Women in the Art and Craft World

Working with Darn Good Yarn yesterday got me on a bit of a feminist kick. I loved the idea that I was working with something that was handmade by women on the other side of the world, and I felt a huge amount of pride in the crafty business and all that it entails.

I listen to podcasts when I stitch. It is a great way to learn about new things while also being productive. One of my favorites is "Stuff Mom Never Told You" with Molly and Cristen who tackle a whole lovely mess of women's issues. Thinking about women in the art and crafty world I was reminded of their episode on the Guerilla Girls... a women's group dedicated to promoting equality of the sexes in the art world. They promote posters like these...




The Art World is severely lacking in great women artists! Why could this be? I have an idea. Women are taking over the CRAFTY world and I love it!!!

So art vs. craft? What is the difference? Honestly I don't know, but when it comes down to it, I would much rather be a part of the crafty world than the arty world! Why? After reading Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton I feel as though the Art world has turned into a trading of commodities, the art is no longer appreciated as much as the perceived value of it and the status that comes with owning it. Millions of dollars are spent on the buying and trading of art! This high cost leads to competition, ruthlessness, and in the end... artists that make art for money, rather than for the sake of being creative.

Enter crafty world. I recently listened to an interview with Faythe Levine, maker of the documentary film Handmade Nation, among many other fantastic projects of hers. A film that is high high high on my want to watch list (no I haven't seen it yet - boo!) She says, "From my experience, it is a really supportive, creative community, which as an artist I feel like that doesn't exist in a lot of other art communities as much as it does in the craft world. People are really willing to share their resources and their ideas... there are all these people that are willing to help each other while also promoting their own crafting, creativity, and businesses... and it's mostly women." With my short experience in the crafty world, I feel I have already met, shared, and admired so many other artists, and felt a remarkable amount of support for the work that I do. I'd pick this crafy world over the uppity art world ANY day!




So... power to all you women out there that are daring to be creative! And thank you a thousand times over for all your love and support!!!