As the holiday flurry abounds, people have dashed off into high gear online and to the malls as we tend to forget the small businesses of artisans who provide unique handcrafted items for gift giving all year. Society has grabbed on to terms such as Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and so many more that have degraded the meaning of giving from the heart.
While it seems easy to click a button and let it all magically appear on Christmas morning, a gift made with the skills and craftsmanship are no match for production work which is shipped in containers with tags that identify another country of origin; “Made In China.” Those words sting the heart of the artists who work throughout the year to create gifts, décor, personal bling and home items for you, the gift giver!
There is no heart and soul in the mechanical production of overseas items which are produced for merely lining the pockets of big business. As you run through the self checkout or push the online button to secure a sale, ask yourself who made that item you’ve purchased? Have they invested their own spirit into every bit of that item? Do they understand the materials, time, details and process for every step of creation? Or were they simply on the assembly line? It takes courage for an artist, creator or craftsman to put their work in front of the world. It is a risk we take in a deeply critical world. And then there is the challenge of getting lost in a myriad of social media platforms in an effort to make ourselves and our work known. Attempting to maneuver through the technology and such becomes time consuming and a barrier to doing what our heart most desires…creating for you! As we spend a vast amount of screen time trying to achieve a presence in the cyber world, it becomes time we lose from our most sacred space; the studio or workshop. Yes, we all have our name for where we work. And it truly is a sacred space!
Many of us do not have a storefront with a display of our entire inventory which adds another challenge to our world. How can we best present our work to you so you may see, touch and feel the quality and designs? Our choices are often limited and exhausting! So we research shows that may attract you and often set up a tent in a limited 10’ x 10’ space (which costs a rental fee for said space). We decide which items for a particular show or season will please you. We travel. It’s not the pleasure travel like a family vacation. The vehicle is loaded and packed to the gills and we haul it in and out to set up that display that we hope will meet your eye. Frankly, it’s exhausting to think about it!
As a glass artist (stained glass and fused glass), I am honored to share my work with my customers. I am acutely aware that my work processes are not commonly known or understood. This makes me an educator and advocate for the arts. As I have phenomenal face to face connections and amazing conversations with people about how a piece is created and the materials involved, I am elated to see the understanding that this is not an easy peasy speedy production manufactured work of art. Some of the curious also become students of mine so they can truly understand the process. Band-aids included!
In the near future, I will write an article which details the process. In the meantime, I am aware many shoppers are done with holiday shopping; however, we work year round to help you select unique, handcrafted, one-of-a-kind, treasures for your gift giving or personal pleasure. Give yourself the opportunity to meet the maker!
Editor’s Note: Deborah is a new writer for Cape Fear Voices. We welcome her to the team.
