My customers tend to like buying something functional, that it is locally made with local materials sustainably resourced, they like the closeness to the maker, I hope that this enhances their experience when they cook/eat, I know my collection of utensils gives me a more enjoyable and nourishing experience. My shop provides all this information with the blink of an eye, perhaps you can tell how dirty a corporation is by how expensive their marketing needs to be, imagine if they just played you a live feed from their factory! that's all i do.
I am a specialist, I have chosen to focus on one product, and I have found deepening this relationship has enhanced my understanding and feelings for all other things I do.
I am bored of marketing teams jumping on the craft band wagon, it seems you cannot escape the hand crafted propaganda these days! I distance myself from craft, I barely know what it means anymore. As a sole trader i am in charge of all aspects of my business - marketing, PR, sales, finance etc and I do all i can within this to subsidise the maker this is why my customer service is lacking and why you probably won't get a reply to your email. But it is also the reason why I enjoy my job....does that matter to you as a customer?
Am I a Master Craftsman? well no, there isn't a guild of "Spooners" with some protectionist racket that I could pay to label me as such, sometimes I think protectionism is perhaps a good thing, but i certainly can't be bothered to set up a guild.
Artisan? no not really.
Am I a whittler?
I just make functional spoons from Trees that have been felled in London that would have otherwise been chipped, I make these spoons in my little "Spoon shop" where people come and buy them to take home and use.
If I need a label just use barn.
Well said, there's a hidden political message in every spoon you carve. Though I have only been spoon carving since new year (you'd laugh at my efforts!) your spoons and your carving continue to be an inspiration. I do other stuff as well as carve more or less spoon shaped bits of wood but if I stuck to 'just spoons' I'd be more accomplished than I am. Someone asked what I did (by way of occupation) and I told them I carved spoons. I couldn't honestly say I was a spoon carver, only an aspirant. It ended up a lot more interesting conversation than if I'd simply told them how I make a living.
ReplyDeleteI make a living carving spoons and bowls,way out here on a island of the west coast of Canada . I am known as the spoon guy or bowl carver,craftsman and artist. But I mainly consider myself as a spoon and bowl carver. And I consider Barn,the spoon carver,anybody who carves spoons would know who I am talking about.
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ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts. Enjoyed reading them very much.
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