Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Making it Handmade
Have you watched this doco? I watched it last night. This film made me simultaneously happy, mad, angry, disgusted and puzzled. It left me questioning many things about craft, the craft community and myslef- my craft and my motivations. I don't remember the last time I had this kind of response to any media. Even 12 hours and a good nights sleep later I'm not sure what I think about it. What I do know is that it did it's job. It has made react, to think, to question. If that was the filmmaker's aim then she did it well. I'd be interested to know what you though/think about Making it Handmade.
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3 comments:
I think the doco was about two separate things really,people enjoying craft and craftivism.I applaude craftivism but I am not active in that area so I can't really comment on that. I can comment on the ordinary crafter though.
I am a 52 year old woman and I have always made things , all my life, some to sell but most just for me for my pleasure and I don't actually want to be seen as part of a movement, as part of a craft revolution because I think in many ways that is disrespectful to the women of my mother's generation, who crafted because they wanted to, not because they had to but didn't feel the need to have lots of recognition for what they did. I don't want my joy in making things to have to have a wider bigger meaning,to be seen as a statement against consumerism and have certain ideas ascribed to my craft. It's mine and the only statement I want to make is that I enjoy making things and if you want to give any kind of craft a try then go ahead. It's about joy, it's about living in the moment and enjoying the process and maybe sharing the result, maybe not. In the end like many arts, we do it because we have to, we are driven to make things by an internal creative spirit and not for the applause.
i thought it was lame :(
Like Jenny I am an older woman who has always made her own clothes (knitting and sewing) and I felt completely erased by this program. My experience was sort of waved away as 'only made it because they had to'. It may be true that I had to, but that doesn't mean I don't take a lot of pride and pleasure in what I do. Also, I felt that, apart from the cross-stitch, the skills exhibited were very low and people didn't really seem to understand that making things well takes years of practice. I'm sorry if that sounds 'elitist' but it's true. I feel that the things I make are both beautiful and useful. And I've never made an apron in my life. They are such a sign of women's work I couldn't bear to waste my time on one! :)
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