Yes, that’s a self-portrait with a giant eyeball. In a mirror that is labeled “Look at Yourself.” I found it amusing because one of my main interests is ethnographic research and it just seemed all too perfect.

Because I believe that in order to see outside you need to first look inside. And that you should use what you’ve learned to better understand the world around you.

I wonder about the ways in which people find me, a somewhat self-selecting group individuals who I have embarked on many amazing conversations with, sometimes collaborated with and always learned from.

While it’s easy to see why we connect with other people, sometimes it’s incredible to look back at the list of those who have contacted you. How suddenly without the academy you become a part of a circle without even realizing it.

When I started talking about craft theory and the cultural importance of handmade, I never could have imagined the wealth of knowledge and inspiration that I would come to know.

While I may be working on the slowest craft documentary project ever (see here), that doesn’t mean that I can’t introduce (as a group, one that is growing) the brightest minds I know of concerning contemporary craft theory:

Kate Bingaman
Maria Buszek
Otto von Bush
Tsia Carson
Diane Gilleland
Julia Kehew
Garth Johnson
Cat Mazza
Kirsty Robinson
Amy Spencer
Dennis Stevens
Stephanie Syjuco

Of course this list leaves out my favorite crafters, artists and friends whose work emboldens me daily…as well as I’m sure a few names that have currently escaped me! But as I look at my inbox and notice a growing list of people who are writing about the theory and sociological perspectives of craft, I can’t help but feel joy. And the acute anticipation of those who share similar views that I have yet to meet.