-Gabriel

Fortunately, a lot of this came out at the vendor meeting that Sunday. Andrew Glasgow, the new director of the Craft Council, was simply awesome. He is so supportive of the new wave in crafting, and did a great job answering the old guard’s concern about the new folks. I’m so pleased that the Craft Council is welcoming the new alt craft world into their folds, and it was really heartwarming to hear some of the more established artists say how excited they were to see the new people in.

Of course, there are still grumpy people out there. But a lot of it is simply born out of poor communication. Most of the artists I talked to there had never even heard of etsy, or Renegade, or any of the other major indie shows. I think the old guard in crafting will be more understanding and accepting of the new alt craft the more they know about it, and the best way to let them know about it is just like this, with blogs and articles, and conversations.

However- I keep wondering why I am Not allowed to be a member of the local chapter of Craft Mafia? Is it because I do have a MFA? Am I too weird? Is it because I have a book and am too mainstream? I try to throw money at them for being a part of their vending shows and such- and well- I just get rejected for the Crafty world??!!??

WHERE does it all come from?

Hummm…

I’m sorry you had such a bummer of a time and I’m particularly sorry that it was our presentation that bummed you out so much! In defense of Bruce, I do want to say that I really believe that he admires the “alt-craft” world and if his talk came across as patronizing or belittling it was unintentional - I truly believe that. I hope you don’t mind but I’m going to forward your post on to him so that he can take a look and perhaps even respond.

I am very glad to hear that you enjoyed the Bad Brains clip that I showed and even posted it here! It still gives me chills every time I hear this song or see this video. You know, it is funny because I was talking with our creative director, Jeanette Abbink, here about the conference and our talk and I was explaining to her how I had tied in punk rock to the DIY movement and saying that you don’t listen to Bad Brains for their musicianship (or skill) and she stopped me and said, “but you very easily could - they are GREAT musicians.” And you know she is absolutely correct but they are not great musicians in the sense that maybe Yo Yo Ma is considered a great musican or Kronos Quartet are. But they are great musicians in perhaps an even better way, which is their music is not all about their musicianship which I think is another great point. They were able to communicate to vast amounts of people because they didn’t demand that those partaking in it were musicians themselves to enjoy it.

And I think that is another interesting analogy to alt-craft right there. While there are many talented and trained makers in the alt-craft scene, that training and talent is not what is first and foremost in much of the work. Rather, what is first and foremost is this level of communication that invites a viewer to experience the object on their own terms - there are no demands that you MUST like this object because the maker went to school here and studied with this and that person etc. etc.. And that is the beauty - this work is really putting the power in the hands of the people experiencing it as corny as that may sound - I know. Alt-craft and punk rock, in my mind, are both wonderfully populist (for the most part) and that is such a great thing!

So, thanks to Jeanette (our creative director) for reminding me that Bad Brains are not simply, loud, raw, emotional, fast, and furious but also extremely talented and thanks Annie for pointing out the same here about the alt-craft scene. I leave you all with one more thing…since it is nearly impossible to understand any of the words that H.R. (Bad Brains’ singer) is singing here are the lyrics…kinda cool too!

“Pay To Cum”
I make decision with precision
Lost inside this manned collision
Just to see that what is to be
Perfectly my fantasy

I came to know with now dismay
That in this world we all must pay
Pay to write, pay to play
Pay to cum, pay to fight

And all in time,
With just our minds
We soon will find
What’s left behind

Not long ago when things were slow
We all got by with what we know
The end is near. Hearts filled with fear
Don’t want to listen to what they hear

And so it’s now we choose to fight
To stick up for our bloody right
The right to sing, the right to dance
The right is ours… We’ll take the chance

A peace together
A piece apart
A piece of wisdom
From our hearts

it may sound odd, but i often find my self quite motivated by people who do not see or understand the validity in something i am passionate about. for me, it is in those intense moments of frustration and counter-pointing that i realize how deeply connected i am to an idea or feeling. in this case… being crafty.

it is true, we both have MFA’s from a highly respected institution. our degrees are in many ways a value to us, but much in the same way previous jobs or friendships are. In the past year we left the “white cube” gallery scene and found ourselves at a craft fair… for us, there is no going back. we are in love with this community of inspiring, intelligent, and well informed makers.

i will agree, there are many crafters that don’t make the best decisions, don’t take enough care in presenting their objects and that have horrible craft… but the same is true for many “fine artist”. the list crafters that inspire me has far outweighed the long list of artists i have studied or met in six years of fine art school.

so thank you, for this great reminder that we are very lucky to be a part of this community of makers, also known as “crafters”.

Best Wishes,
Shauna & Stephen
Something’s HIding in Here

Catherine: Yes, I will send this on to Bruce Metcalf (I believe Andrew has already done so!) and Snag. Thank you so much for reading and commenting.

Tina; Hi Tina! Thank you so much for reading and commenting. (Everyone- I owe my Etsy success to Tina’s awesome advice. Seriously)

Gabriel: Thank you for stopping by and writing! I was hoping you would catch a whiff of this post and comment! Also, Thank you for the work that you do on your blog. (This is not my usual writing vein, it’s not easy work- bravo to you!) I will have to admit that I have not yet worked through your post about your SNAG experience, but will do so shortly. Your experience may have been more positive than mine, but I am still somewhat skeptical of the SNAG attitude towards alt-craft. Along with the Metcalf and Wagner lecture, I also attended the Open Spaces Dialogue where Megan Auman and Amy Tavern fielded questions on Web 2.0 and Indie Craft. In my opinion, the vibe there was not unlike the one at the Metcalf and Wagner lecture. Seeing as how these were the two designated venues to talk about alt-craft, I can only conclude that this is the general SNAG attitude. Don’t get me wrong, I did meet people that are interested and supportive (Harriete Estel Berman, for example), but they seemed few and far between. I do hope I’m wrong about this. (One of my favorite moments from your blog: “Bruce, can I call you Bruce? love it .)

Rachel: There was a Q & A period after the presentation. There was only time for four questions. I did approach Bruce Metcalf afterwards to introduce myself, tell him that I have a B.A. in jewelry and metalsmithing, sell on Etsy and at Indie shows AND am self-employed. I also let him know that I was reporting on his presentation for Etsy. I then asked him if there was anything he would like to add to his presentation and Bruce said, “I’ve said everything I have to say”.

Caitlin: Hi! What a unique experience you must have had at ACC- being an indie crafter with a full-size booth! Thank you so much for sharing. I’m pleased to hear that there was a chance for ALL the exhibitors to come together to voice their concerns, because you’re right- whatever disconnect that exists between the “old” and the “new” is due, in part, to a lack of communication. This is why I wish that SNAG had asked an alt-crafter to participate in the panel.

Jane: Hi Jane! I’m always so happy to see your posts on my blog! To answer your question about Mafia membership: As we have stated before, we have the largest Mafia chapter in existence. There are over a dozen of us. Our meetings now often last many, many hours and to be truthful, it is a daunting task to keep this many people organized and focused. In order to put on spectacular events and shows, we have to stay as focused and organized as possible. Thus, we have no new members. However, the last thing we want to do is to be exclusive. That is why we plan workshops and events that the whole community can participate in. We try REALLY hard to be inclusive- it is one of our main concerns and I am so sorry if we have ever appeared or been otherwise. I will definitely bring up this point at our next meeting.
As for the craft shows we hold- we receive over triple the amount of applications than we have space for. (WOAH). So unfortunately, we cannot accept everyone. Also, there are THIRTEEN jurors, so the reasons for acceptance/rejection are never cut and dry.
Jane- you know you are my craft superhero, right?!!! you must know this? i’m not kidding.

Andrew: Hi! I’m so happy that you stopped by and left a message! Yes, please pass this post along to Bruce, I would love to talk to him as I’m sure we both need clarification. And I’m sure anyone would want to speak in his own defense after being called a ninny!
You said it all- Who knew that Bad Brains could work so well as an analogy??
Thank you for your encouragement and support. This means so very much to me. I will be submitting an article to Etsy after all. Also- Pay to Cum is now my studio anthem. I hope you are blasting this in the office as well!

Laura: So nice to meet you Laura! Thank you for your encouragement! I agree with the statement you made on your blog in reference to this post: “it all seems like academic snobbery to me”. I’m off to see the video that you have posted and look forward to reading blog!

“i often find my self quite motivated by people who do not see or understand the validity in something i am passionate about. for me, it is in those intense moments of frustration and counter-pointing that i realize how deeply connected i am to an idea or feeling. in this case… being crafty.”

You could not have described my feelings better. Thank you so much for listening and making beautiful objects AND posts!

I agree with Gabriel, there were many people at the conference who participate in the indie community, and who were offended about Bruce Metcalf’s sweeping generalizations about that community.
I think as the next generation of jewelers and metalsmiths, it is our job to help define SNAG. We can’t sit around waiting for the “established” craft community to be the bridge - we have to be the bridge.
I think both communities could learn a lot from each other if we stopped making assumptions, had an open conversation, and realized that essentially we all come from the same place and are working towards the same goals.

megan

ps - I also posted some additional thoughts about this on my blog. Thanks again Annie for starting a great and worthwhile conversation!

Annie, I don’t think the questions that Amy and I fielded were indicative of SNAG’s general disdain for the indie community, but rather from an attempt to understand what is going on in this new movement.

You and I are so steeped in the indie community that everything is clear to us, but to many at SNAG, it was their first time hearing about this, and it can be overwhelming. I also have to constantly remind myself that not everyone processes information at the same rate, and some people just need more time to understand what is going on.

I think the more people sat SNAG see and hear from the indie community, the more they will understand.

Oh my-
It seems that I enjoy eating worms in dark corners and feeling sorry for myself at times- especially on Monday’s stuck in an office! Haaa~

So sorry for being a poop… I do understand… really-honestly.

I can’t help but think about this post however- which is fantastic- because it is such a hot topic! On the way to work- I heard that this topic:

“11:00 Richard Sennett: “The Craftsman” (Yale)
Craftsmanship today can be more than just ‘skilled manual labor.’ A sociologist explains how computer programmers, artists, parents and citizens all are craftsmen in their own right. How doing a job well for its own sake gives everyone the potential to be a craftsman”
Is going to be on http://www.wypr.org/ at 11:00 today…

I am so glad you posted this~ and as for me- Hehehee- blush! Thank you.
I look forward to seeing more topics about this~
(You should write your article)
xxooxx

I think you misunderstood me. First, I think the whole range of alt-craft is a very good thing. I tried to frame it as the true wave of the future. When I spoke of “dry, airless and boring” shows, I was commenting about mainstream craft shows like Philadelphia and Baltimore. Furthermore, I was not condemning alt-craft for its appropriation of kitsch-far from it. I love kitsch, at least the kind I see in DIY and alt-craft. (That is, ironic and unserious, like the paint-by-number clock I showed.) As for self-employment, my comment was that relatively few people who sell work on Etsy are making a living selling their crafts. Is this true? I don’t know for sure, but anectdotal evidence suggests it is. Is this a condemnation? No. It is interesting in light of the claims being made that domestic handmade goods can meaningfully replace goods made in overseas sweatshops, though.

As for my colleagues finding alt-craft work “dreadful:” this is true. But if you followed my talk, a good part of my point was that they are wrong to think so, and they had better pay attention.

About training: my assertion could be wrong. My point was that the vast majority of sellers on Etsy and at the alternative fairs don’t seem to have a great deal of formal training in the craft they are practicing. As you point out, my survey sample is small. However, another member of the audience confirmed my sense. Even the BFAs and MFAs in the alt-craft world often have earned their degrees in other fields. Yes? No?

As for the low level of craftsmansdhip at alt-craft fairs: this is my perception. It is not, however, a condemnation. Really fine craftsmanship is expensive, and is often surrounded by claims to sophistication and refinement. Have you ever been to a SOFA exposition? Very high levels of craftsmanship abound there, and much of the work is bad. So where does that leave us?

Some of the most vigorous craft in the 20th century was funky and untutored. Take Alexander Calder’s jewelry: he never trained as a jeweler, and yet his work is astonishingly inventive and endlessly delightful. Or take Sam Kramer. Or Madelaine Yale Wynne. Or Janet Payne Bowles. Or J. Fred Woell. None of these men & women practiced high craftsmanship, but their work was wonderful. So, when I say that levels of craftsmanship at the alt-craft fairs are low, I am not condemmning anybody, I’m just making a neutral observation. That’s the way it looks to me.

In a 25 minute presentation, I can’t explain every nuance in detail. All I can say is that I think alt-craft is a corrective to everything in mainstream craft that has become too academic, too introverted, too refined. Mainstream craft has entered a decadent phase, I think, and alt-craft is a blast of fresh air. Sorry you didn’t hear that in my presentation. If you would like the text of my speech, I would be happy to send it to you, and perhaps you might reconsider.

Best, Bruce Metcalf

Firstly. I would like to apologize for misquoting you. I had not realized that you had used the words “dry, airless, and boring” to describe mainstream craft shows.

I see that you still believe that few people who sell work on Etsy are making a living selling their crafts. You ask, “Is this true?”. I stated in my original post that “I could make a very very VERY long list of alternative craft participants who hold b.f.a’s. or m.f.a’s and/or people who craft full time”. Obviously, I haven’t done statistical research analysis on the EXACT number (though now, I may). My point is, YES, your assumption indeed sounds like a condemnation- as if alt-craft does not hold enough value in the marketplace to support an individual- as if it is merely a hobby.

You state,
“As for my colleagues finding alt-craft work “dreadful:” this is true. But if you followed my talk, a good part of my point was that they are wrong to think so, and they had better pay attention.”

Bruce, In fact, I DID follow your talk and I never heard a call for a change of heart. To me, it seemed you wanted your colleagues to “pay attention” because this “dreadful” art was gaining in popularity and they had better watch their backs! Excuse me if i misunderstood this point. It was difficult to gather this when you compared alt-craft to bad 60’s macrame (at which point the audience erupted in laughter). Maybe you can see why I perceived this as mockery and skepticism.

You seem to be unwavering in your perception of “training”. I will reassert what I said in my original post:

“I could make a very very VERY long list of alternative craft participants who hold b.f.a’s. or m.f.a’s and/or people who craft full time.

Furthermore and of MORE GRAVE CONCERN, what exactly is Metcalf implying here? that unless work is born out of b.f.a/m.f.a. hands that it cannot be valid? This ivory-tower mentality is exactly what creates an unnecessary divide and alienation between me, the new alternative craft to THEM (old alternative crafters?).”

What is your opinion about the latter part of the above quote?

Thank you for connecting alt-craft with historical jewelry roots. I see now that when you state that the level of craftsmanship is low that you do NOT mean to make a condemnation. I want to tell you though that this was NOT made very clear in your presentation. Can you agree that when presenting to a group of people who do not know much about alt craft that a comment such as “the overall level of craftsmanship is low” can be steeped in negative judgement? I also wonder why you did not include any images of alt-craft jewelry in your presentation?

Thank you so very much for taking the time to clarify your point. I hope that the next time SNAG wishes to present on the topic of “alternative craft” that they will call upon an individual who is more invested in the movement to speak along with you.

And Yes! May I please have a text of your presentation? my email: annie@imogene.org

i hope others will take a look at the review of the american craft council show in baltimore that rania (aka goshdarnknit) posted to the crafty bastards blog. i know caitlin and megan exhibited at the show and maybe even rachel, too. would love to hear your thoughts on the ACC show and the whole “new wave” definition.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/craftybastards/2008/03/08/new-wave-and-were-not-talking-the-80s/

it was really interesting to hear what regular exhibitors at ACC thought of the new wave section. Ironically, as a searchlight artist, I was given a huge, FREE booth space, which no one complained about, instead everyone was complaining about the new wave artists paying $300 to be crammed in a corner.

I thought the new wave section and the searchlight section were some of the most interesting work in the show, but I know a lot of people who didn’t go into the new wave section because it was always so crowded, and people weren’t buying a lot in searchlight because it was too much like a gallery. So much for encouraging these new artists to want to exhibit again.

To be honest, I was a little annoyed about the new wave section, but mostly because I thought, why can’t it just be part of the regular show. Myself (though I was in a slightly different position), Caitlin, and Ali of pistolstitched all applied to the regular portion of the show, so why couldn’t the other new wave artists. But I place the blame squarely on ACC. If they really wanted “new wave” artists in the show (and I hate the term, “new wave”) why not just encourage them to apply. Perhaps the ACC needs to have a more formal assistantship program to make it more financially possible for emerging artists of any kind to participate in the (overpriced) show.

But the biggest disappointment of ACC was really the audience turn-out. Obviously, adding the new wave craft section didn’t really help the poor attendance that has occurred the last few years. And why would any artist want to pay over $1,000 for a booth to stand around and talk to their neighbors when you could pay $200, or even less, to do a show where the line to get in stretches around the block?

Hi Sara! I read Rania’s article on my layover in Charlotte on the way home from Savannah. I couldn’t BELIEVE the timing! I appreciated her completely honest review. I’ll be in touch with you!

I have to agree with Rachel- Thank you SO MUCH to everyone for taking the time to read through these posts. heavy stuff! And for everyone who has posted either publicly or via e-mail THANK YOU. I will be responding to everyone. As I said before, this is not my usual vein and I’m INCREDIBLY happy and so APPRECIATIVE of your comments! xoxo.

I hope next year more and more alt crafters do choose to apply to the regular ACC show through the juried process, but this year at least, the New Wave invitation was sent out after the acceptances for the regular show were already done. It would be great next year to have an integrated New Wave section, or possibly signage like the Green Craft signs this year, and maybe have smaller half booths available for comparatively less. I have to say, I don’t find the booth fee to be unreasonable, for the caliber of the show, and I wouldn’t trade down in booth size to save money. But, not everyone, especially jewelers, needs as much space for a booth. I guess the New Wave was meant to feel more like a marketplace than a formal show, and it did succeed in that, but it was tough to shop in such a smalll space.

While a less then all-encompassing and warm embrace is less-then-exciting I can see it as less-then surprising as well.

Overall my SNAG experience (and it was my first one) seemed to reaffirm one aspect of what you can do in the art field - be academic. I was really glad to see all the lectures on wed. that were geared towards different aspects of the art and crafting world, but still overall, SNAG is very academic. For those of us that choose a different route, it felt like a lot of the lectures and information given were interesting but not helpful.

I do think this is a very good discussion and will come back when I have a bit more time.
Thanks!!

i take a lot of “craft” classes, i have just never done it in a full-time matriculated manner toward a degree. i simply can not afford to (nor do i choose to) take 4 years off and do that. but i am eager to learn and continue to do so. I learn through continuing education, places like Penland (what a resource!) and fellow metalsmiths. there has to be room in this community for that. and i think my attitude, and that of many others in the field and on Etsy, is quite different than someone who simply sticks pre-fab things together. THIS is what I consider to be DIY.

i am a lover of punk music myself and as a side note would like to mention that this lecturer is not the first to talk about punk as DIY. Not only are there a series of records available on the subject (http://www.amazon.com/D.I.Y.-Series/artist/B000AQ3GXC/ref=ntt_mus_dp_pel) , but there was an exhibit at the EMP in Seattle about 7 years ago to that effect. I do appreciate the sentiment though. and to follow the thought through… does that mean that in 20 years the “alt craft” these gentlemen are disparaging will be just as established as the rest and coopted by the mainstream such as punk is now?

Anyhow, I also just wanted to direct anyone who is interested to one of the best articles I’ve read about this whole disconnect between various sanctions within fields and professions.

http://www.printmag.com/design_articles/your_design_here/tabid/214/Default.aspx

The article is by Virginia Postrel and I think more readily addresses the ‘old guard’ craft world’s fear of the “alt-craft” scene but is pretty terrific any way you slice it. Enjoy and keep the conversation coming…!

Hmm. More clarifications seem in order.

Throughout my speech, I made a very clear distinction between mainstream craft - in which I count myself - and alt-craft. I thought the way I introduced it was a clear indicator of my respect: “Populist, upbeat, and almost completely foreign to the conventional institutions of craft, this stuff interested me.” Even by calling it alternative craft, I underlined it’s position as apart from the establishment. Later, I said, “My opinion is that there’s tremendous energy and optimism in alternative craft. I think the established craft community…would do well to look at this phenomenon with an open mind.” I thought that was a very positive assessment. Populist, upbeat, energetic, optimistic: how is that not good enough?

My estimations of the levels of education in the alt-craft community and how much money they make may have been off, but frankly, it doesn’t matter. The important points I was trying to make lay elsewhere. But if you want to correct the record, please do so!

The quip about macrame was to remind all the baby boomers in the audience (who pooh-pooh alt-craft for its low aesthetic quality) that they and their peers made some awful stuff in their youth. Again, to quote: ” Some of my acquaintances can’t stomach alt-craft, finding much of it crude and unsophisticated. But the Renegade Craft Fair reminded me of nothing so much as the sixties… [T]he craft establishment should remember that 60s craft was often crude and irredeemable ugly… Remember macrame?” The point of reference was to the generation now in their late 40s, 50s, and 60s, not to the makers of alt-craft. I was reminding them to be humble.

However, there seems to be a very sensitive issue here. Do you seriously believe all the work on Etsy and in the alternative craft fairs is good? I don’t.

And I don’t expect it to be. Alt-craft is full of experimentation. People jump in and do things, without long periods of training and practice. They just want to try things out, and they find an appreciative audience. That’s the upside: the great energy, the openness, the freedom. But that’s also the downside: the naivete, the lack of expertise, the widespread imitation.

Those last three criteria may not matter to you, and it’s entirely possible that they should not be applied to the alt-craft scene. But you have to understand what my frame of reference is. I know a great deal about the history of American studio craft, and I know a modest amount about Western decorative arts in general. I know about some of the really great work, and I know what world-class craftsmanship looks like. I have held a Faberge Imperial Easter Egg in my hand. This work is tremendously accomplished, refined, sophisticated. And it exists somewhere along a continuum on which alt-craft is also located.

Andrew’s point with the punk-rock analogy is that that ultra-refined craft should not be compared to alternative craft, and I agree. But still: isn’t there some kind of qualitative judgment applied even to Punk? Is all of it equally great? Aren’t there degrees of authenticity, or inventiveness, or pure raw energy? Don’t people have favorites for a reason? Aren’t there some Punk bands that endure, and others that are forgotten? It’s no coincidence that Andrew chose the Bad Brains: they’re a classic Punk band. As with Punk, so with alternative craft?

Ah, yes. The quality question. One of the things I was suggesting in my speech is that alt-craft must be understood on its own terms. One must be open to to semiotics of American Pop culture, to irony, the appropriation of kitsch, and to radical politics to really get alt-craft. One can’t dismiss micro-capitalism. One must be sympathetic to grass-roots democracy in action, and be willing to accept a certain degree of rawness. These elements, among others, are possible criteria for good alt-craft.

Rawness, just like in Punk music. And frankly, rawness equates with “a low level of craftsmanship.” You tend to see an insulting note in the phrase, but to me it’s a statement of fact. And, I might add, a familiar tendency in the history of American craft. Low craftsmanship has continually brought fresh energy and new aesthetic directions to craft. (See my comments about Calder in my previous posting.)

Could the audience at SNAG have misunderstood, and thought my comment about low levels of craftsmanship was a condemnation? Yes, I suppose they could. (You did.) But I DID NOT SAY LOW CRAFT IS BAD. Perhaps I should have expanded on the comment, knowing it would have touched a nerve… but I was trying to cover a lot of ground in a short time, and I let it go.

In some ways, I think alt-craft trades in inversion of the old received truths. Does craft have to be all polished and refined. Umm…No. Does craft have to be presented in slick booths, with halogen lights and perfect visual consistency? Again, No. Does craft require a 5-year training period? Should craftspeople aspire to mastery of material and technique? No, and No. All I was doing was pointing at some of these inversions, and saying that they are part of a long historical continuum.

Obviously, I hit a nerve in you and others in the audience, who detected a note of dismissal. But I take alt-craft quite seriously, and I respect its democratic, transgressive nature. I was trying to say, as clearly as I know how, that alternative craft represents the future of the whole field. And since the mainstream doesn’t get it, they had better start paying attention NOW.

Here’s the conclusion of my speech. If you still think I was disparaging alt-craft, then I don’t know what else to say.

“Almost everything about alt-craft challenges the conventional wisdom of mainstream craft. The mainstream - largely populated and guided by baby-boomers, has become totally invested in building and maintaining a set of standards - particularly of quality and professionalism. And here’s the sad truth: those standards are killing craft. Juries for craft shows, rules of what’s allowed and what’s not, principles by which teachers critique their students - all these standards make the new kind of craft look amateurish, or sloppy, or insufficiently aesthetic. But these old criteria are emphatically NOT THE POINT. The only conclusion I can reach is those standards must be changed or given up entirely.

“Is my generation up to it? Having gained the wheel of control, are we prepared to say that we now represent the old guard, and we must step aside so all of craft can prosper and grow under a new regime? I don’t know.”

Please send me your address, because my speech was hand-written, and I can’t email it to you.

Bruce Metcalf

While I am at it though, it brings to mind the dichotomy of the movement though. I mean you had bands like the Talking Heads…art school graduates; and then you had the Dictators and the Ramones… just kids from the city. All of that music is great, and all of it holds up today.

and to my point about the punk stuff being “co-opted” what i really meant to point out is that many of those musicians who were considered outsiders back in 77 are now household names. so while they didnt have the respect of the mainstream rock community back in the day… they earned it because despite the fact that they were not schooled musicians over time people respected them for their talent and ingenuity. getting out there, working in the field, and refining your craft on your own… whatever it is… can lead to some remarkable work.

This sort of thinking makes me thankful that I do not need to answer to anyone but my customers who seem quite happy with my “little hobby”.

- Full Time Metalsmith

I am stunned. I’m just a girl with a blog. I blog everyday, often multiple times a day. I do have a small readership, but I would say that I receive an average of one comment per post! What an amazing experience this has been to talk and meet all of you- I had no idea that something like this would unfold! When I wrote this post, I was very hurt and wrote it completely from my heart. After all this dialogue, I stand by my original post.

After all this punk-rock talk. I’m going to end this comment on another note. My favorite Indigo Girls quote:

The best thing you’ve ever done for me…is to help me take my life less seriously…its only life after all…

xoxo!

I’ll be back tomorrow to say Hi! to everyone who left a comment today! thank you!

thank you, annie, for starting it off!.
and thanks to the many eloquent speakers here for finally verbalizing the vague impressions i’ve had about the disparateness between the fine art community and the ‘alt-craft’ scene (never heard that one before- and what the heck is a ‘new wave artist’?

for me, a BFA in jewelry making was a shortcut to realizing my desire to produce and sell my own designs…if i’d done it wholly on my own, the road would have taken many more twists and turns- possibly for the best, if i’d stuck with it. i am a huge advocate for life-long learning, but i really wanted to immerse myself in metalsmithing…so i did!
(and i’ll be the first to tell you it was the most self-indulgent thing i’ve ever done!)

(frankly, though, art school was pretty light on the technical training….)

all the while i was in school, i was frustrated by the trend towards heavily conceptual work. a few years after graduation, my friend was telling me the latest gossip about the who’s who of the the conceptual/fine art community…then she looked at me and said ‘you don’t care about this at all, do you?’ nope!

my interest was always realizing fresh and unique wearable designs that people could and would actually buy.

(it’s shocking to me that no one else i went to school with (that i know of) is making a living with their jewelry!)

after i graduated, i discovered the DIY/etsy scene in portland, OR. it was like coming home!

my work may seem raw to some (though i prefer to think of it as ‘enthusiastic’) but other people love it and cite me as one of their favorite jewelers.
it’s all relative. how true about the continuum!

anyhow, i’m exhausted and probably not making any sense at this point. just wanted to thank you all for the engaging debate and add my data to the in/formal sample set…

xoxo

It sounds like you are not convinced. I’ll just say I intended no offense, but neither did I intend to lead a cheerleading session about alt-craft. I talked about it exactly as I see it.

Could I have had the facts wrong? Well, yes. So I propose a two-part deal.

One, let’s find out what the facts are. (Frankly, both of us are making unsupported assertions.) I think a small survey (about 25-30 respondents) would suffice, if the sample was random and the survey was simple and concise. We could find out how much formal training people have received in the crafts they practice, and what degrees in craft (if any) they have received. We could also find out what percentage of them make a living at their craft.

Since you’re a respected member of the community, I think a survey would have more credibility (and get a higher rate of response) if it came from you. I’m willing to help draft questions and design the survey. I think it would be pretty straightforward and simple to do.

If this survey indicates I’m wrong -and I have specific numbers in mind- then I’ll apologize publicly and profusely, and correct the text accordingly. A letter to the SNAG Newsletter or Metalsmith would also be appropriate.

If I’m right, then I think you would need to modify your position.

For my part, I’ll type up my SNAG speech exactly as it was delivered, and offer to post it on your website. People can then read it and draw their own conclusions, instead of relying on hearsay.

What do you say?

BTW, April Wood was a student of mine last summer @ Penland. If you’re going to her opening, please give her my best. I won’t be able to make it.

Bruce

and to constantly reiterate that alt craft is not polished and not refined is simply not true. i am amazed at some of the talent i see at shows and to find that many of those artists are self-taught is even more impressive.

(and annie, thanks for starting such an interesting discussion)

I can honestly see where someone from outside of the “alt-craft” movement might be put off by an initial overview of the scene, or be offended that some of these artists are quite successful despite not having 3 degrees or 20 years experience. It has not always been possible for serious crafters and hobby crafters to sell in the same venues. Maybe this is a case of one bad apple spoiling the bunch for Bruce?

I know my work is not FINE craft, but I am honored to have the chance to sell right along with jewelers like Annie and Megan. This movement is as much about the ideas as the workmanship. Sometimes the idea outweighs the workmanship and vice versa… No mater our level of experience, we should be grateful to outlets like Etsy that we all get a chance to make a sell what we love in an attempt to make a living.

I kind of look at this alt-craft movement argument as reminiscent of the uproar over the beginning of Impressionism in 19th century France or even Rock-n-Roll in 1950’s America. Sometimes cultures need to think outside the box in order to evolve.

In 2004, I exhibited for the first time at the ACC show in Baltimore, and I was very excited. I felt is was an honor to among so many artists that had such standing in the field. A few weeks before the show, I found out that there were people circulating petitions and agitating to stage a protest at the show. Imagine my horror. I just wanted to show up and hopefully take some orders, how could they do this to me? Could the problems really be so bad?

Well, after my fifth show, I have seen that despite the wonderful things that the council purports to be about, they are oblivious to the welfare of the artists that pay most of the operating budget through booth fees. When I talk about “they”, I am not talking here about the staff, but the board, from which this attitude emanates.

As an artist, I would really like to see the ACC be a strong organization with diverse programs covering many aspects of craft. However, at present, it is an organization struggling for relevance. As part of their attempt to gain relevance, they decided to introduce the “New Wave Craft”, to the show. Is it because the Renegade Craft Show was written up in the NY Times a few weeks before and they wanted to catch some of that buzz?? The method of seeking these new exhibitors, was done in a manner that seemed almost designed to alienate their non-new wave exhibitors.

I was one of the only exhibitors to hear of this new wave section before the application was due and this is only because I happened to read about it on a blog. The original press release did not indicate that the $300 space was not a full booth and the application proceedure consisted of e-mailing 3 lo-res pictures with no application fee. To top it off, the application e-mail was supposed to say”I want to get rad in Baltimore”, well, gag me with a spoon! When I forwarded this press release to my fellow ACC exhibitors, it set off a forestorm of calls and e-mails and the orgization was forced to send out a clarification e-mail stating that the $300 was for a table only.

To contrast with this, to apply for a regular booth, one needed to have professional photos taken and to pay $30 for each section of the show applied to. The competition to get into the show is fierce. Artists with work in the Smithsonian museum get rejected from this show and the arguements about the jurying system are lengendary and rancourous.

Into this steps the unknowing indie craft artist. Much like myself four years ago… excited to be there, and completely taken by surprise by the level of dissatisfaction and hostility between the various parties. Not to mention that the ACC did a disservice to these indie craft artists by placing them in a makeshift section that was plopped down amongst the rest of the show. So, with all of this in mind, I think it will be easier not to take it personally

Now on to SNAG. This is an organization that has long been focused on the world of academic metalsmithing. Having been a member for years, I have also had the feeling of alienation. There has long been a call for SNAG to be more inclusive in regards to those of us that are called production jewelers. I stick with the organiztion because of my curiousity about what is happening in all parts of the field. This sometimes means that I find myself in the position of defending production work to the academics and the academic to the production jewelers. It is pretty clear that the struggle that some of you felt to defend your position at SNAG stems from this longstanding rift in the field.

One more thought.. isn’t it well known that Bruce Metcalf loves to stir up the pot and create controversy? It looks like he has excelled this time, and it gets people talking, which is good thing…

Natasha

Please feel free to post the entirety of your presentation here on the blog- that would be wonderful! And dare I say that this very dialogue that we are all participating in serves as a sufficient survey? These are the facts and sentiments of 21 people thus far-including you and Andrew. Bruce! Can we agree to a cocktail together in Philly next year?!

To everyone who posted: I’m still working through the comments! Thank you!!!

These are people who we felt would probably never dream of trying to take part in ACC shows. We wanted a way to introduce them to this facet of the market. Yes, they paid a smaller fee but their space (as pointed out numerous times) was significantly less than glamorous. In your terms, if I’m flying first class, seat 1A, I don’t resent the fact that someone in coach seat 34F, is paying 1/7 of what I’m paying. Again, I’m a bit out of my realm talking about the shows but I wanted to offer what I know - that this was an honest attempt to get two groups talking who might rarely have the opportunity to engage. And in our defense, please remember that this was our first time trying this. We live and learn and through listening to what everyone has to say, we hope that next year will be that much more successful for all involved. In Andrew Glasgow’s (new executive director) words, “we can’t be scared to make mistakes.” I believe Andrew G. is right on in that assessment but I also think it is now our responsibility to learn from any mistakes that may have been made…always make “new” mistakes, but do your best never to make the same mistake twice.

Last thing, you are absolutley right about Yo Yo Ma…that was a bad choice there…he definitely and clearly cut across many boundries and regardless of whether your a musician or not he will move you to tears. Let’s see, maybe Claude Debussy would have been a better composer/musician to single out there???

I’m a full-time graphic designer/ web designer, and working at a company always striving to be competitive and cool in the web 2.0 world (hint: 3 letters, first one A, last one L). I used to see a split in thinking everyday, however the company is much younger now. Of course, the “old-skool” thinking in internet terms is more like 5-15 years ago, not 30. And yes, we are starting to succeed in some areas, but no, never enough. I do what I can, along with many great minds in our offices, to keep us relevant (thus allowing me to keep collecting a paycheck).

The dot com boom and bust led all of us on a wild ride in the 90s. I wanted to be a designer realizing I may be able to make a living doing something creative, hooray! Fact was, I got out of school and blam, the bubble bursted. Bear with me, I’m getting to my point The last 10 years have brought on innovation purely driven out of necessity and competition, and the internet was the canvas. Recessions do amazing things.

During this time, Napster started to rule the music world, and music labels freaked. What the technology did to music distribution and creation also did to a lot of other artistic outlets. Thus years later we saw Etsy come on the scene, not because someone loved craft necessarily, but someone saw an untapped market that would benefit from a venue that made it easy to sell your wares. Hell, it’s that same ease of use that we all have blogs, Flickr accounts, Facebook pages, and iPods. And it’s that passionate link between technologists and artists that has created the perfect storm.

With that, the reason why the sampling of 20-25 people isn’t quite enough is simply because the slice is too miniscule compared to the thousands of crafters out there now. Funny how it correlates to Moor’s Law with computer processor speeds: exponential growth. The last 5-10 years have seen a surge of crafters, writers, painters, designers, musicians, photographers, and, surprise! STUDENT LOANS! My BFA cost me a lot (and prob will for years to come).

That is why you have the type “A” people that see Etsy as an opportunity for themselves to make some quick cash on poorly created products while they attend high school still, and type “B” people getting their BFA/MFA and do whatever it takes to create beautiful pieces that sell big and market to a world that will embrace them. Guess what? Etsy caters to both of those types, not to mention type C, D, E, F, G… etc. Unlike years of juried selections at shows like ACC, Etsy doesn’t handpick their sellers because there’s no limited space to get in. But the indie craft fairs do, and that’s what will separate the dedicated artisans from the con-artists.

If the “old-skoolers” want to learn something from the “new skoolers”, it’s certainly their sense of enterprise, communication, spirit, and drive. Do you think it’s easy going up against thousands of rip-off artists when you’re not even fully established yourself? Community between the passionate ones is everything for survival, essential. It’s also what the punks taught us with their beautiful photocopied flyers, constant gigging, and raucous scene: great work ethic!

Despite the large numbers of crafters, law of averages tells us there is an amazing selection of greatness. However they got there, the ideas that flow are truly inspiring. Thanks Annie for this post, and to all the great responses!

I was one of the ‘New Wave Craft Artists’ at ACC and admittedly had (and am still having) mixed emotions about the experience. I was really excited about the show beforehand: ecstatic for the opportunity to have been accepted to - and be able to afford - to take part in such an established, reputable craft show. However, I was quickly surprised and discouraged by all the drama surrounding this new initiative.

I have fond memories of attending the ACC show as a student… feeling immensely inspired by the exhibitors with metalsmithing skills FAR beyond my grasp at the time. I saw these people as my heros, living examples of what I could someday achieve! I wanted to be just like them: making a living doing what I love. I thought I had found MY people.

That said, I also remember feeling distinctly overlooked and ignored by MANY exhibitors upon entering their booths. Because I was obviously young, it was assumed I was not a buyer and therefore not ‘important’ enough to pay attention to. It’s true, I was a student, there to admire. And of course I understand it’s a buying venue and they are there to make sales. However I still feel that a simple “hello” or even a smile would have sufficed. I made a promise to myself then and there that I would never become one of THOSE artists. I would, at the very least, acknowledge all those who chose to “enter my booth” be they student, buyer, admirer, etc.

Years later, I attended my first ever SNAG conference in Denver Colorado and experienced a similar mixture of jaw dropping awe/inspiration as well as disappointment. I was among many of the greats and jewelry artists I had long admired. Yet, the entire conference had a “secret society” air that for me felt very exclusionary. Even though I was wearing a badge with a gold star distinguishing me as a “First Time Attendee” not one “established” member introduced themselves. (I wonder if I may have had better luck mingling sans gold star?) Even though I had been supporting SNAG, Metalsmith magazine, and the Craft Council since college, the conference did not make me feel at all connected to “my field” or my peers. Truthfully, I have struggled with feelings about SNAG ever since.

I’m a blogger, an etsy member, and most recently: a retail craft show vendor, though I have been exhibiting my work in galleries since graduating college with a BFA degree. Whatever you want to call it: indie, alt-craft, new wave, blahblah etc… I have never felt so accepted, embraced and connected as I do here amongst this community of crafters. I recognize there are those in the “establishment” who do care deeply about embracing new blood (and I believe based on his comments in this dialogue that Bruce Metcalf IS actually one of them) however they seem few and far between.

Anyway, “right on” to all this. These conversations are what inspire me and others to become more involved in changing the craft organizations and finding ways to bridge the gap between the old skool and the new. Communication is key. It’s great that we can all share in our experiences and talk about our various viewpoints in such a respectful, open dialogue. There’s certainly no lack of PASSION regarding what we do and that alone makes me feel hopeful.

“There was also some resentment of the fact that a few of the “New Wave” exhibitors were in fact quite experienced (at least one had been a regular ACC exhibitor in the past), which made the section just seem like a shortcut around the jury system/high booth fees.”

…Really? Who were these “experienced” New Wave exhibitors that had been regular ACC exhibitors in the past? I wasn’t aware that any of us had ever done an ACC show before. Perhaps you could provide their names?

“On the first day of the retail show, ACC left a letter in the booths of regular exhibitors saying, among other things, that there was nothing the New Wave exhibitors wanted more than to meet and learn from the old-timers. But the ACC failed entirely to set up any kind of mentor relationship or opportunity for the two groups to meet and talk. I’m sure that contributed to the sense of hostility the “New Wave” folks experienced.”

- Actually, the sense of hostility came from some of the show veterans hanging out in the new wave section with less than pleasing remarks. I expected the comport of some of the ‘full price booth’ artists to be as refined as their craft, but alas, no.

We were fortunate to have met 2 very wonderful and supportive veteran artists of the show, and that pretty much saved it for us. And I dare say that we will be applying for a “full price booth” next year - We will not let this experience dissuade us.

Cheers

Nancy

On another note, I just wanted to say that the thing that I think is the most encouraging to see in all of this is Annie (from Imogene) stepping into that bastion of old-guard craft (SNAG) and Bruce Metcalf (my speaking partner and esteemed Old Guard craft “elder”) stepping into what seems to be a comfy home for “alt-craft” (namely this blog). I think that is what is most important - people stepping out of their comfort zones. Admittedly always an intimidating proposition but it’s amazing what you tend to learn about yourself and others when you finally do! And that really gets to the crux of what I think is interesting about this conversation - it is not just about craft, this tension can be found everywhere (as Dave points out above) and you can take that simple idea (stepping out of your comfort zone) and apply it anywhere. Good stuff!

i encourage anyone interested in discussing their acc experience to comment on rania’s acc review:
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/craftybastards/2008/03/08/new-wave-and-were-not-talking-the-80s/

or send me an email: sdick AT washingtoncitypaper.com

especially all you former crafty bastards! really want to talk to you and get your perspective.

The stories from the “New Wave” exhibitors at the Baltimore ACC show tend to underline what I said at SNAG: the craft establishment is not very receptive to alt and indie craft. At Baltimore, some of the older exhibitors apparently felt the price structure was unfair, and felt threatened that the lower price points in the “New Wave” section might undercut their business. (I’m certain there was also muttering about bad work.) What they don’t understand is that the “New Wave” exhibitors were invited to participate because the ACC must develop a new, younger audience. The retail shows have to get under-35s through the door, or attendance figures will continue to decline. (As in, to a point where it will no longer be economically viable for the ACC to produce the fairs.) That’s the plain truth of the matter. Those who bitch about the presence of the “New Wave” crafters and the discounts they received don’t get it.

Anyway, I want to set the record straight on one thing: I absolutely do not believe an art school (or university) education is innately superior to any other way of learning a craft. Here’s what I said in my speech: “Exhibitors and sellers [at alt-craft fairs and websites like Etsy] are mostly young and untrained…” I suspect Annie took exception to this remark because she thinks it’s untrue, and she wonders what my motive be for making a false claim. I still think it’s true, but that’s another issue. My concern here is that I said nothing (and intended nothing) to suggest a value judgment about kinds of education.

The history of American (and British) studio craft is full of individuals who taught themselves or who learned in informal settings like the home or co-ops. The most extreme example is probably William Morris himself. Over the years he taught himself how to embroider, to illuminate manuscripts, to block-print papers and fabrics, to dye textiles, and to weave tapestries. In many ways, he was the ultimate DIY guy. I am filled with admiration for Morris, and everybody like him.

As for the craft BFA/MFA system, it only came to existence around 1950. It’s good for some things, and bad for others. One of the things the BFA/MFA system is rather poor at is preparing people to earn a living at their craft - but there are reasons for this. In my opinion, it also places too heavy an emphasis on art-making and art-thinking. I wish it was more open to design, for instance.

But the BFA/MFA system is not the final arbiter of all things craft. Forget that! Please! There are other kinds of craft that do very well outside of that system, kinds of craft that have their own intentions, their own histories, their own contexts. Even their own cultures.

As something of a scholar of craft, I think it’s valuable to look at all kinds of craft and understand them for what they are. (Warts and all, if you know what I mean.) I believe understanding fosters two hugely important things: acceptance from outsiders, and self-knowledge for insiders.

Cheers,
Bruce Metcalf

I’m just curious to know, what is your definition of “training”? I believe that could clarify a lot of the discussion.

http://americancraftmag.org/index.php

Oh yeah, we just updated our whole site to reflect the current issue of American Craft that just came out and it looks pretty damn good if I do say so myself! Enjoy!

Is there a transcript, podcast or video of this talk? I’d love to see it and then weigh in. I think there’s a very important discussion to be had here from different viewpoints: those of us on the editorial side, the “professional” artists, DIY full and part-time crafters/artists and then those who are simply DIY appreciators/buyers.

Grace

And I also disagree about the competition for customers dollars. It’s an unfair assumption to say that the New Wave artists had lower overhead and lower priced items. A good half of them had an average price point higher than mine.

Anyways, yes, customers only have a set amount of money, but there will always be someone with items less expensive than yours. Customers don’t come to the ACC shows to shop for bargains, they come to find the best crafts in the country, and bringing the New Wave artists in, in my opinion, was an excellent way of upgrading the selection of work. It gets really boring to see the same silk and quilteds jackets in every other booth. (my apologies to all of the fashion designers from ACC, your work is beautiful, my mother buys jackets every year, but you must admit, there are an awful lot of you…)

I think the animosity towards the New Wave section was really a shame, the nasty comments I heard about their perceived lack of talent and training were purely speculative and don’t hold up at all compared to the quality of the work displayed.

And then there was me with no BFA, a self taught indie crafter to the core in a full sized booth, but because I paid full price, I’m ok. So, does this mean if everyone ponies up 2K, they’re in the club? No one questioned my talent level or education.

Two things:

1. I concur that this dialogue is amazing. After this thread gets old how will we continue with this conversation? At SNAG Andrew Glasgow gave a Keynote address about the necessity of collaboration for the future of craft. I am taking this to mean all craft: indie, alt, mainstream, renegade, established, or otherwise. Since I know Mr. Wagner is reading this here is what I propose:

ACC or American Craft Magazine should sponsor an online discussion forum. www.Craftforum.org? Its not taken. Let’s take what has started here and turn it into something exceptional and permanent (although I am sure that Annie loves the traffic on her blog, sorry ;-P). What do you say?

2. Bruce, I kind of feel bad for you. I know that your intentions are good. What I have been trying to say for a while now seems to have been evidenced here. The fact that your are from an older generation and your are part of the established craft world works against you in terms of street cred. By all means keep saying what you are saying, you have every right to, but don’t expect to really change anyone’s mind. Surely you remember in the 60’s when anyone who wasn’t part of the solution was part of the problem? Bruce you are “the man” and your esteemed career will never endear you to people who have a punk rock mentality. Its not that the good people posting here are closed minded, it is that you are coveting something that is not yours.

-Gabriel

We are also proud to be part of the Indie craft community.

We applaud the ACC for trying to bring new blood into their craft show.
The members of the ACC were welcoming and excited to have all of us there.
They know there is great talent in the indie craft world and want to see their show change with the times.

Bruce, on the other hand, felt the need to talk about how there was next to no talent in the Indie craft world.

He obvoiusly didn’t do much research because you do not have to dig very deep to find amazing artists…all kinds of artists doing craft shows all over the country. I think that Bruce’s speach did more to hurt his own reputation than the Indie Craft world’s reputation. We are obviously passionate about what we do, supportive of eachother in a way that alot of the old school crafters may not have experienced in a long time, if ever.

“The language in which the various manifestos were framed was determinedly ‘working class’ (i.e. it was liberally peppered with swear words) and typing errors and grammatical mistakes, misspellings and jumbled pagination were left uncorrected in the final proof. … The overwhelming impression was one of urgency and immediacy, of a paper produced in indecent haste, of memos from the front line.”

I am wondering if, just by the scale, price point and DIY quality of alt craft, that there might be an inherent desire to keep things a little rougher around the edges.

I think this is a really important dialog that is long overdue within the indie community; the “fine” craft community is obviously further along with their open dialog, thoughts and options about the indie community, the younger generation of “crafters” and the future of craft. We may of set ourselves back a bit by not discussing a lot of the above topics sooner, but as far as I am concerned now is a great time to start (and I know there has been discussion’s here and there don’t get me wrong).

Our community is so broad and vast that it is very difficult to define, clarify and pinpoint. Our community has taken the word “craft” and uses it freely, carelessly, and uses it without restraint and without out definition. This seems to drive a lot of people nuts; I personally love the vagueness of it. What effortlessly ties us all together is the motivation, passion and empowerment to create creative work.

Before my response to a few selected statements I want to share a quick option about the “fine” craft movement- as a boutique and gallery owner I would NEVER carry a lot of work that was available at the Baltimore show in my shop- well crafted or not. It is not my taste, nor the taste of the many customers who shop with me. I find most of the “fine” craftwork out there I consider to be embarrassing, ugly and dated. Just like a lot of “fine” crafters think work from the indie community is untrained, dreadful and boring. So this aesthetic difference of option seems to be some sort of block between us. Is it possible to set aside our aesthetic differences to learn from one another? I really hope so.

In 2007 I went to New York for the re-launch of American Craft Magazine and visited the Council’s office for “Blogging the Handmade” a segment of their summer salon series. Not only did I get to interview Andrew Wagner but also now ex-director of the Council Carmine Branagan requested a meeting with me. After our 15-minute meeting went into 45+ minutes, I felt that the Council was truly interested and invested in reaching out to our community. It made me realize, sadly, for the first time that both of our communities had so much to benefit from each other. This meeting also reminded me about the importance of solidarity between the creative thinkers of our country. We are in a desperate time politically and the drastic lack of arts funding will effects us all, especially the generation to come.

I am looking forward to reading Bruce Metcalf’s talk if it gets republished here. There were obviously some statements that were misunderstood between speaker and audience- but he did make some pretty brutal point that I feel compelled comment on.

B. Metcalf: “So, when I say that levels of craftsmanship at the alt-craft fairs are low, I am not condemning anybody, I’m just making a neutral observation. That’s the way it looks to me.”

My response: This is not neutral at all. How can someone who considers themselves “something of a scholar of craft” be neutral to the topic?

B. Metcalf: “However, there seems to be a very sensitive issue here. Do you seriously believe all the work on Etsy and in the alternative craft fairs is good? I don’t.”

My response: When defining indie craft I want to make sure that there is separation between what we as a community are achieving as individuals and as a whole. I feel so strongly and think that a lot of my fellow community members will agree with that no one should feel inhibited by scholars, jurors and curators (be them our peers or elders). I hope people continue to always make work no matter what and not be concerned with if it is not good enough, refined enough, and marketable enough. I have to reject work on a daily basis, but hope that my rejection just encourages people to keep at what they are doing and to find their creative place in the world. Etsy had democratized the selling of craft and I think that makes people uncomfortable since it has become a free market. Well, welcome to the Internet folks.

B. Metcalf: “Alt-craft is full of experimentation. People jump in and do things, without long periods of training and practice. They just want to try things out, and they find an appreciative audience. That’s the upside: the great energy, the openness, the freedom. But that’s also the downside: the naiveté, the lack of expertise, the widespread imitation.”

My response: Why that is the downside? Why is naiveté, lack of expertise and what Bruce calls widespread imitation (what I am assuming is the design trends within our community) such a bad thing? In the indie community we don’t look down on those things. I can think of other parts of our community that need work, but these examples ring with the snobbery of an un-open mind.

B. Metcalf: “Andrew’s point with the punk-rock analogy is that that ultra-refined craft should not be compared to alternative craft, and I agree. But still: isn’t there some kind of qualitative judgment applied even to Punk? Is all of it equally great? Aren’t there degrees of authenticity, or inventiveness, or pure raw energy? Don’t people have favorites for a reason? Aren’t there some Punk bands that endure, and others that are forgotten? It’s no coincidence that Andrew chose the Bad Brains: they’re a classic Punk band. As with Punk, so with alternative craft?”

My response: It’s funny to me that Bad Brains is being used as an example because a lot of people agree that Bad Brains is a classic punk band amazing as youth but as that grew old they lost their ability to write good songs. However, they are still playing, writing and performing which is amendable and amazing after 30 years. I wonder if it has occurred to some people within the “fine” craft community that it could be possible that unrefined and unfinished is the new refined and finished? I’m just putting this out there as a question to consider.

B. Metcalf: “One, let’s find out what the facts are. (Frankly, both of us are making unsupported assertions.) I think a small survey (about 25-30 respondents) would suffice, if the sample was random and the survey was simple and concise. We could find out how much formal training people have received in the crafts they practice, and what degrees in craft (if any) they have received. We could also find out what percentage of them make a living at their craft.”

My response: I have held over 100 interviews with indie craft members during the course of shooting our film. I never took the time to compile stats, but I can make good estimates. I would say that 2 out of 3 indie crafters have a collage degree of some type, 1 out of 3 in the arts. In regards to formal training I would have to guess 1 out of 30. And I would estimate that 1 out of 20 indie crafters are making a living full time. I made no connection between education and being a full time working artist.

I would like to give kudos to Caitlin’s statement she made (this was in context to discussing the Baltimore show) which runs in my vain of mindset: “And then there was me with no BFA, a self taught indie crafter to the core in a full sized booth, but because I paid full price, I’m ok. So, does this mean if everyone ponies up 2K, they’re in the club? No one questioned my talent level or education.”

If we look back through time, we will see that many ‘crafts’ were often taught through an apprenticeship or perhaps passed down from one family member to another. At what point did a college degree become the required mark of talent and value for a craft? Many of the comments I have seen here have cast my mind back to the days of Guilds and Houses; when only those who paid dues to the acknowledged guild were allowed to participate in the trade. Is the cost of college the e-ticket into today’s “craft guild”? It reeks of elitism.

In the past I have had the pleasure of meeting many amazingly talented crafters who haven’t had a whit of training; I have also met many degreed artists whose work I found so appalling that I would have expected better from a five year old.

As Faythe said in her post above, I also find it unimaginable that someone would offer up their own personal opinion as ‘neutral observation’. From the commentary that has been posted here, it is quite obvious that there is anything but neutral observation behind the comment.

While I can see the benefit of an education for learning business management skills or specific techniques, I don’t feel that the quality of the work will be based on this. No, I believe it lies with the individual and the standards that person applies to him or herself. Truth be told, the market will not bear for long any business that turns out ‘dreadful’ items- nobody would want to purchase them. Of course, if someone can sell four Popsicle sticks glued together as art and make a profitable business out of it, who is anyone to nay say them?

I must confess that I come from the school of thought that believes that appreciation for the work of an individual is truly in the eye of the beholder- be they degreed or not. Perhaps that is the true line in the sand- a line between those who value creativity and art for the aesthetic and the process of creating and those who value it as an investment or perhaps membership to some artistic country club.

I wanted to pipe in as a long time member of the “scene” with a well established website and book under my belt. Most of the crafters in the book i put together were “trained,” but not as crafts people- most of them are thinly disguised conceptual artists. i mean it was a pretty MFA heavy crowd. For what that is worth. What is an MFA worth nowadays? most of the MFA-ers couldnt get far enough away from traditional art contexts. A whole gaggle of us ended up “making stuff” is it craft really? and by whose definition? i think mike kelley really inspired the first wave of alt craft, i feel like that is the bastard lineage…

i think part of the dynamic or rub is that tired old saw of art vs craft. artisans, craftspeople, hated mike kelley’s work that appropriated the idea of craft and made art from it. i revere true artisans, i am not one. i always start with the concept rather than the technique. the crafters that i admire most are always heavy on the concept- when they are able to bring it together with high level technique is divine.

anyway, these thoughts are pretty much in short hand- i just thought i would throw it in.

plus, the bassist from bad brains taught me how to play in high school. i still totally suck at that.

When I started reading it 68 or so comments ago, I simply wanted to state that I make jewelry for a living (take that, Bruce!) and that I have a B.F.A. in studio art (Zing!).

Then, I wanted to add that I can understand why Bruce and his colleagues would find some indie products “dreadful” - especially if they aren’t into screen printed t-shirts, cool felted plushies, or ironic letterpressed cards in the same way that I find a lot of “high craft” dreadful jewelry. To quote Faythe :

“I find most of the “fine” craftwork out there I consider to be embarrassing, ugly and dated. Just like a lot of “fine” crafters think work from the indie community is untrained, dreadful and boring. So this aesthetic difference of option seems to be some sort of block between us. Is it possible to set aside our aesthetic differences to learn from one another? I really hope so.”

I also wanted to add that I was invited to apply to the New Wave of Craft and was not accepted. I was totally bummed out, but when I saw the caliber of indie businesses that were accepted, I was immediately humbled. How anyone, new or old generation could look at their booths and think their craftsmanship was anything below stellar would be really surprising.

I have one more rambling observation: I have a feeling that some day us “new wavers” will simply become the “elder” generation of craft and may be tempted to look down our noses at the next alt-craft movement, whatever that may look like. Hopefully through discussions like this, we will remember what that felt like (crappy!) and instead we can strive to keep our indie movement’s sense of community with us until we’re old and dusty, and when the day comes to pass the torch or even just share it, we won’t feel threatened but instead be delighted. That’s my future Utopia, anyway!

I’m a BFA who abandoned the white cube gallery scene way back when I was in art school and have embraced the craft world wholeheartedly. My concerns now are making a living at it in an economy where consumers expect hand labor to be the cheapest kind. So many things that are craft are imported.
It’s difficult to get everyday American Joe to pay the price of what it costs to own my house and live in my neighborhood in the price of American art to wear…..

I live in the Pacific Northwest and the crafters here I know have to sell their wears for top dollar to a rich niche population or crank out product at lower quality to make a living. Competing with imports is a big issue. Quality is too. I let that go because that’s often an economic issue……cost $$$ to make the time to really get good at something whose financial rewards are elusive to say the least.

I’ve seen the quality and craftsmanship of crafts made by my generation (I’m 32) take a nose dive in comparison to what has come in the past and it’s getting worse. I believe this is an economic issue…..people are afraid to risk doing art, understandably. Sure….the super high end stuff is often at superb quality but also very $$$$ and made by people who could afford the education to really hone their craft. Kids nowadays don’t get taught art in school and grow up taking hobbies that make money and not take them into creative apprenticeships and what not. When I vend at craft shows I’m regularly 1 in 5 exhibitors who are not of retired age. That doesn’t make me feel very secure on the future.

I feel American crafts are getting weak due to an economic situation and wonder how to cultivate and educate new generations of buyers. The DIY movement interests new art/craft appreciators……….good. Not enough of the younger generations at craft shows both behind the counter and walking the aisles……

I’m on of the original organizers of the Church of Craft, an org that has been promoting diy crafting as a way to be happier more whole people since 2000. Our project grew out of our own punk relationship to art and craft, and emphasizes the idea that the process of making something can be as (if not more) valuable as the product made.

Faythe: “Our community has taken the word “craft” and uses it freely, carelessly, and uses it without restraint and without out definition. This seems to drive a lot of people nuts; I personally love the vagueness of it. What effortlessly ties us all together is the motivation, passion and empowerment to create creative work.”

Ah Semantics! We are all using this same word “craft” to be & mean so many things! I love it’s ambiguity too, and in the CofC we use it interchangeably with “making” & “art” and even end up applying it to daily activities like making dinner and putting together an outfit. The idea is to find “craft” wherever you can, a radically populist notion that completely subverts even a modestly capitalist crafty enterprise.

But I’m thinking that is the idea. Our notion of craft is not just alt, it’s radical. For us, making whatever we are passionate about isn’t just about making a living with our “products” it is about crafting our whole lives in a way that is in line with our rebellious, motivated, empowered, do it yourself natures; often in direct conflict with the capitalistic, materialistic, man-keeping-you-down western culture we so often find ourselves in. The fact that we are selling our particular craft object on Etsy is almost secondary, a way to support our greater goals. Not to belittle its importance, but the community came first, Etsy followed, and the community exploded like a nuclear plume in a frenzy of micro-economies.

Faythe: “So this aesthetic difference of option seems to be some sort of block between us. Is it possible to set aside our aesthetic differences to learn from one another? I really hope so.”

Me too! I’m thinking it’s the diy community that needs to extend the olive branch. If we really believe in the values of democracy and equal opportunity that our community affords, isn’t there some room in here for even the “old-schoolers” who don’t get what we are up to? Can we be as inclusive as we aspire to be, instead of feeling excluded from “their” $2k club? I know it is hard not to be offended when we feel called out on issues of craftsmanship or professionalism. Metcalf and others are using language that pushes our buttons. Can we acknowledge that our language (the irreverent use of “craft” for instance) may push theirs just as hard?

Faythe: “…that both of our communities had so much to benefit from each other. This meeting also reminded me about the importance of solidarity between the creative thinkers of our country. We are in a desperate time politically and the drastic lack of arts funding will effects us all, especially the generation to come.”

I feel like the old-guard and the indie craft movement cannot afford to be divided, especially financially! I hope that the discussion might be able to drift toward how we can, as Andrew put it, step out of our comfort zones, and meet each other in the middle for our mutual benefit. The older generation of craft institutions will die without an infusion from the 35 and under market. Will we be able to flourish if we continue to undervalue our own craft products? These two issues and many more could really benefit from more cross-pollination. How can we make a forum for this to happen?

Faythe: “B. Metcalf: “Alt-craft is full of experimentation. People jump in and do things, without long periods of training and practice. They just want to try things out, and they find an appreciative audience. That’s the upside: the great energy, the openness, the freedom. But that’s also the downside: the naiveté, the lack of expertise, the widespread imitation.”

My response: Why that is the downside? Why is naiveté, lack of expertise and what Bruce calls widespread imitation (what I am assuming is the design trends within our community) such a bad thing? In the indie community we don’t look down on those things.”

So true! In fact I revel in them. Imitation is really a rejection of authorship & ownership in our open-source world; naiveté is inhibition; and lack of expertise is a rejection of the value of mastery in a world where education can be bought and sold like a commodity.

I don’t pretend to speak for others in the diy scene; I don’t think anyone can speak for all of us! But I see a lot of hope in these discussions. In fact, that they are happening at all is a huge step in what seems like the right direction to me. Thank you all so much for taking the time to talk about these issues so close to my heart. Especially Annie, who knew what a blizzard would come of your snowflakes!

Craft on…

Bruce himself said that there are “kinds of craft that have their own intentions, their own histories, their own contexts. Even their own cultures.” I would argue today’s crafters are making that kind of work – with their own intentions and within their own contexts.

Before I go further, though, I have to state that even with years of involvement in this movement as a crafter, writer, editor, curator, artist and consumer, I still find craft’s new wave extremely difficult to pin down. It’s high, it’s low, it’s pleasure, it’s politics, it’s money, it’s activism, it’s solitary, it’s community, it’s meditation, it’s conversation, it’s a throwback, it’s technology, it’s a table, it’s a concept, I could go on) — all in all, it’s an incredibly rich, active SPACE more than it’s a specific medium. It’s being made by professionals, self-taught DIYers, former and current BFA/MFA students, hobbyists, hobbyists turned professionals, bloggers, designers, gallery artists, and yes I even know an MBA grad who sold needlepoint kits at Renegade ’06; she turned to handcraft as an “untapped market” (her words). Thinking of craft as a space instead of a medium enables me to also credit people I call “craft producers” as makers – people like Tsia who founded Supernaturale.com, and the ladies (bless them) who founded Ravlery. Making sites like these is a form of craft that requires real skill and real-time labor! Producing websites, fairs, documentaries, zines, events, etc that all enable the contemporary craft movement to thrive is indeed a form of making, too. One last important note: not all members of the new wave are in their 20s and 30s- I counted Debbie New as a new wave knitter in my book, and she’s a grandmother. To me her work represents the interdisciplinary innovation of new wave craft. Debbie told me that she didn’t want to be known as an artist or a designer but a knitter, because that term enabled her to do any and all kinds of work (she makes sculpture, clothing, functional objects, and music). It bears repeating: crafters choose craft because the term can encompass so much.

So when we come up with new terms for assessing craft’s new wave, I wonder if we are able to outline terms that apply to ALL of these kinds of crafters? Besides craft-fair attendants who make and sell utilitarian objects, there are also crafters making performative, socially-conscious, and activist artworks, works that blur distinctions between maker and viewer, hobbyist and artist. Some examples: Frau Fiber’s Synchronized Sewing Squad (http://www.fraufiber.com/ssquad.html), Ginger Brooks Takahashi’s ongoing communal quilt project (http://brookstakahashi.com/view/work/an+army+of+lovers+cannot+fail), microRevolt’s NIKE blanket petition (www.microrevolt.org/petition_overview.htm). Can we think of ways to assess both design craft and art craft, or do we have to continue to divide them?

I want to introduce the term “sloppy craft” as one potentially useful term here. I highly recommend everyone check out Glenn Adamson’s essay on “Sloppy Craft” in the March issue of Craft magazine (the UK one, not the O’Reilly publication). It’s a term attributed to artist Anne Wilson, who used it to describe her student (Josh Faught)’s work. Adamson says the following: sloppy craft is “a response to the economics of art-making. In a competitive selling environment, formal power is a nearly absolute requirement. For the lucky few with big name galleries and patrons, fine craftsmanship and multimedia production are easily bought off the peg; but for those without financial backing, size and guts will suffice.” He also says “the dirty secret of sloppy craft: there may be nothing so difficult to pull off convincingly.”

Along with sloppiness as a valid form of assessment (and not a word used to scorn work), I would think about these for terms of assessment as well: sustainability, community, slow, conversational…. I’m sure there are many others; any thoughts, people? Based on what values, ideals, effects, etc would you want your work to be judged?

Here’s what I’m thinking: instead of asking: how well-made is this work? We could ask: how sloppy is it? How slow is it? How sustainable is it? How conversational is it? Instead of: where or with whom did this maker train? We could ask: with whom is this work meant to interact? ie, How does it benefit its community? Instead of: how original is this work? Again we ask: how sloppy? How slow? How sustainable? How conversational? Of course I’m thinking that performative, activist craft works could be better evaluated with questions like these, but I think it’s true of the kind of goods we see at alt-craft fairs too (for example, I’m at a craft fair looking at a onesie with an octopus silkscreened onto it, and I wonder how it addresses sustainability? Well, it’s made from recycled cotton and non-toxic inks. Ok, what about community? Well, it says here that half the proceeds of all sales go to an organization called Blue Ocean Institute, dedicated to ocean conservation).

It’s been totally obvious for several years that academic, educational and institutional organizations dedicated to craft need the powerful energy and sheer numbers of the new wave craft movement. They should be planning to attend upcoming fairs like Renegade and Pile of Craft (go here for a list: IndieCraftShows.com) and they should certainly be funding visionary documentaries like Faythe Levine’s (send her some money, people! She’s putting everything she has, and even doesn’t have, into a film that’s certainly as culturally important as last year’s PBS doc “Craft in America).

I also hope that indie crafters recognize that on-the-fringe is a powerful place! Crafters have proved they can rally themselves, support each other, organize their own fairs, their own conferences, their own exhibitions, their own events; they can write, publish, document, make and sell work… what’s next is for them to 1. assess their own movement on their own terms and 2. figure out what’s next. What else can these micro-economies add up to? How can we avoid the inevitable fact that whatever terms we decide should be used to assess new wave craftwork will be co-opted by Urban Outfitters? What can greater access to current and historical academic craft yield? It will be very interesting to see what the Craft Congress of 08 comes up with as goals for 2009’s meeting: www.craftcon.org.

Last thing: people seem to want to read Bruce’s lecture. Bruce, if you mail me a photocopy, I will scan it and email a PDF to Annie, who can put an electronic version on her site. Here’s my address: Sabrina Gschwandtner/ KnitKnit/ 526 W. 26 St #1022/ NY, NY 10001

A couple things: Bruce, you do not have to convince anyone that you are right or wrong. One great thing about this conversation is it gives you feedback on your presentation, and a chance to correct any misunderstandings. It also gives you a chance to look at how you presented your topic and how people perceived it, which is a valuable tool.

Regarding trade shows (like the ACC)….I’m glad there’s a New Wave section. It gives me hope to try for shows like that in the future (in the New Wave section, of course). I joined a guild here in Portland because it would give me a chance to be in their spring show. At the time of the application, though, I couldn’t afford it. The booths are only $350! But, there was no way I could afford that at the time, and now I have to wait until next year. And there is absolutley NO WAY IN HELL I could afford $2000, plus air fare, plus electric, plus hotel fees to be at an ACC show in Baltimore. Having a New Wave section allows the Up and Coming artists a chance to show their work in a situation outside of a gallery.

I think an important question for the more established crafters who are looking down on, or irritated by, the new generation of crafters is “WHERE DID I START OUT?” You had to start somewhere. I mean really, who of us was born with immaculate skills, gallery connections, audience, and money? They all come from a starting point. Try to remember that and be a bit more humbled.

But before we ask Annie to please go spike the punch bowl, I’d like to add that, while it has been briefly touched upon in a couple of comments, it’s important for our critics to note the difference between quality of work and aesthetic standards. They are not the same thing and also not mutually exclusive.

We’ve been given the title/category/sentence “The New Alternative Craft” which can also be substituted for other words like New Wave, Indie, DIY. The pickle here is not with those descriptors but that in some aforementioned circles these terms have dangerously started to imply “low craft” or rather, poor quality. It’s as if everyone has been warned: “Watch out grandmas, the motorcycle gang just rolled into town and they’re out for fast kicks!” It’s divisive and flatters neither the “old guard” nor the “new wave”.

Yes, there are democratic, unjuried forums like Etsy out there which can house a mixed-bag of craftsmanship. But to equate or accuse works with a different aesthetic style - simply because of their look or even their genre - to be poorly made, makes no sense. Oh snap - it’s like racial profiling for craft! And of course calling a group out that way is going to create a firestorm.

But what a productive fertilizer-making firestorm this is! Thanks Annie for making this impressive discussion come alive - and thanks Faythe for inviting us to the party.

At least we all just agreed on a theme song (didn’t we?), while Andrew Wagner single-handedly raised the street cred of American Craft Magazine.
The right is ours…

Sincerely,
Deb

P.S. Annie, while I do agree you should still write the article, I think you can put index finger to sizzling hip (tsss!) for creating your own blog entry that will have had loads more readers.

I saw Bruce Metcalf speak at last year’s NCECA (ceramics) conference, and his speech has been festering in my brain for the past year. The speech at NCECA was an incendiary “preaching to the choir” rant about the place of ceramics (and craft in general) within the academic world. Bruce’s contention was that for better or worse, guilds and apprenticeships have been eliminated and the majority of craft knowledge lies within academia (I hope I’m paraphrasing this part accurately enough).

He then went on to assert that administrators were (gasp) trying to tear down the walls between disciplines, allowing the sculpture students to dabble in ceramics, fibers, etc. His final conclusion was that “craft” departments were in danger of becoming subservient to (my words) “dilettante” artists who could just waltz into a studio and demand help with a project without putting in years of study trying to recreate their shoe in clay. Either clay geeks are way lazier than you metals folk, but I barely heard a peep in opposition. I suppose plenty of potters feel like they are under attack. The larger question in this debate is whether craft world meant as art (or craft work by non-crafters) is helpful or harmful to the craft community.

In my experience, for every school purging the word “craft” from their name, there are plenty adding to their ceramics studios and faculty. Ceramic geeks (as well as metal, fiber, etc. geeks) will always exist, and will always pass along knowledge, just as wacky art students will always want to use a particular medium to best express their message.

After the NCECA lecture, I can well imagine that Metcalf’s tone overshadowed his intention at SNAG. He sounds kind of like the “cool dad” coming down to the den and offering a beer to his teenage son as long as he can get him to listen to his stories about seeing Bob Seger concerts and getting laid in high school.

To me, art has always been the thing that distinguishes alt craft. I’m loving all of the discussions about academic training in art. I think a lot about what factors have contributed to the rise of Alt Craft. I’m nearly 35 years old, and I can easily recall what the climate was like for art students in the early 90’s. I remember rules. I remember falling in love with clay and feeling a sense of power that there was an old guard out there making brown pots and turning up their nose at “hobby” ceramicists. The use of hobby materials was nothing new in ceramics, to be sure–the “Funk” artists of the 60’s and 70’s gleefully covered that terrain. Still, I felt totally empowered by how naughty it felt to harness classical techniques with edgy (or “low”) content.

I would contend that many others in my age group felt this naughty thrill. The exciting thing for me has been watching my generation of “craft” artists come of age. Many people who started out making “sloppy craft” work that served as a kind of one-line joke have stuck around and discovered the joys that come with an intimate knowledge of their chosen materials. This relates back to the “what happens when the alt crafters get old” discussion. It’s already happening–plenty of young artists with a yen for craft are already in positions of academic power. It is this generation–my generation of academically trained artists who are enabling students to discover not just the techniques of craft, but the metaphors and coded meanings as well.

It’s great to talk about (and around) craft semantics, but the cat is hopelessly out of the bag. I don’t think we’re ever going to be able to shoehorn the different strands of craft–hobby, DIY, “studio”, academic, etc. back into one term. I love that crackpot hobby projects can be spoken of in the same breath as “white cube” gallery pieces.

This is no sweat off the back of most younger artists and crafters, but it’s a huge obstacle to the older generation, who defined themselves in opposition to these mundane hobby things in the first place. You want to talk about punk rock? Bruce Metcalf’s generation stood up for the things they believed in as an antidote to both mass-produced objects and low/hobby craft. Unfortunately, those distinctions don’t hold as much water anymore, and it’s time to stop kabitchin’ about the way things used to be and step back and watch things evolve.

Who could help but be excited by the many threads of this debate? I suspect that the satisfaction that Bruce Metcalf is getting from the thorniness of this discussion far outweighs his frustration he feels at people not grasping the spirit of his speech.

I was really pleased to read Erica’s and Garth’s comments above. What the craft community needs more of to be sure are people like the both of them who are willing to put their feet in both worlds and explore the vast spectrum that is the world of craft. While that can sound intimidating, everyone needs to remember that issues like this exist in every field but for whatever reason it seems more pronounced in the craft world. I have many theories as to why that is (not enough publications that push conversations and criticism; the “studio” aspect Erica mentioned that keeps makers in their studios for large amounts of time alone; the dearth of “craft” writers who are willing to step outside of the established “craft” world etc. etc.).

At our talk, Bruce asked me why I thought “design” was getting such a buzz lately and I explained that I felt it was precisely because of communication. Design is all about communicating with various parties to insure that projects get done. Without that communication, much design work would never come to fruition. Makers don’t have that problem which is great but it is also a detriment to the field as a whole and has contributed to much of the misunderstanding not only of craft by the general public but the misunderstanding between various factions within the field itself.

So, that is why I’m so pleased to see all this discussion happening because there are so many people from so many factions of the craft community contributing really eloquent responses. Of course, I am a writer and editor so I am bound to be pumping up the communication component of all of this but I honestly believe it is true. As much as we would all like our work and efforts understand simply for what they are sometimes we have to explain ourselves.

We are still reeling from the ACC because it was the first time that I felt an almost damnation from the crafters and crowd just because of the lable put apon us. I never would have picked “new wave” as a label. Does that not just scream “divide us!”
And it did.
I’m sure Bruce was prepairing his speach just as long as the ACC was letting the public know about the “New Wave ” section in their show. Where was Bruce those days? Did Bruce spend some of his time researching these crafters for his big speach about the “indie craft community”?

We find indie craft a little more realisic for this day and age. The art and craft is affordable, different, and is a breath of fresh air.
The community is welcoming to all. There is young and old at these shows and they just keep getting better.

We’ll never forget the alienation we felt at the ACC show or what has been written here. We have always loved art and craft and have wanted to see it thrive. Where we do see it thrive is in the indie community.

So I’ll hold back for the moment. (Although I did partially respond to the response in my blog last night.)

I love the fact this debate is taking place in the blogosphere, and I love Allison’s very personal blog post that started it all. It’s incredible how much has poured from all corners of this vast and complex craft world into this comments section. The discussion is so spontaneous and all-inclusive, and often very thoughtful and robust. For some reason it seems everyone feels allowed to participate here. This is exactly right!

I second Gabriel Craig’s motion that the American Craft Council should sponsor an online forum for this discussion to spill over into and continue on and on. It’s clear we all want to be connected, (and we obviously have a LOT to say).

Finally we have met in a place that can exist longer than the all-too-short duration of a weekend conference, and everyone is invited to join in the discussion. (Unless we want to go for a world record for most number of comments to a blog post…!)

Without choosing sides, I want to support every artist in their creative effort and the profession of arts and crafts. Every exhibition, whether online, at SNAG, in a gallery, non-profit show, museum or indie show offers the good along with the bad. My judgment or measure of what is good or bad may vary for different venues and may differ from any other person’s scale. So what is “good” or “bad” is subjective and unique to each person – and is not the crucial issue of my concern.

I think it is great that Etsy has created an alternative, online exhibition space. My real concern is how can artists think that they are making a living by selling $6 or even $20.earrings. At such low prices, very few people residing in the U.S. can recoup there full costs to design, fabricate by hand, photograph, post on Etsy, monitor the site, absorb the transaction fees, and then package and mail the work – and have enough left to pay for materials, labor, and overhead expenses such as studio rent, tools, utilities, insurance, meals, housing, clothing, etc.

The low price points attract bargain shoppers – and every shopper loves a bargain – but does this provide a sustainable living income for artists and crafts persons? Do we want to cater to bargain shoppers or to the advancement of art and craft?

It makes me extremely uncomfortable to look at the plethora of stuff on Etsy at what appears to be exceedingly low prices. I shutter to think about the artists and craftspeople trying to make a living. How do they cover the essentials of modern living? Does it cover business insurance, health insurance, dental insurance, or the orthodontist for children?

Etsy serves a broad market. It is a reality that a large number of artists will offer their work at lower and lower prices to make a sale. I know this generates short term cash, but I also believe that this is a spiral downward for any artist who falls into this trap. When too many artists sell work at such low prices, the competition eventually weeds out unsustainable practices. Etsy is not responsible for pricing; Etsy is simply another market.

Therefore, it is the artist’s responsibility to produce and market work that can be sold at prices that will sustain the artist long term – where design, innovation, and features other than low price attract buyers. Personally, I am planning to try Etsy and put up work in a range of prices.

I’d like to encourage everyone on Etsy to at least ask a reasonable price that includes not only cost of materials and direct labor, but also overhead and a small % for operating profit.

Can we possibly support each other and include all our agendas in ACC, SNAG, all the way to ETSY? We need to educate our community to act responsibly and to reach new audiences wherever we can. This was the failure of the ACC-type shows, and their current marketing efforts may be too late.

Education and outreach need to extend beyond the hallowed halls of academia, beautiful magazines for a small audience, and conferences preaching to the choir. Etsy, the Internet and idie shows reach out to a new audiences and draw in new artists and craftspeople. How can the community embrace and support these new channels?

I like to propose solutions rather than complaints. I am excited about the new opportunities in a constantly evolving landscape. I would also like to encourage new artists to price their work at realistic values. What if we talked more about the full costs of creating art and craft? What if more people posted better quality work on Etsy at prices that provide artists sustainable income? Would that benefit everyone? Maybe.

There are many ways to change the future, but each of us needs to act responsibly within our community, whether that community is Etsy, indie shows, SNAG or ACC. We can’t expect other people to do it for us. We need to do this ourselves – for each other.

There is plenty of work on Etsy that sells at higher price points. (I routinely sell items priced over $100 dollars.) I don’t think people only shop Etsy looking for bargains - all the blogs showcasing interesting and well designed objects on Etsy are proof of that. While there will always be people shopping Etsy (and ACC for that matter) looking for a bargain because it is “handmade”, I think Etsy is cultivating buyers that are looking for interesting and innovative work regardless of price point.

As you mentioned, as a community we could always do more. Etsy could work harder at educating their sellers (though there have been some pricing articles on the Storque). Etsy sellers could hold each other accountable for their prices. But I think its dangerous to assume everything on Etsy is low-priced. I think one of the main points of this entire conversation is that it is difficult to make such broad, sweeping generalizations about something as large as Etsy (or the indie craft world) without a creating a firestorm.

Every “market” needs a way in…people (customers, supporters, or the next generation of professional makers) have to be able to be introduced to the field and that is what IKEA did for “modern design.” And perhaps I am naive in believing the best in people, but I don’t think that anyone goes to IKEA and thinks “that’s it, my life is through, I don’t need to ever explore any other aspect of “design” again. In fact I think IKEA does quite the opposite - it whets people’s appetite for “design” and give them the courage (and just enough education and experience) to set foot in some of these more intimidating showrooms.

And that’s what I see Etsy doing in a large part - making a introductions. Showing people that “hand-made” work can be fun and amazingly satisfying. And again, I don’t believe that people will stop at Etsy once they’ve gained an interest. Hopefully they will now want to explore the field more thoroughly, take the next step..if they spent $20.00 on a ring from Etsy this year, maybe next year they will decide they want to see what the ACC Baltimore show is all about and spend $80.00 on a ring there. Then on their next trip to Boson, they now have the courage to step into a gallery and spend $150.00. And on and on…that is the hope anyway!

So I feel like Etsy and so many of these other craft fairs that have popped up offer an amazing in to the world of the handmade. Now the more established world has to figure out how to extend themselves to reach this audience that is being created for them - to reiterate, I don’t believe that the people going to these fairs and shopping Etsy (for the most part) are “bargain” shoppers. They are people who want something different. Perhaps they are young and therefore can’t afford the higher price points now, but give it time - they will, that is as long as the next stone is there for them to make the leap to. Moving that stepping stone further and further does no good for anyone.

And just to bring it all back around, in essence this really is what Bruce’s talk was about…I’ll look forward to seeing it posted and think many of you will be surprised when you finally get to read it. I’ll post mine too once Bruce’s is up.

Agreed, high price tags are often a joke because lord knows there are plenty of terrible things out there that cost far too much but I believe what Harriette was saying was that if she were to calculate the time, effort, materials, etc. etc. it took to construct her pieces that there is no way that she could afford to live as a maker selling at a lower price point. I think Harriette was only saying that she didn’t want makers to undervalue what they are putting out there and I was simply saying that things with a lower-price point (for whatever reason they are priced that way) need to exist in order to help people (customers) gain an understanding as to why something might be priced higher (time, effort, materials, etc.).

I believe that most people selling anything merely wanted to be compensated fairly for their time and efforts. If it takes a maker 10 hours to construct a ring, does it make sense to sell it for $20.00? In various instances it could (for example, as a way to create a customer base) but it also could be viewed as harmful - setting customers up with the unrealistic expectation that that ring should only cost $20.00 when in fact a more fair assessment (minimum wage) might be $80.00. Personally, I believe makers should offer items at various price points - the lower priced items to welcome customers as well as higher priced items that might allow the maker the time and creative space to dump more energy into the piece.

In my experience, “galleries” are created by people who really care about the artists and want to see them be able to exist at a healthy level making their art. That is where a lot of the high-prices in various galleries comes from I belief. Now does that make the work there “good”? No, not necessarily, but it does often mean that there is someone there who is passionate about what they are selling and believes it to be worth whatever the price-tag is - they certainly think it is good. And sometimes that passion and belief can be intimidating (hence my “mustering up the courage” comment). But once you are experienced, as a customer you are now equipped with the judgment skills to walk into that over-priced gallery and call bullshit if that is the assessment you make, But it is hard to do that without any experience. So I’m merely an advocate of methods for people to gain experience in the realm of the hand-made - however that may be. I believe that all the various factions of the craft world can only help one another…

Bruce, I would love to read your entire speech.

Perhaps it could be posted on the SNAG website?

The last paragraph that you typed is so interesting, I would really like to read more.

Sincerely, Elaine Luther

I know that multiple avenues for selling my work is a good idea. I sell at my store, I do some wholesale, and my web sales are picking up. (I have had items for sale on my website for almost 10 years, but have sold more in the last three months than the previous 9 years… don’t know why.) I want a broader selling stance because I never know when one area will underperform or dry up. It is the same for anyone who sells on Etsy and does some trunk shows or wholesales. It is smart to diversify. Thus, I do not see the difference between a 10×10 booth or a shelf in a new ACC venture. We are all trying to find the buyers that want OUR stuff. We are all there for the same reason. There are plenty of buyers out there, most of them quite professional. Most would buy your work if it was appropriate for them whether it was in a conventional booth or not. Its about the work, not how it is presented. With 25 years of buying at a wide range of shows, I can focus on the work, nothing else matters.

I am also a bit confused by the sentiment of some that SNAG, ACC and the mainstream is marginalizing the alt craft movement. I went to Bruce & Andrew’s talk and it was unambiguously clear to me that they both loved the phenomenon of alt craft. How marginalized should alt crafters feel if SNAG helped generate awareness of alt craft in the Savannah conference at the Professional Development Seminar on Wednesday, the breakout sessions on Friday, and at Bruce and Andrews talk on Saturday. And the ACC is bending over backwards to include alt craft community because they understand that it is a good thing for ALL stake-holders. The two Andrew’s from ACC are clearly champions of the alt craft movement and raising the visibility in a very dramatic and real way. I personally find it amazingly exciting and the most energetic and optimistic thing to happen to crafts in two decades.

For those who believe SNAG is all about academics, I highly disagree. The board has always been composed in part of studio jewelers and aspects of the magazine and conference programing always include the studio jewelers. I would also like to share a letter by Stanley Letzin, a quintessential academic who was very concerned that SNAG had lost its academic underpinnings and had strayed too far towards studio artists. There is a range of opinions out there, I can assure you.

I like the punk metaphor, but I will also make an analogy to snow-boarders. As a group, they were initially unwelcome into the skiing community. Within a few years, it was abundantly clear that snowboarding was responsible for bringing entirely new customers to ski areas ( who were faltering at the time) as well as help create the advent of the new popular wider skies. In other words, snow-boarders saved skiing. I think we can agree that mainstream craft shows are faltering (I am referring to ACC Baltimore here) and I believe that embracing the alt craft phenomena could invigorate craft shows in much the same way snow-boarders helped skiing. It is clear to me that ACC feels the same way. They will fine tune their efforts, and alt craft will undoubtedly play a larger part in our collective growth. It is quite possible that the raw energy of alt craft is the shot in the arm that our maker-centric family needs. I say “Bring it on!”

This talk of work being good or bad, frankly I couldn’t care less. The people who make the object believe it is very cool. The people who buy it think it is fabulous. What difference does it make if I think it dreadful. The same holds true in the fancy shows. I think we can all agree that our own taste is the best, so let it go, and assume that if you are a maker, you will delight and annoy people with each object. Same with how you were educated. I could not care less how you were educated, or not, if your work is good in my eyes.

Where does this leave us? The alt craft phenomena is here to stay. But it is just in its infancy despite that some of you have been involved for years. I can assure you that many at Savannah, both young and old, had never heard of Etsy. There will be some adjustments with the established craft community and the alt craft community as we do the dance to see how we can work and live together. But we will learn from each other, and we will be stronger as an integrated community because we share the same fundamentals. We are brothers and sisters. We are artists. We want and basically do the same things. And I think you are all awesome.
Best,
Sam Shaw,
Northeast Harbor, Maine

And here is a really good example of how we can maybe help each other and find some common ground.

I’ve learned a little bit about selling on the internet through my involvement with Etsy and other sites where you have your own “store” within the larger website. By being a part of the larger network, you have access to a much larger group of buyers. They can type in “gold twig diamond” and if those words are in your product description, your item comes up in the list. It comes up even higher in the list if you have posted it recently. Buyers might then go to your etsy shop, see that you have your own website too and either buy your stuff or mark it as a favorite and come back later. Either way, you have more eyeballs on your stuff and your site. Eyeballs eventually translate to sales. Ditto with having a blog and yes commenting on other people’s blogs (I went and looked at your website from your post & so have a lot of other people reading this I bet, I never would have other wise). The more involved and visible you are online in general, the better your sales will be.

This is all stuff I’ve learned just from poking around in the forums on Etsy, trial and error myself, and talking to other sellers. Not that you don’t already know this, but perhaps it might help your online sales.

You mentioning above about how you use a combination of wholesale, direct sales in your own shop and, and some online has piqued my interest. I’ve been looking for a “business model” for how to do this effectively and have dismissed wholesale because it seems such a waste to take half when I can take the whole if I sell online or direct. But your experience makes me re-think this strategy. Perhaps diversifying, even if only for part of my business, makes more sense.

I could really use more info like this from folks who know and have experience!!

Right now these two groups seem to have their own conferences. I know that ACC and SNAG have been trying to be more accessible to indie crafters, but clearly we are not all quite holding hands and singing kum by ya. I also know that Craft Con has defined itself as an event for indie crafters. If we can’t all get together in these existing venues, could we plan a new one? A virtual one maybe? Could we have an ACC or other online forum for this kind of hot debate as well as some mentoring (both ways)?

Perhaps if we planned on everyone coming instead of trying to include “others” in “our” venues/conferences we might find a better way to communicate without getting all bothered at each other.

Callie

*Why did you take Metcalf’s** opinion so seriously?

There is a democratization in craft (which the internet has greatly helped expand) which parallels the beginnings of punk rock.

Metcalf’s opinion is, in reality, no more learned than your own, it’s just that you are giving him power.

The power of indie/eco/punk craft is that what you’re making is up to YOU. YOU are choosing your own path and not having it dictated for you.

The academy is going to kowtow to whatever the academy wants to, and whether you’re in or out depends on ITS whims. But why should it? Its only daunting until you realize that “the academy” is *tiny!* In many cases, “the academy” only listens to other “academy” people, resulting in very few people having the same conversation! (However, in the best cases, there are some unis and academics that are more well-rounded…) The real task is to open the dialogue up to a greater audience and lowering pedestals and taking a wider circle’s opinion as opposed to just a few.

The beginnings of craft were utile, meaning that it began diametrically opposed to art. These humbler beginnings give it more to the people and less to judges of such. Craft is yours, and if someone sees it as low-brow or untalented, who’s to say that perhaps they’ve seen too many replicated over-theorized dated pieces, therefore ensuring their own jadedness?

Instead of taking away from SNAG that someone is putting down your craft, why not take from it that what we owe future crafters is to not limit our own aesthetic preferences? Learn from what Metcalf doesn’t say and if you’d like, poke holes in it, but realize where it came from and FIGHT it.

I wrote the above after reading 30 or so comments. I just get overwhelmingly frustrated when amazing people try to fit in a box that used to exist but has since transformed into something else. But then again, I’ve been playing the same horn for years now (although I’ve taken a hiatus out from blogging as I finish up my book), writing about the connection between the DIY ethos, craft and craftivism. And if I could wish for one thing it’s that you, the crafter, realize that you truly are limitless as to what you can make and do. By allowing yourselves to be defined by others you are limiting your own craftiness and creativity!

I really liked what Sabrina G had to say in her comment here: “I still find craft’s new wave extremely difficult to pin down. It’s high, it’s low, it’s pleasure, it’s politics, it’s money, it’s activism, it’s solitary, it’s community, it’s meditation, it’s conversation, it’s a throwback, it’s technology, it’s a table, it’s a concept, I could go on) — all in all, it’s an incredibly rich, active SPACE more than it’s a specific medium.”

There is room for us to explore and try new things and learn from others and expand our knowledge. There is room for us to be multi-disciplinary. There is room for us to learn about all sorts of crafts instead of just one. And the hope of all this synthesis? That we learn from it and make our craft stronger as we cross boundaries. That we create something of our own by learning from the past and building on it.

Sorry to add yet another voice to the chorus, but…Joy! To see so many voices shout outloud for their creativity and right to it?! Simply beautiful. To the people I know who’ve commented and those whom I haven’t met, thank you thank you thank you for your $.02, it’s important.

**My apologies to Bruce Metcalf… whose name is used in this post not because he’s a pompous jerk… but in reference to the original post. My point is based on the theory of punk…and that NO ONE, no matter what their degrees or CVs may state should make you feel less than an equal. We all stand on the same platform despite our various pedigrees.

I am a boomer self-taught quiltmaker who has been making a living at those “dry, airless and boring” craft shows since 1983. That makes me a newcomer in that community. I can also remember when those shows were not “dry, airless and boring” and have, among others, actively pursued awakening ACC to the growing stodginess of their shows and organization.

In fact, there is a Forum available for this discussion! It is at:

http://www.avocetwebdesign.com/acc/forum/

and has not been used for months. It was established because of our frustration with the lack of interaction and communication between the ACC Board and the people who paid booth fees to do their shows. When Carmine Branigan joined the council as ED she actually began engaging the exhibitors and would sometimes join discussions, as would other staff members. The only contact from the Board was a phone call from their attorney suggesting that we might be opening ourselves up to to some litigation on matters of libel. But, after a quick refresher on the concept of free speech, we ended the call amiably.

So, ACC has changed a lot. It is impossible to imagine Lois Moran (former American Craft editor) engaging in the kind of spirited public discussion in the manner that Andrew Wagner has here. Melanie Bender ( show director) has said she would welcome more input from exhibitors on the Forum and has demonstrated her willingness to utilize exhibitor ideas and encourage experiments. Andrew Glasgow has promised that they will continue to try new things….even at the risk of making mistakes!

A lot of mistakes were made at Baltimore this year with the manner in which ACC introduced the “New Wave”. They probably could have done a better job by simply discussing the project with a few veteran exhibitors and a few of the “New Wave”.

For me, personally, the confrontational response of SOME of the veteran exhibitors to the “New Wave” craftspeople was the most disappointing aspect of the experiment. Things are tough right now for many people in the craft field ( just as in many other areas of the economy ). People are frustrated and they are scared. Not surprisingly, some take it out on …. who? : the New Wave, the illegal immigrants! It was not simply the discrepancy of booth fees. (besides all the other expenses were the same!) It was also the discrepancy in jury standards. When people’s livelihood’s are at stake and they feel somehow hoodwinked financially, they don’t always react rationally. This is not an excuse. It is simply an explanation for a few ill-mannered people. I am so very sorry that the experience of so many of the “New Wave” was negative as regards their fellow exhibitors.

My guess is that the ACC Board has finally figured out that ACC is primarily the Shows and the Magazine. Perhaps they are giving their staff the opportunity to truly develop these assets. ACC is a not for profit 501c3 Corp. and as such is supposed to make its money off of “non-earned” income. For decades the money has been coming primarily from “earned” income off the shows. No wonder that some exhibitors see ACC as “the evil empire” just “milking everyone dry”? (The exhibitors paid for booth fees at shows and were required to subscribe to the magazine. The Board went to SOFA, had a party, and gave a few lifetime achievement awards to the Big Names. The magazine lionized the academics and ignored the exhibiting artists except to sell them ads.)

We are all coming at this from our own experience in Craft. I see the newness of the craft movement of the late 60’s and the 70’s in the alt-craft movement now. We all feel like we are inventing something new. But newness is not what is important. Important is that we have the opportunity to do something we love in our lifetime and, if we are REALLY fortunate, we get to feel apart of a community that believes we are of value to the whole.

Community is the aspect of alt-craft that is most apparent to me. I think that is just so cool.

Pamela Hill

I hesitate to weigh in on this discussion, because it has at times gotten kind of heated, and because I am by no means any sort of expert on the indy craft scene. I am, however, able to draw on 30 years in this field of jewelry and metalsmithing as an artist, and a fair amount of time trying to work to improve our field and also make SNAG more inclusive.

I will also say, I very much agree with what Sam Shaw (also a former SNAG President) said in his posting and note that of the last five SNAG Presidents, only one is a full time teacher, one was part time, and three are full time studio artists. While I have seen stats recently, I know that the majority of SNAG members are not professors. There is, and should be, room in the tent for all of us. As Sam said so well, we have far more in common than we have differences.

With that historic lens, I have to take note of how familiar much of this debate is. While the players have changed in this current dialog, similar issues have been raging for many years in different ways. Academic vs. studio jewelers and now old guard craftspeople vs.the Alt artists and indy shows.

In the end, to me, it comes down to a few things. First, is what I would call the Rodney Dangerfield (I know this dates me) aspect of our field. “I get no respect.” Sometimes I get the feeling that this is unfortunately the default setting for many in the craft world. In the current discussions the Alt scene feels disrespected by the old guard craft world. From what I have seen, this is not an illusion or a misperception. It is however, if history tells us anything, a temporary state. People are resistant to change and suspicious of it. Not a particularly attractive aspect of human nature but altogether too prevalent to ignore in all aspects of society. When times are tight, like they are now, these sorts of tensions get amplified. People get demonized. In the national political world (I am a political junky) we hear divisive rhetoric like, “it is the illegal immigrants that are costing me my job….., build a giant wall to keep them out” and the like. Haivng just returned from Berlin, Germany, I’m more aware of this ugly side of history than ever before.

When we all feel passionately about our field and our work and are so personally invested in it, a lack of respect from our peers is even more hurtful. People naturally get defensive and angry.

The second major dynamic at work is our tendency towards generalization and categorization. This is a dominant force in much of history, including (perhaps especially) art history. We get painted with a broad brush and people try to put us in nice, neat, little pigeon holes. Also frustrating and born out of a lack of understanding and knowledge of the complexities of the world. It is also frequently a tendency when trying to characterize something large in a 20 minute lecture. Going back to my political interests, Obama’s speech on race in America was one of the most nuanced and insightful explorations of a hugely complex and loaded topic. Unfortunately, few, if any of us, are that eloquent.

I have know Bruce Metcalf well for many years. He is sincere and works hard to advance the field. He is at times a provocateur and often a critic. He has the guts to say in print or in public lectures, what most of us would only say privately, and has at times he has taken a lot of heat as a result. I very much applaud him for this and I feel the field is better for it. That said, having attended the lecture in question, I didn’t get the impression he was trying to insult anyone, especially not the Alt scene. To the contrary, he was trying to point to it as an exciting and dynamic development in our field that should be known to those who didn’t know it and should be reexamined by those that too quickly have dismissed it. He is excited by it and as a historian and leader, very aware of the need for new, fresh perspectives in our field.

While his is very articulate, he is no Barack Obama, so to some on this blog, his statements have regrettably stirred up some hard feelings. I know him well enough to know this was not his intention.

In the end, the things that defeat the forces of resistance to change, generalization, and intolerance, are time, good communication, and dialog. These breed understanding, appreciation and acceptance. While Bruce may have fallen short in the view of some, he has provided a start to this dialog. Was it an imperfect one? Yes, perhaps. But beginnings often are.

Don Friedlich

But wait, that last statement really strikes a chord. Because, the irony is, I’ve always considered myself—a 49.5 year old maker who values a high level of craftsmanship: certainly a member of the old guard—a quintessential Indie. I hold neither a BFA nor MFA and have never participated in a craft fair. My custom and commission business was entirely built by word –of-mouth: does it get more grass roots than that? Despite lacking advanced or specific degrees I have functioned on many levels within SNAG, have taught at both universities and art centers and built a solid reputation, extensive exhibition record, established and maintained a high professional profile and made a living.

Like Megan, I feel that I straddle two poles within the world of SNAG; I suspect that there are many people who do. The two poles, at either side of what I have come to call the “Schism”, are the academic metals community and the trade. The animosity between the two sides and the judgmental thinking directed towards each by the other is really close to what is beginning to happen here. There’s a similar tone struck in the perennial Art vs Craft debate and amid the postings on the online jewelry forum Orchid, whenever a new Lark Books 500 jewelry series hits the shelves. Lots of posts beginning with “Art is…” and “Jewelry should….” Lots of exclusionary posts. Lots of intolerance.

Even more familiar is the recent Orchid flap over Precious Metal Clay: Angry exchanges between jewelers and metalsmiths with traditional technical experience and those PMCers who claim that such skills are no longer necessary since this new material can do it all without any of the fuss. The surprising aspect of this argument was how quickly some of the PMCers took offense, rising to righteous indignation in their posts at the suggestion that their chosen material, while certainly having earned a valid place in the toolbox, had not become the whole toolbox itself. Their seemed to be no middle ground, no room for objective observation and case-by-case evaluation and most definitely no room for criticism.

I agree with Bruce that the level of quality certainly must vary in the Indie community. It varies among the Old Guard—it even varies among individual artists. Why is such an observation met so defensively? Why are people surprised when a writer (who historically has extolled the virtue of Craft and craftsmanship) uses that yardstick when considering a subject and presenting a lecture at a conference for an organization whose origins are inextricably tied to traditional craft? What exactly were people expecting? In truth, I heard several “old school” colleagues express intolerance towards what they considered to be poorly designed and executed alt-craft pieces but Bruce Metcalf was not one of them. Any observations that are made or any opinions generated by such observations will be in some way biased or judgmental. It’s all coming through one filter and exiting through another. The best that we can hope for is that these opinions and observations are informed and educated. I believe that Bruce Metcalf offered both in his lecture. Some may have found inaccuracies there and some may consider his conclusions biased, but I do not believe he was not speaking from ignorance.

I also attended the day of lectures at the Professional Development Seminar; in fact, I helped organize it. I felt that the presentations were excellent—no bias here–however it seemed to me that there was some confusion in the audience when the Web 2.0 topic was addressed. I brought this concern up at the Open Spaces break out session and asked Megan for a more clear definition of Web 2.0. (Since this was a pivotal theme in the PDS and, as it turns out, during the conference itself it is not petty griping to consider a clear and accessible definition of the topic essential.) There were some who considered the original definition offered during the PDS to be excellent and complete—and told me so– but I felt (and still feel) that a segment of the participating audience was lost at the most basic level in this conversation. Everyone was growing frustrated due to the horrible acoustics and insane organization of the space—it was, indeed OPEN spaces—and I could see that some of the information was simply not getting through. Exasperation increased on both sides and an impatient tone entered the arena. I found myself feeling somewhat marginalized and misunderstood in the conversation. And I detected a note of irritation and even dismissal from the more internet savvy participants toward those who may not have been as technically sophisticated as their younger colleagues: those who were simply not getting it. It is, in the end, the same attitude that I have heard some alt-crafters, indies or Etsy members bristling against when describing how the “old guard” writes them off. This may be a function of youth but it is exactly what was not needed at that time –and in this field at this time.

Like Sam Shaw, and others, I believe in the Big Tent and its capacity to hold the “old guard”, the indie community, alt-crafters, academicians, PMCers, production, trade and one- of -a -kind makers. (I’m sure I’ve omitted someone…) I think that SNAG can be that Big Tent. Indie, Alt-craft, Punk, rock and roll—none of it is new. Arts and Crafts, Ellensburg Funk, found object assemblage… Guerilla marketing, selling off the grid and trunk shows: same story. DIY and Web 2.0 are just the newest iterations. Galleries may indeed fade in significance and Etsy may represent the future (I suspect that something like it will). I do not question Etsy’s validity and I applaud any one who wants to make anything from anything. What I do question is whether Etsy can serve as broad a style and price point demographic —at this point–as its proponents might maintain. Selling fashion forward pieces at low price points can be a useful strategy and an enjoyable and profitable pursuit. But the possibility must be acknowledged that a person may not want to make this stuff in this way forever. The possibility may even exist that at some point a person may wish to pursue a higher level of education or craftsmanship (it’s not a dirty word) for its own sake.

None of this is the answer by itself, at least at this point. Evolution and history simply aren’t linear. All those artists’ conceptions from the 50’s and 60’s of the “City of the Future” with jet cars and climate controlled domes were always missing the simple truth and beauty of things: There will always be a few Dodge Darts among the jet cars. That’s what was so great about Blade Runner. The old overlaps the new. (There’s still Druids, for heaven’s sake.) And that’s a Big Pole in the Big Tent.

“Meet the new boss, same as the old boss”
The Who: Won’t Get Fooled Again.
Proto punk

Andy Cooperman
andycooperman.com
andy@andycooperman.com

I’m joining Sam and Andy under the “big tent.” We have spent a lot of time over the past three years discussing how best to reach out to and incorporate the new generation of craft artists into our show.

I don’t know that we’ve embraced the most effective strategy, but for now have determined that the method that most benefits the artists, our show, our buyers and the marketplace is to hold “new wave” (UGH) artists to the same standards and provide them the same benefits as any other “old guard” exhibitor.

Granted, our approach is primarily dictated by the fact that we are exclusively a wholesale show, but I think it’s a disservice to any sort of emerging artist to ghetto-ize them by segregating them from more established exhibitors. It seems to breed jealousy, deprives the new exhibitors of the benefit of learning from their more experienced neighbors, and sends a message that their work is somehow “different” (be it better or worse) than other work at the show.

What we are doing differently in regards to these artists is in our approach to them. The DIY/Indie market IS the next generation of exhibitors in my show, and while there are literally hundreds of them whose work is well-made and of artistic value, there is a great deal of education to be done. I don’t expect BFAs or MFAs, but I do have an obligation to my buyers to provide them with quality work that they can confidently sell to their customers. I also have an obligation to my exhibiting artists to ensure that they are as well-equipped as possible (product line, pricing, booth design, branding, etc.) to succeed in the market.

The more we can welcome the new generation of artists into the “big tent” - by mentoring, advising, consulting, offering business education programs (www.artsbusinessinstitute.org), the better off we ALL will be.

Christine Kloostra
Show Director
Buyers Market of American Craft
www.americancraft.com

-Corey

-Corey

http://www.imogene.org/blog/2008/03/20/739/

enjoy!

I am aware that many in the audience at the PDS and at the Open Spaces dialog are not as computer savvy as many in my generation, and sadly, the room situation at the Open Spaces dialog made for a very difficult conversation in a number of ways. I keep championing web 2.0 because it is “easy to use”, which is hard to communicate sitting in the middle of an atrium without a computer. But I believe so strongly in the value of this that I am willing to help anyone - even if it takes some people longer to get it. I’m sorry if some of the “old guard” at the Open Spaces felt their lack of understanding was being dismissed. Again, that was not the ideal situation for teaching and instruction, but I encourage anyone who wants more information to contact me. I am always happy to help.

Corey, I definitely agree with you. My thought has always been, if you don’t like the way things are done in an organization, you can either change it or start your own.

There is already such a strong sense of community in the indie world (or rather, many sub-communities, in the form of street teams, craft mafias, blogs, flickr, etc) that many of the people in the indie world may not need SNAG. And perhaps that is fine.

But it was painfully clear to me at the business meeting at SNAG that SNAG may need the indie community (or at least some ties to the indie community) in order to remain relevant. That doesn’t mean that everyone in SNAG needs to participate in the indie community (hopefully there is room under that “big tent” for everyone), but the indie community could help draw a younger, energetic demographic at SNAG.

SNAG could be doing more to draw in this new demographic. And on a side note, there was a huge contingent of students at this years SNAG. (I think 300 out of 750 were students.) But I couldn’t help but wonder, where were the recent grads and emerging artists. My peers. Clearly SNAG is doing a great job drawing in students, but how are we retaining these members once they enter the real world. Are many recent grads and emerging artists turning to the indie community rather than SNAG because its more vibrant and accessible?

To follow up, I think running for the SNAG board is a great option, but there are many other ways to get involved with SNAG besides running for the board. I encourage indie crafters to find ways to get involved with SNAG, and for SNAG to reach out more to indie crafters. I know I am trying to do both.

The Council has an annual jury process in which we encourage all to apply. Our marketing department has done and continues to do extensive outreach to ensure that Artists including the alt/ indie crafters are aware and encouraged to apply to our shows.

The concept of the New Wave group was born from examining the shows and looking for ways to bring in a new audience. The goal was to introduce these artists and their audience to The American Craft Show. The limited space and lower price was a way to introduce a few new artists to our Show. In turn they would come to the show, met more established Artists, and consider The American Craft Shows a viable venue for their work. The New Wave initiative was mentioned in Newsletters and email blast to exhibiting Baltimore Artists on several occasions.

In response to the comments on the mentor program:
The original mentor program has evolved into what is now known as the Searchlight Program. Artist in the Searchlight Program are nominated by professionals prominent in the craft community. They are then matched with experienced Artist attending The American Craft Show to be mentored. Although the application process has changed the goal of the program remains very much the same: To nurture and develop new Artists.

Evolution and change are key to the continued success and survival of The American Craft Show.

“There is already such a strong sense of community in the indie world (or rather, many sub-communities, in the form of street teams, craft mafias, blogs, flickr, etc) that many of the people in the indie world may not need SNAG. And perhaps that is fine.”

Megan,

I agree that the sense of community in the indie world is tremendous, but I think this attitude is dangerous. If the movement is going to make lasting changes, as in changes that aren’t forgotten once the market for this style cools, which it inevitably will, it needs to infiltrate the more established organizations that have proven their ability to weather changes.

I couldn’t agree more that SNAG needs help and a shot in the butt of contemporary thinking, and so I hope the leaders of this movement won’t decide SNAG is beyond help because I think it would be detrimental to both sides of the issue.

-Corey

The way we see it is that the Indie Community is doing pretty damn good with out the help of SNAG. The shows attract thousands of excited people who want to buy the crafts and support the artists. The community is strong and getting stronger and the artists are making livings doing something that they love.

Andy, what makes you think that the Indie community DOESN’T know that they are part of a long history? Isn’t that why Annie was at the conference in the first place? And as far as the Indies “never being all that they can (be)…” Well, the people in the indie community have a sucessful businesses, do craft shows, participate in auctions, give back to their community, are raising children, and love what they do. What exactly do you think we need to be or become?

Open your eyes, SNAG. We are under your tent. We just don’t have big red INDIE stamps on our forheads.

I am really surprised that you read these posts as arrogant. Honestly, I don’t know where to go with this…. Especially since I get a pretty clear sense of smug arrogance coming from the non-SNAG side of this conversation.

I’m sure that the Indie community doesn’t really need SNAG, the old guard–whatever we want to call it (us)– and that’s fine. But this whole thing started when Annie came to the SNAG conference and her (and others) reaction to Bruce’s presentation. It seems to me that some Indies were looking to expand their community. If I have this wrong, then let me apologize right now.

There seems to be an attitude in these recent posts that SNAG is somehow in desperate need of the new ideas, revolutionary approach and vital energy that is so prevalent in the Indie community. That, to my eyes, is arrogance.

I suppose, though, that there is truth to SNAG’s need for revitalizing energy. This is a basic truth for any organization. I imagine that, at some point, even the Indie (sorry, is there a more acceptable term?) community will feel this need.

My statement about this community not really understanding the historical spectrum on which it sits may have been a bit broad– and for this I apologize. But my statement came from the sense I was getting from some of the posts that there was something new and never before seen in what is going on. The characters and the technology is certainly new, but the need for change and communication through making isn’t.

Finally, we can all become so much more than what we are now. That’s all I meant, myself included.

Your concluding statement is exactly the tone that I think we — any of us– do not need to strike. Any “tent” reference that I made was one of inclusion. I’m sorry if you see at as something to be invaded. My eyes have, indeed, been opened.

Take care, Andy

I certainly don’t think SNAG is beyond help. Sadly, it seems like somehow this conversation is degrading into an us vs. them sort of argument. (Which becomes really confusing when you consider yourself part of both groups.)

My question now is, how can we get the two sides (I hate that there has to be two sides at all) talking about positive collaboration and interaction rather than sniping about who said what in what tone and whom offended who?

I have always assumed that we are all playing the same game: Making is making. That’s what has me so sad about this. There is attitude to burn on both sides. I’m not sure how to facilitate change with what seems to be rapidly evolving into polarization. Perhaps I need to be more specific: The Big Tent is, to my eyes, the Big Tent of Making. BFA, MFA, TGIF, MOUSE doesn’t matter.

Andy

I am a potter who has been doing shows (high end) for 6 years. Not quite long enough to be “old guard”, but a bit too slick to neatly fit into “Indie”. I do both types of shows, but have scaled back the high end and really only to ACC Baltimore Wholesale/Retail these days.

I may have been one of a handful of regular participants who were happy to see new work. (I hate the phrase “new wave”, as it reminds me of watered-down punk). That said, I feel the ball was dropped by the ACC on both sides of the velvet rope..

Hey!! let’s talk about the rope. Ropes are meant to either keep people out, or keep people in, depending which side of it you are on. Why weren’t the Indie artists integrated into the show? Shoved to the side, roped in. Yikes. That, as much as anything created angst for everyone. And guys, if there is really a hope to have these artists come back an be part of the “regular” show, paying many times more $$$, that rope kept them from walking the how and visualizing how they could be “one of them”. Yes, that phrase was heard often by both the Indie and the Regular artists. Them.

Bad feelings amongst regulars? It started on a truly horrid note. The Indie artists were setting up during Wholesale. The show ended at 3p that day to allow for Retail-Only setup. “New Wave” Set up - on the floor of the show during show hours, no less - began at 11. The precious few buyers who were there that day were ordering from people unloading boxes. Official word was that they “weren’t supposed to take orders”, but seriously, if someone wants to order, go right ahead. It was a huge slap in the face to those of us who paid thousands to be there. Having a set up in the middle of a sales day made it feel like the show had ended. The Indie artists I spoke to said they felt like they were put on the spot. They had NO IDEA this was an active Wholesale day. Melanie, I know you work your butt off, and I adore you, but this was a serious bad first impression for everyone.

As far as the mentor program, it’s just my 2 cents, but I am sorry to see it go in it’s past form. The Spotlight section, while quite beautiful and well curated, was vastly different that the work on the sales floor. A number of those artists, on both Wholesale and Retail days, already had work in museums. although aesthetically pleasing (I would even say breathtaking!!), it smacked of elitism. Sorry, but if someone already has their work in private musem collections, they have already “emerged”.

I would have preferred to see a mentor program for the Indie artists, who could really have benefited from practical business advice, such as how to sell, how to interact with customers (some of them were seriously lacking in this area, never once getting up from behind a table) and how to price. Etsy really shines in this area, making oodles of business tools available to everyone, from spreadsheets to tax advice to how to photograph your work.

It would also have been nice to see more gallery owners like Amy Shaw, who are moving away from the dreary work that has been there for years and are in search of new artists. Let’s face it - everyone needs to adapt.

I’ll even put my time where my big mouth is and become active in a mentoring program. One that focuses on helping craft artists make a lifelong career in creating, developing, marketing and selling their work. This is really as important to me as making my own work is. Great craft - materials based art, as I prefer to call it - is not based solely on MBAs.

I agree with one of the original points that Craft 2.0 is not especially “well crafted”. There are a ton of great ideas, but I am often shocked at what I see at shows and what shows up from my Etsy purchases. There is a basket of stuff on my desk of stuff that fell apart on first use, but hey - it was beautifully photographed. A digital SLR and a Macro lens can go a long way in making work look gorgeous, but the what shows up in my mailbox is…lacking. SNAG, NCECA, the Potters Council…all the groups need to reach out.

If the ACC seriously wants to bloom a new generation of crafters (and the buyers who love them), change will have to happen. It is to the benefit of both the “old guard” and the “new wave” to create a friendly, nurturing and educational path. The Salon series is a great start, but available only to us here in NYC. At the very least, an active and well promoted blog would go miles if it had transcripts of there series, photos, and an exchange of ideas.

Sorry for the longwinded-ness. I tend to be chatty, and I am really passionate about this. Here’s hoping I didn’t just shoot myself in the foot and get myself blackballed from everything.

…Lo

www.loisaronow.com
misslo.etsy.com

If you will knock off the defensiveness, i will indeed try to reiterate my points.

1. the ACC did not act as a bridge between the “regular” people and the “new wave” people, causing bas feelings on both sides. In fact, they
inadverdantly caused much of the problem. It would have behooved the ACC to integrate the new wave artists if they hope those people will someday spend $$$ to take a “regular” space someday.

2. My comment about the quality of work was not meant for the ACC New Wave, it was meant to encompass my personal finding of items I have seen and purchased through both Etsy and Indie shows. I was making a generalization.

3. I am well aware what many of the New Wave crafters have accomplished. I know a few of them personally. I respect their work, own much of it, and am an ardent supporter of handmade.org, the Church of Craft, and many offshoot orgs.

The frequent use of the word “us” in your post only serves to widen the gap. There is room for everyone, and the cream rises to the top, no matter where you are, what your medium, and how you sell. It does. The great work will be out there a long time and people will find it. Artists with great ideas and quality work will endure. Always have; always will.

I was not in any way judging the New Wave Artists, who, yes, I know personally. If anything, I have a bigger problem with the established old timers. The retirees in their RVs who show up with the same work they were showing at Stowe 40 years ago piss me off. As for the glass blowers, hell, do you want to hear about the big to-do among them when Matthew Eskuche won a “Best in Show” prize last year? “That’s not craft” was wailing through the halls. never mind that he individually flameworked a thousands individual pieces by himself.

You wanna talk about the potters? They can’t friggin’ agree on anything. I have been told I’m not a potter because I have a love affair with my electric kiln. Well, bite me. I actually have to think about decorating my work and not just letting flame lick it. Slipcasting get the short shrift too, unfairly.

Re-read my post. I am on YOUR side. Creating secondary and tertiary markets for craft development and sales are both good and bad, and it would be great if we could all play nicely together. I play in both ballfields, but really don’t appreciate that it feels like the proverbial schoolyard.

And please - cut me a break with the “people like you” comment. I graduated High schol a very long time ago, and have no desire to go back.

i really did think there was room for opinion here.

The announcements about “being attentative to your booths” was meant for everyone. There had been several thefts reported. Even if you are in your booth things can get pocketed by some swift fingered granny. It happens all the time.

Yes, there was a party atmosphere Saturday after the swell of the crowds died down. Please don’t tell me this doesn’t happen at indie shows, because it does.

I would have preferred to see a mentor program for the (up and coming) artists, who could have benefited (etc) rather than an elite school program to promote fairly established artists who already have their work in Museums and Important Private Collections.”

I understand your feeing, Heather, but please rest assured my words were not pointed directly at you. I try to gear my responses to the broader reading audience. I prefer not to name names, but there were a handful of new wave artists who were floundering. Let’s be fair: there were plenty of established artists on the selling floor who could benefit from a swift kick in the butt and a can of paint, and who also learn to use email. Plenty are blissfully ignorant of the changing environment.

The new wave artists did nothing wrong setting up. The ACC did by could have been better organized on that one. The ACC dropped the blew it and I said just that. Again, it’s not personal. The new wave artists did what they were told to do.

I’m sorry that you personally were met with unpleasant circumstances. I personally am not aware of what you experienced, nor should I be chastised for this. I am disturbed by this, because I have been one of the biggest advocates of indie craft within the clay community.

Just a suggestion: try not to narrow your definition of “peers” to be just those behind the rope. The other 650 artists there are also your peers and, while you don’t have to like every one of them, or like anyone else’s work, there needs to be a lot more respect on both sides. A lot of the “regular” exhibitors would have loved to be in the loop and help out. A lot of us came over. A lot of the “old guard” are nervous by the youth and the generation gap and the newness of the ideas. For a lot of artists, this IS their retirement. This is not right or wrong, it just is. The ACC needs to focus on everyone, not just 15 artists. I was sought out by a couple of different new ave artists, and likewise, I sought out several who’s work I admire.

And then there was the one who told me I was “stupid” for spending so much to be there.

Maybe I am being naive about this, but I think there is so much to be gained through by combining fresh ideas and materials with life’s lessons learned.

I apologize to all. My goal was to contribute to what i believe is a valuable discussion, and not to start a fire. My sincere apologlies. I will be pulling my foot out of my mouth and going back to lurking.

Lois said, “I would have preferred to see a mentor program for the (up and coming) artists, who could have benefited (etc) rather than an elite school program to promote fairly established artists who already have their work in Museums and Important Private Collections.”

I was one of the searchlight artists at ACC this year. I am out of school less than 2 years, consider myself up and coming, and do not have work in any museums or important private collections. I can’t speak for any other searchlight artists, but I feel like my experience at ACC, and the fact that I was chosen for the searchlight program, are being devalued by these statements. It will be a long time before I can consider myself a fairly established artist. (And coincidentally, searchlight artists were given mentors. Mine was Biba Schutz, who was extremely helpful and is always wonderfully supportive of emerging artists.)

I’m growing really tired of arguments made around generalizations rather than facts.

We haven’t been doing this for long, but the general rumble that we hear from those who have been is that buyer attendance and interest in general–at all “fine” craft shows–has been down. It’s news that scares us, as we are depending on the sales of our work for our livelihood. What I’d like to know is if some of these great independent ‘alt’ shows are stealing buyers away from the ‘fine’ craft shows? Otherwise, where are they going? They can’t have just disappeared into thin air! I do think that the ‘fine’ craft shows have gotten a little bit stodgy and set in their old ways… and in their doing so, the ‘alt’ crafters seem even more like a huge breath of fresh air. So here’s where our problem lies… we identify more in style and philosopy with the new school than with the old… yet because of our product (furniture) and the price points it requires, we fit in more with the ‘fine’ craft crowd–but only in that aspect.

Like I said, we have only been doing this for a few years and have only a few shows under our belts, but we haven’t exactly had stellar experiences at the ‘fine’ craft shows that we have participated in. After an extremely poor showing at the last show we attended. we’re scrambling to figure out how to support ourselves. We’ve come to the conclusion that the ‘alt’ crafter life may be our lifeline. After spending many thousands of dollars on ‘fine’ craft shows–and feeling like we’re being poorly represented–we’ve decided we’d much rather be where things are fresh and progressive. We can’t afford not to be.

Thanks for the great discussion and fodder for thought!

I suspect there will never be a clear answer (but maybe that’s not such a bad thing, god forbid we ever get to the stage where we can stop asking questions…) I’ll be keenly following this thread and your blog to see if there are any more updates, thank you so much its been so thought provoking!

—————————————————————————————————-
http://ebloggy.com/adrianhancockxf

http://www.americancraftmag.org/zoom-entry.php?id=2126

We of course would love to have you (all of you!) as guests so if you can make it, be sure to RSVP. Hope to see you soon…

- Andrew Wagner

http://www.americancraftmag.org/zoom-entry.php?id=5156

Hope all is well!

- Andrew

it was pretty cool to watch it all happen via the virtual labs last night. thank you to etsy for providing the opportunity for those who could not travel. i must say, though, i would have preferred to be in the audience so that i could ask a few questions.

i do wish bruce and chanel could see the transcript from the virtual labs room. is that available anywhere? i shall check and see.

perhaps the craft council and etsy would like to invite me next time such an event like this goes down? *putting it out there in the universe* as that “confessions” post was mentioned an awful lot. . .

(and it’s imogene.ORG not .COM as was repeated numerous times incorrectly last night)

let me know what you think after you’ve given a listen, won’t you?

xoxo

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