Travel Tips

Adding Culture in Your Crafts

One of the biggest factors that make people buy things in craft shows is because they are tourists in the area. They understandably want to have a physical object that will help them remember the place they went to once they’re back home. Therefore, it is a good idea for any craftsperson to check the location of the next show, and let his or her works be influenced by the culture of the place. If you attend craft shows and you grew up in the area, this wouldn’t be too much of a problem. But what if you are a visitor here, too?

People who don’t hail from the area where the craft show is held will definitely have a problem trying to get an affinity with the culture of the place. This is a surmountable problem, though, for the affinity can be developed over time. Buy and study the works of your fellow craftspeople attending the event, and try to make friends with them while you’re at it. Having a good and friendly relationship with some of them will rub off on you, and you ay start to understand their cultural influences over time.

Simply mingling with the people won’t do the trick, of course. Expeand your understanding of the culture further by spending some time in it. Don’t barricade yourself in the craft show for the duration of your stay, and instead explore the place in its entirety. Have a short break, and look around for interesting things that you can do there. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll discover a thing or two.

When everything has been said and done, it’s time to “go back to the lab again” and try to integrate the culture that you have learned. But be careful and don’t try to lose your identity in the process! Get influenced by, but don’t copy, the things that you’ve seen in their culture! You will come up with a superior prduct that way.

In the end, it is important that you don’t force anything. Don’t be too alarmed if your piece ends up without the feel that you wanted it to have for that culture; if you bash the culture in, you’ll end up destroying both that and your personal touch. To me, the soul of an item is important, and you just can’t have a soul of the object itself is forced.

Tags: Travel Tips