Organically Coptic Ligature

Letters, I get Letters, I get stacks and stacks of Letters! No one ever comments on my blog, I assumed it was because no one reads it, but alas and alak I have offended and I need to set the record straight. The name has been changed to 'Gentle Reader' to protect the innocent, but I felt the need to continue the conversation and she had written anonymously so I can't whack 'reply' and get back to her.

Gentle Reader: Hello! I was referred to this link by my mother. I am an indie crafter. While I enjoy the work of many
other indie crafters (and non-indie crafters alike), there is a lot of work out there that I, like you, find aesthetically
unpleasing, and quite frankly, cheaply made and poorly crafted. So what? How is that a threat to me? Or to you?

Sandy: It isn't a threat, it simply lowers the expectations of quality in things called 'craft'. We (me and my peers) have fought all our lives trying to achieve good craftsmanship, attention to detail, and original design and execution. When we see things poorly done or done with trite design it trivializes all we have worked for these many years.

Gentle Reader: I think its more important to focus on the quality, craftsmanship and meaning in our own work and seek
out work that is inspiring to us (my sister talks about this a lot) rather than disparage the work of others—others who
you do not know, who have individual life experiences and backgrounds that brought them to make and share their
work. Furthermore, what makes you an expert on what is art, what is craft and what is simply made? What makes any of
us an expert?

Sandy: Oh I certainly don't claim 'expertness' in anything- I have been working for 30 years as a high school art teacher, a full time studio artist (now slacking off), and have traveled all over the country teaching quilters how to free their work up, how to access their own creativity, and how to have faith that they have something of their own to say and don't need to imitate others. I am known for encouraging folks to try new things and not listen to the nay sayers. My in-person rant that I delivered time and time again is that EVERYONE IS AN ARTIST, and as soon as they believe it themselves, things start to happen. So, that's where I am coming from. As far as being an expert on art, craft, and now my new category, certainly some things fall easily into one of these categories, others straddle the lines. I am not going to judge individual items, I was commenting on the gestalt of the whole movement.

Everyone starts somewhere! I used to do needlework kits and paint by numbers when I was a kid. I taught myself to crochet so I could make clothes for stuffed animals. I learned to sew at 10 and was making all my clothes from about 13 or 14 on- and believe me I don't know how my mother could have let me out of the house. But all this stuff, and my passion for 'Make' drove me to work on the details and put the zippers in correctly again and again until I got it right. Because I was born with this need to Make, I went to art school and majored in design- and the projects got better the more I worked at it. I was a child of the 60's and was sucked right into the early 70's craft movement. I learned I could do most anything and did- macrame plant holders for all the spider plants, lumpy ceramics, tie dye curtains in purple, and embroidery holding together the seat of my levis. I was a weaver by night (hence my fascination with Ed Rodssbach!) and held a day job to keep myself in yarns, but finally wrangled my way back to school to make myself more of an artist and learn to teach, which I found I love.

Gentle Reader again: I am a self taught artist who is making it (ie: people buy my work because they like it; and it’s
allowing me to make a living). Whether you like my work or not, many people do. In my opinion, it’s good for
everyone: I enjoy making and others enjoy my work. We are all on a trajectory of developing our craft, and we are all
working with various levels of experience. Because something is not aesthetically pleasing to you does not mean it
does not have value to the maker or to others, or that the crafter/artist won’t develop something that is of greater
quality as they continue to explore and grow. Let the market weed out those people who are selling stuff that is not
well made or takes no skill.

Sandy again: Hey, more power to you if you are making a living at it! After 30 years I am making enough to support my art and that's about all! I wish you hadn't taken my rant so personally- I don't know your art and certainly wouldn't attack it even if I hated it! I am happy you are getting positive feedback and are continuing to grow and develop your work too. And I agree, the market will indeed weed the garden out. I was just in a hurry for some of the weeds to get pulled right away!

Gentle Reader again: The indie craft culture is not monolithic. We are a diverse set of people, ranging 20-30 years
apart in age, some of us, with varied levels of training (some are extensively trained!). I think if you took the time to
learn about the backgrounds, training and work of some of the artists featured in the film, for example, you might
be surprised at what you learn about them—Jill Bliss is a perfect example.

Sandy: I don't know any of the people in the film, nor the makers of the film, I was simply commenting on the Indy movement as was the producer. Some of the short interviews are interesting and I really do want to learn more about the artists and what they do.

GR: To quote my sister, an indie crafter herself: “What i love about the indie craft movement is that it has gotten a
whole generation of people out there making things, trying things and supporting others who make things.” In an age
dominated by an obsession with labels and technology, this is completely refreshing to me, something that makes the
world a better place and gives me hope, even when I see things made from polyester felt.

Sandy: Hey, we agree here! (But couldn't the polyester felt people learn to do their own wool felting?) I absolutely support anyone trying anything in any media they can get their hands on. Currently I am waiting for 4 different items from my last broad swath through Etsy. But what I would LIKE to see is folks taking some time to learn about design and color and the techniques of good craftsmanship before the items are ready for prime time. All my best wishes to both you and your sister- I hope for your continued successes.