england.

After living in Norwich, Watford, London and Sussex and visiting often since 1995, it deserved its own category.

Whats and Whys, and craftivism meets Parliament

| Betsy

And not the band Parliament, either.

This video is from the folks over at the Craftivist Collective and features one of their recent campaigns.

What I like about this video the most is that it shows the softer side of activism. No smashing or yelling or hatred or breaking things, just some honest voices (from both sides) and some stitches and some explaining of just what this bunting is about.

For me, the personal is political, so while the what people feel passionate about and create craftivist projects for varies, the why does not. The what can be whatever you wish, as long as the why is centered on positive change that helps you, the maker, and them, the viewer. Because ideally, there is no us and them, so the positive force that is behind craftivism should run throughout, creating positive change for us all.

And might this positive change be? It could be picking up a needle right there and doing some stitching or listening to what people have to say or questioning the methods and having an open dialogue or taking the experience with you and just letting it in. Sometimes you need to act NOW and sometimes you need to listen and digest what’s going on to really take in someone else’s passionate thoughts before acting on your own. Kind of great, huh?

The caveat? Once those thoughts have been digested, they still might not agree with you or your methods. They may think it’s all a big waste of time or silly or wondering why you stitched some little thing instead of playing football or having a drink or reading the paper or taking a nap. But, that’s not the important part here. The important part is that you made them think about your actions via positive means. Whether for a minute or a year or a second or a week, the message of positive activism was there and present, it’s up to them to do the work.

Giving Permission

| Betsy

As kids in school, we had to ask permission to do much of anything. We had to get a hall pass to do anything autonomous like go to the bathroom or the water fountain. We had to procure that pass and risk asking for it first.

As adults we think we don’t need permission, but often still let others dictate our actions. Should I do this, say this, wear this, make this? Is this a good idea? We wade in this murky no (wo)man’s land between giving ourselves permission and asking others for it.

But as crafters, artists and makers, it’s part of our job (whether we get paid for it or not) to help others to not only attain that permission, but also to break free of having to always seek it.

By daring to act on how we feel and summoning the energy, bravery, spirit to create something, we are reinforcing to others that it’s okay to step forth and make something new, whether it’s novel, popular or just plain out there. Because the “out there” that we fear we’re going to hit is only of our own devising anyway. We tell ourselves that it’s a bad idea, it’s been done before, or that it’s outside of our realm of expertise and take that permission away ourselves all too often in the second we think about seeking approval from others, whether or not they’re like-minded.

It’s our job to step forwards and make want we want to, as not only then do we free ourselves of asking the permission of others, but in the very same action, we free others to stop asking for it, too. That blip of creativity that we’re expending outwards (and very often soaking in inwards) is a welcome sign to others that it’s safe, it’s okay and it’s just plain fun to go ahead and make.

In London this week? You can start bucking off that permission askin’ by checking out It’s Your Write! A Celebration of the Self-Published this Thursday night at the Museum of Childhood from 6-9pm!

Engage in workshops, join in panel discussions, watch performances, and browse over 20 stalls from independent creators to the beat of a live music backdrop from Noah and The Whale’s Indie label ‘The Young and Lost Club’, who will bring new bands such as Planet Earth. Nick Hornby’s Ministry of Stories will kick off the night with a collaborative writing workshop, and you can make badges and banners thanks to The Craftivist Collective and Craft Guerrilla’s Zeena Shah. Be inspired by folk champion Sam Lee as he sheds light on the rich political history of Romany Gypsy and Traveller music, write that letter you haven’t had time for at the aptly named Letter Lounge, or find out how to make a ‘zine’ worth reading thanks to self-publishing collective, The Alternative Press.




Now step up and get makin’!



Why To Pay Attention, via War Boutique and Carrie Reichardt

| Betsy

Last December when I was at Carrie Reichardt’s (amazing) house* in London, she showed me some of the pieces of work she had by her friend War Boutique. I was amazed at the way he incorporated his knowledge learned from creating “armour systems for the government,” into his art practice using, as he notes in the video below, Kevlar, ballistic nylon, chain mail, stab vests. There’s more about the origin of his work here.

While you should watch the whole video, as it’s brilliant, one thing he says spoke out to me the most, “In today’s society, there’s so much wrong with society, to me, that’s the role of the artist… to try and keep that highlighted and not let it drift away and become yesterday’s news.”

It’s our (whether you call yourself an artist, crafter or maker) role to make sure people pay attention. Our (collective!) role.

War Boutique Artist Profile from Alex Buckley on Vimeo.



And speaking of Carrie, she currently has a show up at Ink’d in Brighton until April 10, which you can read a review of over at Spindle. The show is called Mad in England, a show about which the Ink’d website notes (click text to read more):

UK renegade potter and leading anarchist Carrie Reichardt will be bringing an eccentric twist to all things British at Ink_d Gallery. As we built up towards the media mania of The Royal Wedding Reichardt has decided she just can’t take it anymore – and this show represents the Great British Empire as ‘Cruel Britannia’ through her unique anarchic vision.”

If you can’t get to the show, you can still own a bit of “Mad in England!”I recently received my specially made mug for the Kate n Wills Royal wedding next month in the mail that Carrie created for the occasion. While it does contain a 4-letter word not suitable for the kitchens of some, it looks quite proper sitting on my kitchen shelf.



*Seriously her house is amazing. They did a 4-page spread on it in The Guardian last year. See the original Guardian article here, and complete with photos over here. (And yes, there is a little blurb about Garth Johnson, Craftivist Collective and I down at the bottom of the article. Way to go, eagle eye!



It’s a Railway Adventure!

| Betsy

And who doesn’t like adventure?!

From Sarah over at Craftivist Collective:

Craftivists hold protest stitch-ins at railway stations across the UK- please support them! :)

At 1pm on Saturday 10th April craftivists across the UK will join a nationwide protest to demand a halt to rail fare increases. Currently the coalition Government plans to hike fares by 31% over the next 4 years. This is a huge issue and the Craftivist Collective would love you to support them.

The Craftivist Collective are supporting Climate Rush on the Railway Adventures campaign. Hundreds of craftivists (activists who protest using scissors, thread and fabric) will converge on railway stations across the UK for a super cute kitsch protest picnic and stitch-in. They will be creating 4inch deep x 7inches wide fabric train coaches covered with statistics, facts, quotes and consumer views on our Government’s carbon-friendly transport policy, whilst drinking tea, eating jam sandwiches and talking about the issues. The various panels will be collated into a petition-train which will be taken on a Fair Fare Railway Adventure on Saturday 16th April. It will be delivered to Philip Hammond MP (Minister for Transport) by direct action group: Climate Rush.

So far we have craftivists coordinating stitch-ins in
Brighton, Hastings, Coventry , Birmingham, Dorset,Leeds, Bristol, London, Manchester, Devon andCornwall.
If you want to do coordinate a stitch-in near you please email craftivist-collective [at] hotmail dot com

Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Transport, said:
“Whether we like it or not, the ability to travel point-to-point on an individually-tailored timetable [i.e. in a car] is one of the great quality-of-life gains of the second half of the 20th century.”

Sarah Corbett, Founder of the Craftivist Collective, said:
“As the Craftivist Collective we are passionate about showing our love for local and global neighbours. These unfair fare increases will stop people using trains when we need help keeping our carbon footprints down. The increases will hit people living in poverty the most and stop them getting to their jobs and alienate them even more from society.

“Short-haul flights and cars shouldn’t be the cheapest most convenient option. Philip Hammond MP wants to hike fairs a massive 31% over the term of this Government. We’re here to demand fair fares and a sustainable alternative.”

On Saturday 16th April Craftivists with join Climate Rush on a Railway Adventure. For more information please visit: Railway Adventure.

A Fluffy Teddy Bear, Beck and the Seaside.

| Betsy




No, this has absolutely NOTHING* to do with craft, activism or craftivism. It’s a little tale about a teddy bear, the seaside, Brighton, love and hope.

Lately every time I turn on the news I feel like this video. Which is pretty much summed up as “WTF. Seriously?” There’s too much sorrow, fear, death, blood, strife, anger, hatred, ego. It’s making me wish there was more front page coverage of Justin Bieber’s haircut or more pissy First World anger over TSA scans.

But, like the fluffy teddy bear in the last scene, I do what needs doing and carry on… hopeful, moving forward and when I’m lucky, I do so extra warm and cuddly-like.

And to the best that I can, I take that warmth and those cuddly notions out into the world around me, in the face of so much tragedy, a smile here, a hug there, a thank you. And so often it feels like so very little. And like the bear, I’m still raw, vulnerable and scared, but nonetheless, we carry on. In hope, in love, in peace.

May you carry on, too.

xx



More Misery Bear here.

*Ok, not NOTHING. It’s a very well-crafted video by the people over at Roughcut Presents and Worm Hotel. That’s adorable. And features a teddy bear running down a beach. Yes!