthful figures have rounded a bit. The big name designers are not making clothes for them so they come to us for something unique, colorful clothing with a strong sense of design. Or a bit of jewelry not found at the mall.

I commented to Jarit that crafts or handmade objects do not seem to be an interest of the younger people. She said that Artrider advertised for a while in a publication called Time-Out, both the print and on-line version. This publication appeals to a younger demographic, and included a coupon. When some one showed up with a coupon from TimeOut they got free admission and an exit interview. She said they were blown away by what they saw, awestruck. They had no idea that this kind of thing existed! They also said that things were too pricey for their life styles.

So Jarit and I talk about what too pricey for their life styles means. These are people with many demands on their income: cars, new homes, possibly children. It is harder to be middle class today. Yet they have iPods, computers.... How do they decide what to buy with their disposable income? I don’t think that having an exquisite handmade pot has the hotness factor of latest cell phone. Do they even have the aesthetic awareness to know what is exquisite and handmade? Is how something is made of any real importance or is it only the object and it’s price that is important?

Jarit feels that the long term deletion of art education in the public schools is now taking its toll, people have no aesthetic criteria for evaluating what they see. Visual arts education is videos, TV and movies--that is what is readily accessible. Many have no idea how anything is made, if fact they don’t believe that anything time consuming or tedious is made in this country today. How do people become passionate about handmade objects or the process today?

This is not just a national phenomena, it is overseas too. Japan, a culture with National Treasures and a four different words to define different aesthetics (iki, shibui, hade and wabi-sabi) is not renewing its ranks of craftspeople. Who should be educating people about crafts? schools, universities, museums, organizations? Schools don’t even have clay for the students. The American Craft Museum has changed its name and a lost its way . The American Craft Council is struggling to get the details of the shows even close to right so they have no energy left for educating. We are left with the crafts magazines-- American Craft, FiberArts, Fine Woodworking.....

The word crafts has many different meanings, I’m not talking dictionary meanings. The American Craft Council held focus groups in several different cities to see what people thought of crafts. They were asked to bring in pictures of crafts from magazines and such. They brought in pictures of the kind of things that they might make at home. Then they were shown pictures of what we make. They could see that they were different, and asked to name what we are making all groups came up with the term “Fine Crafts”.

Coming next the final installment: What’s in the Future for the Designer Craftsmen Movement?

Posted by Karren at 01:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

See part 1

Evolution of the Designer Craftsmen Movement

Jarit explains that the USA Designer Craft Movement started in the 1960's as an alternative lifestyle. The rebels made their wares and sold them outdoors on a card table covered with a hippy cloth.

The movement grew, the American Craft Council started its shows in 1966 in Vermont (American Craft Council history). The movement grew more and retailer started to open craft galleries to satiate the appetite for handmade objects created by these first makers. In 1977 the American Craft Council held its first Winter Market in Baltimore with 300 exhibitors.

In the early 1980’s Wendy Rosen founded the Rosen Group with a goal to bring business expertise and infrastructure, such as wholesale shows and magazines, to the crafts market. The crafts people began wholesaling and saw a big improvement in their life styles, now being able to afford braces for their children’s teeth and an occasional stimulating vacation. The crafts market grew in the 80’s and 90’s. The globalization of the market place and the rise of retailers whose handmade aesthetic was pioneered by the crafts people made for some rough patches, but by enlarge the crafts makers adapted.

CODA has documented the size and economic impact of the crafts’ market, in 2000 the market was $13.8 billion. 93% of the craftspeople were Caucasian, 64% female and the median age was 49 years. Most work at home.

Jarit thinks that history will see the flowering of the craft movement and market place as a phenomenon of the late 20th century.

No one is doing as well as they were in 2000. After 9/11/01 the wholesale market collapsed. The retail market continued to do relatively well with a strong patriotic component, Made in the USA. There has been lots of attrition in exhibitors since 2000, especially in the middle ranks. But craftspeople are resilient and adapt, those who were doing wholesale only have moved back into the retail market. They do more shows, travel farther--what ever it takes. This means that the good shows are more competitive-- more applications for the same number of spots. The Smithsonian Craft Show can have 1200 applications for 120 booths.

It is very different to brake into the market today. In the 60’s one could start on a shoestring; a card table, cover, and hippy dress. Today one must have the same talent plus make and investment to have effective photography to jury into the show, a striking display, a merchant account to take credit cards....

So now one works their way into the top tier of shows. Jarit feels that part of her mission is to steer exhibitors to right show or festival. And she pointed out that although she organizes shows in the top tier, the more open and accessible shows are an integral part of the marketplace. Exhibitors start with a simple booth and grow. People stumble on a craft show in a park and have their first encounter with handmade American crafts and the passion starts.

To be continued in part 3-- The Sea of Gray

Posted by Karren at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stacy Jarit was kind enough to spend an hour of her time with me at Park Avenue answering questions and sharing her observations about the crafts marketplace.

Jarit started on the circut making and selling enamels. Since 1982 her organization, ARTRIDER, has produced crafts shows, currently doing 6 shows each year. Her shows are in the NYC area, the largest market place in the country. Her shows are juried, selective, competitive.

She refers to the exhibitors at her shows as Designer Craftsmen. The price points of the work for sale is the high. Some of her exhibitors (no web accessible images) also exhibit at the American Craft Council Shows (they have images and links) . These exhibitors (full disclosure requires that I state that I am one since 1990) are professional; that is this is what these Designer Craftspeople do full time and is the way they make their living. They have an expertise and vision in their field. They also run a small business; doing such administrative things as collecting and paying sales tax in several states, marketing tasks such as photography to generate jury slides and postcards. They also pack and transport their booth and wares to the show--the marketplace. Then they construct their booth and set up their display. They sell for 3 or 4 days. Tired, they tear down the booth and take it home again. Jarit says these Master Designer Craftsmen are the best: have talent, know how to market their wares and are very hard working.

There are other tiers of shows; one is acessible to hobbists and retirees. And a middlemarket where people struggle to earn a living. These shows are just for selling direct to the public, some crafts people also sell to shops and galleries and there are different shows for that.

Brito: Do you see any changes in the craft market place say since 2000?

Jarit: Absolutely! Big changes.

Part 2. The evolution of the Designer Craftsmen Movement.

Posted by Karren at 04:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anyone can comment, authenticated commenters will be published immediately, other will need to be cleared by me before they are published.

I really appreciate your input and I think the interview with Stacy will be thought provoking so I hope this method allows us to talk and keep out those who have no interest in our conversation.

Posted by Karren at 02:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The blog has been getting hundreds of junk comments. So I turned off all comments until I can delete them all and prevent them from posting. Hopefully it will be a short interruption.

Posted by Karren at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I returned from Crafts Park Avenue and have no more shows until the Spring season starts in Feb. 2007. I did an interview with Starcy Jarit of Artrider and will share as soon as possible.

The best sign on the road this time was on on a truck, as I pull up behind an 18 wheeler, I look up and it says--mall delivery. I checked it twice not mail, mall.

Shows and events are the only way to see and touch my shibori. The beauty of the color, how it changes as the silk moves, is not accessible in images. Use the botton at the right to sign up for our notification list. We will send you one postcard when we come to an area that you select. I will update the show list soon.

Posted by Karren at 07:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)