When you get into doing markets, there are a few things you come to expect to hear. I had my first one recently.
A passerby walked by some of my crochet, looked at her friend and said, “Oh, you can make that!”
If you ask a longtime vendor what they like hearing the least, this is probably going to end up somewhere on their list. Some people can’t stand to hear this or take it as an affront to their work. But honestly, I couldn’t help but smile. The woman might have been right, her friend could probably make what I had on display.
I know that I can’t talk, I’ve been known to say this a time or two at the store. (I mean, I know not to say it at craft fairs, but we all know those big box chains don’t have the heart that independent crafters do.) I don’t claim to make things from a bygone era or use some extinct methods. Nor is anything I make only for me to create.
As artists, we take inspiration from things we see around us. Some of the things I sell are inspired by things I have come across. If you see something I’ve made and think, “I could make that.” – I say go for it! Seriously. Art isn’t meant to be exclusive. If you find inspiration in my works, or in anything, give it a whirl. You might just surprise yourself!
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