Craftivism is a word that's been batted around a lot lately. I'm going to be sharing some new footage of Baroness Carrie von Reichardt's elephant project for London very soon. I love craftivism because craft is a great "trojan horse" for political messages. Craft is by its very nature a community builder (think knitting circles... or even virtual knitting circles like Ravelry). Craftivism is a great way to rally people to a cause.
What if the cause you're rallying people around is craft itself? My friend Michael Strand just launched a genius craftivism project that isn't out to shock the public into embracing a cause--it's quietly hugging its way into the consciences of one person at a time.
ArtStimulus.org was set up as a clearing house for "craft generosity" projects that quietly gift everyday people with handmade objects. Mike's first art stimulus project was based around the tiny Midwestern towns of Dwight, North Dakota (population 75) and Dwight, Nebraska (population 259).
On a sunny Sunday April afternoon, Michael quietly slipped into Dwight, North Dakota and prepared to leave 33 beautiful handmade teabowls at each of the residences. Each teabowl was wrapped and placed in a box with an accompanying note that read:
A cup left quietly on your doorstep.
In a world of digital connections, social networking and twitter-palooza I offer an alternative, a physical how-do-ya-do in the form of a cup.
These cups, which are inspired by Japanese tea drinking vessels, are intended to be worn out through continuous use. With this in mind the cups are safe to utilize on a daily basis.
One cup at a time, I offer my warmest greetings.
Drink up Dwight, enjoy and live well.
Mike had planned to quietly leave the teabowls on every doorstep, but he was greeted at the first house he visited by the mayor of Dwight, who welcomed him to town. Because it was such a nice day, the residents of Dwight were working in their yards and sitting on their porches. The experience turned into a series of interactions that were as joyful as they were unexpected. Michael got to hang out with a 101-year old resident of Dwight, as well as a retired farmer and a fellow who gave him an auto tour of the town and invited him in to see his taxidermy collection.
How often do you open the door expecting to see a politician, salesman or Jehovah's Witness, but instead encounter a missionary for craft?
Michael's encounter with Dwight, Nebraska went much more like he had originally planned. They delivered 117 teabowls to Dwight on April 15th, tax day. Because lots of folks were at work, Michael didn't have face-to-face interactions with too many of the residents, but nonetheless, the experience was joyful, and yielded some great comments and thanks on the ArtStimulus website.
ArtStimulus is an interesting counterpart to groups like Knitta, who put up knitted graffiti in public locations under the cover of darkness and Gabriel Craig, who takes his jewelry workbench into public places to collaborate directly with the public on "pro bono" jewelry pieces out of inexpensive materials.
Do you have a craft generosity project in mind? ArtStimulus.org has been set up as an "open source" project that will allow anyone to contribute. Michael Strand can be contacted through the website.
