I just finished watching the video “Craft in America”.  It’s a three-part (and 3-hour) video interviewing artists on three topics-memory, landscape, and community.  I rented the movie from Netflix, but found you can also watch it on the Craft in America website.  

Overall I enjoyed the video and gave it a 4 out of 5 stars.  It was ripe with pithy thoughts about why artists are compelled to create, how their craft connects them with their past (personally and culturally), how nature, politics, and culture drives craft, and how the craft community is a support system to crafters.  

A quote resonated with me from the section about landscape.  An artist said, ” You perfect your craft, and then you start putting your voice into it…and your heart.”  This put words to what I’ve been thinking about.  I’ve spent a number of years learning my crafts, and each day I learn more and continue to refine my skills, but as far as my particular voice, that’s something I know I’m developing.  This quote reminded me that this process is a natural progression, and it will come with time.  

Now although there were many interesting aspects of the video, I was personally disappointed because all the artists were a generation or two older than me.  I didn’t feel like my craft community had been represented!  But it’s good to get a glimpse of the artists who have lived before me and are passing along their craft and wisdom to the next generations.  And if that’s what you’re looking for, this video is well done & interesting for that perspective.