As we make greater and greater strides with technology it has become so easy to gain access to beautiful furniture or jewellery or even food. The advent of machinery has allowed for prices to come down and for more people to enjoy some of the ‘finer’ things in life……but what then of the Craftsman.

 

 

The man or woman who painstakingly carves out a piece of wood into a beautiful dining table or ‘nonna’ who made her pasta fresh and without preservatives or even the seamstress who sewed a dress to fit your body in a way that ‘off the rack’ just never could….

 

In our modern world of computers and quick turn around times it is no wonder then, that these ‘artists’ and ‘craftsmen’ are few and far between and due to the time taken to make each individual item it makes perfect sense too, that these items will probably cost a little more than what you could buy off the shelf.

 

But, the sheer beauty and knowledge in knowing that there will be only a few of the same line available has begun to create a demand for these ‘handcrafted’ products. And, when it comes to food items, the fact that fewer preservatives are being used coupled with the fact that they taste so good makes “handmade” extremely desirable.

 

The use of natural, sometimes even entirely indigenous materials or even modern, non-traditional materials together with the individual artisanship of an item is the difference between handcrafted and machine made items.

 

Anybody can craft but of course without skill, all the desire, knowledge and tools will not help you. A natural ability to express yourself artistically makes for a great crafter.

 

Some objects can take years to make, like a beautiful piece of furniture. Most times, no two creations are alike, each will have its own appeal and character.

 

And sometimes, even though, the time taken to make an item is not that long…..the skill required in producing it, cannot often be replicated.