Stella Minahan: Works at a college in Australia (Deakin), Graduate certificate of retail management. She's interested in sociology of consumption, social responsibilities in retail, and institutional theory.
Julie Wolfram Cox: Also works at Deakin University. Chair in Managment in the School of Management and Marketing. Works on things outside of organization theory and change ; ex: worked to make her community safer with the police.
Journal of Material Culture: Concerned with relationship between artifacts and social relations. Also, explores the links between the construction of social identities and the production and use of culture. Uses cultural studies, anthropology, and archaeology, and material culture studies.
I think that these researchers would be interested in Stitch 'n Bitch because Stella Minahan is intersted in consumerism and retail. They talk about how knitting used to be something that had to be done and is not being taken up as a leisure. Crafting can also be seen as defying consumerism and they talk about "rebelling" or crafting politically. This rebel against consumerism could possibly interest her. In regards to Cox, she seems to be interested in organizations. Therefore, Stitch 'n Bitch would be interesting to her. It's an organization of women, crafting in a new way. The motives of the people in the group could be of interest to her. This journal writes on cultural studies, anthropology, and material culture studies. All of these subjects can be related to Stitch 'n Bitch. Cultural studies and anthropology can be used to describe the people in the group, why they are in the group, why this group has formed (historically or not), etc. Although I'm not entirely sure what material culture studies are it sounds like it has something to do with the medium that the knitters are using. The specific materials and what their making could relate to that. Stuff like that evolves over time depending on the functions and needs of the item.
I think in regards to my craft project, I would say it has a nostalgic feel for me. I took up this project specifically because I had once learned to knit. My grandmother taught me so it brings up memories with her as well as with my sister who learned with me. We were much younger then so it was obviously a simpler time for us; no real responsibilities. I do agree that craft is used in the home and very functional like the text said. However I'm not nostalgic for a certain type of art. I don't have a favorite type of art to be nostalgic of at all. I'm not trying to go back to the time of my grandmother, like they state in the text. When I knit it simply brings back memories, of my own time, with the person who taught me.
DIY Trunk Show Craftifesto
I think that the craftifesto really sums up with craft is and what it is all about. For me, it actually made some of the readings more clear. Carlton and Cooper are promoting living a life with people and in connection with people. They want people to get away from buying mass produced goods and start buying hand-made crafts. They talk about the connection you feel as a buyer and as a seller of these crafts I suppose, to the objects. They are promoting a more intimate relationship between people and people and between the things people use and people. I think the political side they definitely get right. I believe that the intimate connection to the craft they describe is one of the main points of DIY culture. I think they overlook some of the other reasons that people craft though. Feminism has been a big factor in why women craft (or don't-ex: knitting, crocheting, etc). I also think it's great that they don't only promote the professional crafters but also the amateur and pro-am crafters. I'm not opposed to buying things that crafters make; my grandma does it all the time actually. However, it does take much more of an effort and sometimes more money to get these items. It's hard to say how much effort I would really put in to stop buying mass produced items. I wouldn't completely stop buying them. Most of the items I use everyday are mass produced. I am open to supporting crafters and their work; I know they put a lot of time and effort into the things they make and they do deserve recognition for that.
No comments:
Post a Comment