I was recently asked to attend a workshop day at Plymouth College of Art, exploring craft and sustainability. It seems that Craft is having a sort of crisis of confidence. Apparently, there are fewer students enrolling in applied art courses and some in the craft world are questioning what their shared ideology is, in todays world.
I don't particularly align myself with Craft, but rather exist more as a designer and researcher who 'makes', but it seems that alot of the discussions happening in design around sustainability are clearly of interest to Craft.
Included in the workshop was a potter, a furniture maker, a book maker and a glass-blower. Some of the talk was around 'skills', and the very valuable skills knowledge that craftspeople have. In light of the fact that a more sustainable model of living will no doubt have to include a more 'skilled up' population (maintaining home energy systems, food growing, repairing objects and clothes), the craftsperson has alot to teach us.
Richenda was a glass blower for many years, but is now part of the Transition Town Totnes group where she runs community-led arts projects. One project involves her taking a group of people into the woods for a walk. They have all been asked to bring five tools with them and they are instructed to make something using their tools and any natural materials they come across on their walk. The objects are then displayed in an exhibition at the end.
This is a great example of an exercise in using all those skills which we dont often get to utilise living a modern, technologically-advanced lifestyle - being observant, having attention to detail, and experimenting.
Also, showing the objects in an exhibition promotes the idea that objects made by hand, using natural materials made by non- craftspeople can be beautiful and functional.
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anyroom/
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