We have a very cool business here in town called Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee. Their vision is to create a market for their gourmet coffee because it is paving the way for a community in Rwanda to have coffee washing facilities which promote tribal reconciliation and give the village a way to participate in a larger economy; hopefully this will be a way out of poverty and strife. I think that, in a way, we Americans have to not only support these types of goods, but recognize that the way that they have to compete is the way that we artists, musicians, craftsmen, even manufacturers have to compete.
The efficiency of our market has made huge cargo containers of cheap, anonymous, hugely transported goods the norm. We have to fight that shopping ethic, as it were, and show our customers that it feels good to buy directly from the producer, the craftsman, the artist. It’s greener, it’s more human, it recognizes the value of art, chairs, music, beer, and purses which are made on a small scale. The idea parallels the local food movement.
I hope there are others out there who feel as I do, and I hope that continuing to be involved in arts and crafts is something that will always be a part of my own life. Send me your thoughts on the artisan movement, and have a lovely artsy day!
Susan
I'd like to invite you to look at my patterns and odds and ends on etsy and also at the Instruction Page of my website. I'm also a watercolor and oil painter, and you could take a peek at my more snooty stuff at susankennedy.com. Thanks for looking!
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