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.

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.

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 :-)

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 :-)

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 :-)

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 :-)

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.

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.

can I come back later?

okay.

p.s. I’ll try to make my self-righteous indignation sound fun.