Vintage Finds in the Atwater Market
December 24, 2015

Vintage Finds in the Atwater Market

Today's artisan is all about the creative process. There is a love of the tools and materials, and of course the outcome of the artistic endeavour is important as well - but perhaps more so to the audience than the artisan themselves. 

The Joy is in the Making

This is because for the artist, the main joy comes from the making - the planning, the experimenting, the choosing of materials, the iterations on an idea - and all the steps involved in the act of creating. What comes out at the other end is pretty much secondary to what was learned and experienced in the creative process, which is where all the joy, inspiration and magic resides. 

Why Handmade?

For pretty much any type of decorative or utilitarian product you can think of - wall art, furniture, ceramic bowls, throw pillows, kitchen utensils - one can usually find a manufactured version that can meet the need well enough. And often for much cheaper too. So why would anyone spend their time making these kinds of things by hand, from scratch? Why would anyone pay more for an often imperfect version of something they could buy elsewhere, for a lot less?

Once people have been exposed to cheap goods and mass-produced products, they often balk at the price tag on handmade items. But then they take a closer look, and start to learn about the process that went into its creation, and the creator behind it. This can give them a new appreciation for the thought and character that lies behind a unique one-of-a-kind handmade product. It's 'old-school' but it has a new charm, when set amongst all those commonly available, factory-produced items that everyone else has as well.