Imbuing Culture in your Crafts

Friday, June 26, 2009 ·

By Rick Amorey

One of the primary reasons why people buy crafts in craft shows is because they are tourists in the area, and they want to have a physical object that would remind them of the place they went to. As such, it is a good idea for any craftsperson to check his or her location, and let himself or herself be influenced by the culture of the place. If you are a craftsperson who grew up in the area, this wouldn't be too much of a problem. But what if you are a visitor as well?

If you are not from the area where the craft show is held, then chances are you will not have a direct affinity with the culture of the place. But this can be developed over time. Check out the works of your fellow craftspeople attending the event, and try to make friends with them. Getting close to some of them will rub off on you, and you may start to exude some of their culture over time.

Simply mingling with the people won't do the trick, of course. Expeand your understanding of the culture further by spending some time in it. Don't barricade yourself in the craft show for the duration of your stay, and instead explore the place in its entirety. Have a short break, and look around for interesting things that you can do there. You'll be surprised at how quickly you'll discover a thing or two.

When everything has been said and done, it's time to "go back to the lab again" and try to integrate the culture that you have learned. But be careful and don't try to lose your identity in the process! Get influenced by, but don't copy, the things that you've seen in their culture! You will come up with a superior prduct that way.

In the end, it is important that you don't force anything. Don't be too alarmed if your piece ends up without the feel that you wanted it to have for that culture; if you bash the culture in, you'll end up destroying both that and your personal touch. To me, the soul of an item is important, and you just can't have a soul of the object itself is forced.

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