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Okay, then – let’s get down to the big question: where did the online, indie craft community fit into this whole CHA thing?
CHA made some effort to create a presence for indie craft at the show: there was an Indie Craft booth where crafters led demo sessions, and CHA invited folks like Faythe Levine of Handmade Nation and Tina Barseghian of CRAFT Magazine to give presentations. CHA also hosted a public contest, where people could submit samples of indie crafting to be displayed at the show.
So, CHA knows we’re here. But, as you’ll see, there’s still a gulf of understanding to be crossed.
That Indie Craft booth is a good place to start. The photo above shows Ed Roth of Stencil 101 giving a demo session there. It was a mostly empty space, with seating for about a dozen people. To Ed’s right, you can see a couple glass display cases housing the winning Indie Craft Contest entries (more pics of these are below).
Also in the booth was a large display wall, printed with a CHA Trend Report about Indie Crafters. I’d highly recommend that you read the full text of this report online, but I’ll give you some highlights:
As you can see above, Adorn Magazine, which has been out of print for over a year, is cited as one of “our” magazines.
This section talks about the materials we supposedly use. Homeopathy? Aromatherapy? Organic teas?
And who is this “most” that thinks we’re reminiscent of hippies?
…And here’s a list of “our” books. How much do I love that Ed tagged the display with a postcard for his own book?
Anyway – the report is unfortunately riddled with misconception and outright error (and typos). This is my very favorite excerpt:
“Almost all [indie craft] sites include a tag line like “Not your grandmother’s crafts.” Some are even more hip by stating, “For those who really do run with scissors.” These crafters don’t want to be associated with what we consider “normal” arts and crafts.”
Wow.
When I first read the report, I was frankly a bit frustrated. I even posted, “Miss the point much?” on Twitter. But after some thought, I realized that getting upset isn’t productive.
For one thing, we all know that our community is infinitely more rich and varied than this report portrays. But it’s also that very kaleidoscopic nature that makes it challenging to boil us down to a few marketing keywords.
The people who compiled this report may reside outside our community, and perhaps didn’t research us too deeply – but they had a hard task. I sure wouldn’t want to be tasked with describing our whole vibrant movement in two pages to an audience who isn’t all that internet-savvy!
I think that one of the main reasons CHA sees us as this odd little subculture is that they’re an organization whose goal is to help make the craft industry money. And in our online community, we’re much more about connection than money. Consider this telling statement from the report:
“Experts within the craft industry acknowledge that this movement hasn’t been fully embraced due to a lack of awareness. While many of the artists use craft supplies such as paint, glue, embellishments, and beads, a lot of it is recycled and not produced by traditional manufacturers in the craft industry.”
In other words, the perception is that we don’t buy enough stuff from CHA member companies.
Except, we really do! It’s true that we do a lot of reclaiming and recycling, but I think even the most frugal of us has likely bought something from a craft store in the last 30 days. Every recycled-sweater scarf requires a needle and thread. Every recycled paper vase requires glue and varnish.
And what’s even more important is that we are tightly networked online. When we buy craft products and like them, we can spread the word to other crafters with dizzying speed and efficiency. But most craft manufacturers haven’t quite made this realization yet (as you’ll see in an upcoming podcast).
So, we represent huge and untapped potential as an engaged market. But it’s clearly up to us to help the craft industry learn what that means.
I’m working on a couple future podcasts to address how we might go about introducing ourselves properly to CHA. So stay tuned. Meantime, I’d love to hear your comments.
Tomorrow, we’ll be talking about Paris Hilton as Crafter.
Amen sister! Who of us doesn’t hit the Mill Ends store or JoAnne’s on a Reg basis.
Amen sister! Who of us doesn’t hit the Mill Ends store or JoAnne’s on a Reg basis.
That’s so funny, Sister Diane, I was reading this and thinking about how to define the Indie Crafting community and the very first word that came to mind was ‘connection’ and then I scrolled down and it was the next thing you’d written.
So clearly you and I are on the same page, the CHA … yeah maybe not so much.
Where was Ravelry on that list? The biggest thing to hit the online knitting community in the last couple of years and it’s not mentioned. Is it too mainstream to be considered ‘indie’? Or have they just not heard of it?
Where was the huge importance of Japanese crafting books and the ‘cute’ aesthetic? Where was the growth of adult plushies? (OK, that just sounds a little wrong!) There’s not a single mention of podcasting, which I’d say was huge in the online ‘indie’ crafting community and very in line with our DIY attitudes. Oh, and where were all the damn skulls?
And MySpace as a crafting community? Er, really? No one I read blogs on MySpace. OK, admittedly I hate MySpace but afaik, it’s just not a big crafter’s place. IME, most craft bloggers either have their own sites or are using Blogger or WordPress.
That’s so funny, Sister Diane, I was reading this and thinking about how to define the Indie Crafting community and the very first word that came to mind was ‘connection’ and then I scrolled down and it was the next thing you’d written.
So clearly you and I are on the same page, the CHA … yeah maybe not so much.
Where was Ravelry on that list? The biggest thing to hit the online knitting community in the last couple of years and it’s not mentioned. Is it too mainstream to be considered ‘indie’? Or have they just not heard of it?
Where was the huge importance of Japanese crafting books and the ‘cute’ aesthetic? Where was the growth of adult plushies? (OK, that just sounds a little wrong!) There’s not a single mention of podcasting, which I’d say was huge in the online ‘indie’ crafting community and very in line with our DIY attitudes. Oh, and where were all the damn skulls?
And MySpace as a crafting community? Er, really? No one I read blogs on MySpace. OK, admittedly I hate MySpace but afaik, it’s just not a big crafter’s place. IME, most craft bloggers either have their own sites or are using Blogger or WordPress.
EMULATION v. CREATION
The Indie craft movement and the CHA and never (perhaps never) the two shall meet. The very nature of indie crafting is in opposition with CHA and the “scrapper” thing. Indie crafters are about community, recycling, using what’s already at hand and originality. Sure we go to the craft stores et. al. for supplies, but we also will go to art stores. Indie crafters start with raw materials and create their own.
On the other side or the CHA people, while yes, there is creativity and originality, it’s all about product. It’s all about kits and tutorials and copying a look that a hired designer puts together. Pre-made, pre-packaged, pre-determined results. Scrappers, CHA type followers and the like emulate – they don’t create.
CO-OPTING
The bridge between the two communities I see is this, the indie crafters come up with some wonderful ideas — the CHA people see the idea, market and mass produce the kits for consumption by the status quo. I.E. “Generation T” and now the latest and greatest “art journaling” (come one – do we really need tutorials on how to journal? Isn’t that missing the point?) The new hot up and coming co-opted thing is record album memory books/journals. Indie crafters have been using vinyl albums and covers for years — the scrapbooking industry is now cashing in on making pre-made “blank” vinyl album covered – chipboard books.
They may have made a half-hearted attempt and “outreach” to the indie community at CHA — making it seem that they don’t know a thing about the indie movement, but believe me, they know a lot more than they let on. Because the indie craft movement is the well in which they draw on for the next best selling product, trend and all the expensive pre-packaged goodies that go with it.
EMULATION v. CREATION
The Indie craft movement and the CHA and never (perhaps never) the two shall meet. The very nature of indie crafting is in opposition with CHA and the “scrapper” thing. Indie crafters are about community, recycling, using what’s already at hand and originality. Sure we go to the craft stores et. al. for supplies, but we also will go to art stores. Indie crafters start with raw materials and create their own.
On the other side or the CHA people, while yes, there is creativity and originality, it’s all about product. It’s all about kits and tutorials and copying a look that a hired designer puts together. Pre-made, pre-packaged, pre-determined results. Scrappers, CHA type followers and the like emulate – they don’t create.
CO-OPTING
The bridge between the two communities I see is this, the indie crafters come up with some wonderful ideas — the CHA people see the idea, market and mass produce the kits for consumption by the status quo. I.E. “Generation T” and now the latest and greatest “art journaling” (come one – do we really need tutorials on how to journal? Isn’t that missing the point?) The new hot up and coming co-opted thing is record album memory books/journals. Indie crafters have been using vinyl albums and covers for years — the scrapbooking industry is now cashing in on making pre-made “blank” vinyl album covered – chipboard books.
They may have made a half-hearted attempt and “outreach” to the indie community at CHA — making it seem that they don’t know a thing about the indie movement, but believe me, they know a lot more than they let on. Because the indie craft movement is the well in which they draw on for the next best selling product, trend and all the expensive pre-packaged goodies that go with it.
omg. i’m late to another party. a lot of this stuff just bugs the crap out of me. If I weren’t about to end my lunch, I would have plenty to say, I tell you what!
can I come back later?
okay.
p.s. I’ll try to make my self-righteous indignation sound fun.
omg. i’m late to another party. a lot of this stuff just bugs the crap out of me. If I weren’t about to end my lunch, I would have plenty to say, I tell you what!
can I come back later?
okay.
p.s. I’ll try to make my self-righteous indignation sound fun.
I have not read the report past the first couple of paragraphs because it’s STORMING here and my printout got soaked and now I’m going to print it again.
Let’s talk about the tone of the report, though. The tone is clear to me. For some reason, indie crafters are interlopers. That’s what it sounds like, the way it’s written. Indie crafters are not serious, they aren’t schooled in or interested in the thread of craft history or heritage, and they don’t belong among ‘normal’ crafters. Now, that’s my kneejerk reaction, and even I can recognize that it’s a bit simplistic. We all know how this attitude affects us, so I won’t belabor the point any further.
But I think, after years of being on the ‘outside’ in terms of being a member of one fringe group or another, I recognize how the money people work and I think I can imagine what can happen in such instances. What happens is that a few of us, in some way or another, will make a splash of such size and magnitude that someone in corporate will want to take it and run with it, giving the artist/crafter subsidy and markeing that will gain her/him/them enough attention that it becomes worthwhile for others to invest in their own indie crafter(s) and pretty soon we will no longer be indie, we’ll be subsidized. We’ll be a force, we’ll have ‘respect’ and it will become cool for people to know about us, collect us, wear us or be like us. And then we’ll lose our purpose and our edge and we will be homogenized. that’s what can and often does happen. Because what’s good can’t help but be recognized eventually, and indie crafters are good because they care, they don’t try to copy other people or do the same things, they don’t look at something and see only its marketed use or beauty, and from that kind of vision and passion comes real innovation. But it’s sad that it comes with co-opting.
So in a way, I’m glad they don’t ‘get it’ yet, but what bothers me is that if they don’t get it, they should just shut up. This patronizing attitude and the sloppiness of the research and the carelessness of the writing is an insult on top of the fact that they won’t be able to ‘get it’ until it benefits the pocketbook!
I echo a lot of what others have been saying, and that’s that, we spend plenty of our hard-earned, non-subsidiezed, incomes on product with which to create new art, new clothing, new jewelry, new furniture, and if we disappeared, it would make a huge dent. The beauty of what we do is that many of our works are one-of-a-kind, inventive, and exciting in their newness, and that’s something that’s valuable beyond marketing considerations.
In many instances, I feel that people have to settle for things too often. They settle for the same things because that’s what the market will bear. I try not to shop as much as Michael’s or Joann’s, and instead support independent online suppliers, and it’s more expensive and sometimes it’s not possible or practical with regard to time. But if I can avoid settling on things, I try to sacrifice for something better. I’m glad CHA exists, I just wish it were with open minds.
I have not read the report past the first couple of paragraphs because it’s STORMING here and my printout got soaked and now I’m going to print it again.
Let’s talk about the tone of the report, though. The tone is clear to me. For some reason, indie crafters are interlopers. That’s what it sounds like, the way it’s written. Indie crafters are not serious, they aren’t schooled in or interested in the thread of craft history or heritage, and they don’t belong among ‘normal’ crafters. Now, that’s my kneejerk reaction, and even I can recognize that it’s a bit simplistic. We all know how this attitude affects us, so I won’t belabor the point any further.
But I think, after years of being on the ‘outside’ in terms of being a member of one fringe group or another, I recognize how the money people work and I think I can imagine what can happen in such instances. What happens is that a few of us, in some way or another, will make a splash of such size and magnitude that someone in corporate will want to take it and run with it, giving the artist/crafter subsidy and markeing that will gain her/him/them enough attention that it becomes worthwhile for others to invest in their own indie crafter(s) and pretty soon we will no longer be indie, we’ll be subsidized. We’ll be a force, we’ll have ‘respect’ and it will become cool for people to know about us, collect us, wear us or be like us. And then we’ll lose our purpose and our edge and we will be homogenized. that’s what can and often does happen. Because what’s good can’t help but be recognized eventually, and indie crafters are good because they care, they don’t try to copy other people or do the same things, they don’t look at something and see only its marketed use or beauty, and from that kind of vision and passion comes real innovation. But it’s sad that it comes with co-opting.
So in a way, I’m glad they don’t ‘get it’ yet, but what bothers me is that if they don’t get it, they should just shut up. This patronizing attitude and the sloppiness of the research and the carelessness of the writing is an insult on top of the fact that they won’t be able to ‘get it’ until it benefits the pocketbook!
I echo a lot of what others have been saying, and that’s that, we spend plenty of our hard-earned, non-subsidiezed, incomes on product with which to create new art, new clothing, new jewelry, new furniture, and if we disappeared, it would make a huge dent. The beauty of what we do is that many of our works are one-of-a-kind, inventive, and exciting in their newness, and that’s something that’s valuable beyond marketing considerations.
In many instances, I feel that people have to settle for things too often. They settle for the same things because that’s what the market will bear. I try not to shop as much as Michael’s or Joann’s, and instead support independent online suppliers, and it’s more expensive and sometimes it’s not possible or practical with regard to time. But if I can avoid settling on things, I try to sacrifice for something better. I’m glad CHA exists, I just wish it were with open minds.
Great overview Diane!!! Meeting you in person was one of the top highlights for me last week!!
Here is my take. I consider myself an indie crafter and am also active in CHA. Both have opened so many doors for me. But i had to hunt and find those doors, sand them, locate the keys, etc…
We have to think of why we craft. Is it to inspire others? Or to make a living selling our pieces? Once you nail down what you want out of all this, then you hit the resources to help you move that dream forward. My personal goal is to make a living inspiring others while making a living doing it. Through CHA I’ve connected with book editors, product developers, indie businesses, etc.
I don’t let myself gripe too much, instead I put on my miner’s hat and try to be part of the change.
I worked for years in the local music scene promoting reggae bands and would get furious at the lack of coverage in the local paper. also for the local art scene. I was so passionate, I ended up getting a job at the paper, volunteering to write stories about the people/bands I felt their staff had over looked. I didn’t like what I saw and I became part of the change.
Same with the craft industry. When I attended my first CHA in 2005, I was taken aback too, at the lack of insight to the emerging craft scene, especially the Latino market. So I made it a point to become involved.
If we want to thrive, I say we 9people interested in doing crafts FT) all make it a point to join the professional designers, infiltrate, pitch and teach workshops, off to sit on discussion panels, offer our services, ask for our own little area of the show, etc. Show off what we can do. Learn from the experienced people, plus show them the new wave.
Here is a blog post I did when I came home, it has more specifics:
http://thecraftychica.blogspot.com/2009/01/blog-post.html
On a side note – I do know for a fact the CHA folks really did mean well when they made the indie crafters part of this year’s theme. They were really nervous in trying to get it right. Yes, there were some hits and misses on the first time out, but overall, I’m happy they reached out. I am crossing my fingers they keep us on the agenda for future shows. Anything to help artist thrive!
You have to go in there and find your niche. I met an adorable punky artist girl who writes and draws anime diy books, and they got picked up by Michaels. She was swooning!
Look at it the same way when you go to an estate sale, you bypass all the stuff that is not your style and hunt for the treasures!!! I used my house payment to go to my first show. I was so scared, but so many good things came from it!
anyhoo- peace, love, and glitter to you all!!!
Kathy :-)
Great overview Diane!!! Meeting you in person was one of the top highlights for me last week!!
Here is my take. I consider myself an indie crafter and am also active in CHA. Both have opened so many doors for me. But i had to hunt and find those doors, sand them, locate the keys, etc…
We have to think of why we craft. Is it to inspire others? Or to make a living selling our pieces? Once you nail down what you want out of all this, then you hit the resources to help you move that dream forward. My personal goal is to make a living inspiring others while making a living doing it. Through CHA I’ve connected with book editors, product developers, indie businesses, etc.
I don’t let myself gripe too much, instead I put on my miner’s hat and try to be part of the change.
I worked for years in the local music scene promoting reggae bands and would get furious at the lack of coverage in the local paper. also for the local art scene. I was so passionate, I ended up getting a job at the paper, volunteering to write stories about the people/bands I felt their staff had over looked. I didn’t like what I saw and I became part of the change.
Same with the craft industry. When I attended my first CHA in 2005, I was taken aback too, at the lack of insight to the emerging craft scene, especially the Latino market. So I made it a point to become involved.
If we want to thrive, I say we 9people interested in doing crafts FT) all make it a point to join the professional designers, infiltrate, pitch and teach workshops, off to sit on discussion panels, offer our services, ask for our own little area of the show, etc. Show off what we can do. Learn from the experienced people, plus show them the new wave.
Here is a blog post I did when I came home, it has more specifics:
http://thecraftychica.blogspot.com/2009/01/blog-post.html
On a side note – I do know for a fact the CHA folks really did mean well when they made the indie crafters part of this year’s theme. They were really nervous in trying to get it right. Yes, there were some hits and misses on the first time out, but overall, I’m happy they reached out. I am crossing my fingers they keep us on the agenda for future shows. Anything to help artist thrive!
You have to go in there and find your niche. I met an adorable punky artist girl who writes and draws anime diy books, and they got picked up by Michaels. She was swooning!
Look at it the same way when you go to an estate sale, you bypass all the stuff that is not your style and hunt for the treasures!!! I used my house payment to go to my first show. I was so scared, but so many good things came from it!
anyhoo- peace, love, and glitter to you all!!!
Kathy :-)
One more thing, if it is not for you, no worries – just keep creating!!
I have many artist friends who are not into CHA and still make a living from their work, and enjoy every second of it and are very successful!
it is all about doing what you love and what you need to do to keep it going!
OK, peace out!!
Kathy :-)
One more thing, if it is not for you, no worries – just keep creating!!
I have many artist friends who are not into CHA and still make a living from their work, and enjoy every second of it and are very successful!
it is all about doing what you love and what you need to do to keep it going!
OK, peace out!!
Kathy :-)
Kathy, Thanks for your insight. I appreciate the frustration expressed in the original post. I do agree strongly that if you are not happy with the way indie businesses are being portrayed, then it’s incumbant upon you (all of us who are interested parties) to suggest ways to make it better. You can’t just stand by on the sidelines being a critic.
Aside from Adorn (and even that magazine made a mark), the businesses listed under “indie craft websites” are some that have reached out and made waves in the community. Certainly it would be tough to create an all-inclusive list. I think that consulting some of these folks for THEIR input would’ve been more effective.
Kathy, Thanks for your insight. I appreciate the frustration expressed in the original post. I do agree strongly that if you are not happy with the way indie businesses are being portrayed, then it’s incumbant upon you (all of us who are interested parties) to suggest ways to make it better. You can’t just stand by on the sidelines being a critic.
Aside from Adorn (and even that magazine made a mark), the businesses listed under “indie craft websites” are some that have reached out and made waves in the community. Certainly it would be tough to create an all-inclusive list. I think that consulting some of these folks for THEIR input would’ve been more effective.
As one of the 30 indie crafts people who won the opportunity to have my creation presented at the CHA convention in Jan. I feel the contest was an afterthought, a neglected opportunity for the indie winners. There was no on-line publicity about the winners, no mention in the CHA on-line conference materials and if Carmen had not graciously offered to take some images of my piece in the case I would have no clue what anything looked like there. Also we were asked to create printouts which the audience could take away..if my printout was available I guess no one took any as I have heard from not one person since the event…dismal indeed!
As one of the 30 indie crafts people who won the opportunity to have my creation presented at the CHA convention in Jan. I feel the contest was an afterthought, a neglected opportunity for the indie winners. There was no on-line publicity about the winners, no mention in the CHA on-line conference materials and if Carmen had not graciously offered to take some images of my piece in the case I would have no clue what anything looked like there. Also we were asked to create printouts which the audience could take away..if my printout was available I guess no one took any as I have heard from not one person since the event…dismal indeed!
I, also, had one of the winning entries for the showcase. I was told by an attendee (who took some photos for me) that they didn’t even have the handouts we were asked to send with our entries available in a good spot.
So, I think we NEED someone to take this showcase by the horn and make it better!!!
Any help you need from me, just email…..
THANKS for this report!
I, also, had one of the winning entries for the showcase. I was told by an attendee (who took some photos for me) that they didn’t even have the handouts we were asked to send with our entries available in a good spot.
So, I think we NEED someone to take this showcase by the horn and make it better!!!
Any help you need from me, just email…..
THANKS for this report!
Thank you so much for your article and your subsequent podcast interviews. I would consider myself a indie crafter, just doing what I am interested in, but I find myself so inspired by all of you more serious crafters. I find inspiration in the books, designs, and projects that all of you work towards so that you can make this your life work. For me, I find that crafting offers me a way to relax (away from the computer – which is a major tool for my work). I have discovered that crafting provides a way to “slow down” my life and to disconnect from so much that is electronic around us. On the other hand… I am usually listening to your (or someone else’s) podcast while I do it. Keep up your good work. I see you as one of the voices that represents the craft community.
Thank you so much for your article and your subsequent podcast interviews. I would consider myself a indie crafter, just doing what I am interested in, but I find myself so inspired by all of you more serious crafters. I find inspiration in the books, designs, and projects that all of you work towards so that you can make this your life work. For me, I find that crafting offers me a way to relax (away from the computer – which is a major tool for my work). I have discovered that crafting provides a way to “slow down” my life and to disconnect from so much that is electronic around us. On the other hand… I am usually listening to your (or someone else’s) podcast while I do it. Keep up your good work. I see you as one of the voices that represents the craft community.