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Well, I know my knowledge about Germany is still very few and I have never stayed Germany, however, I will not worry whether the method with my familiarity runs well even if I will plan something there. I know there are – history of supporting a lot of art fairs that exist originally there, many artists, the unions of craftman families’ companies, and many village are ardent to protection of family based small business. Firstly, I will have more observation of those merits, than I worry about whether my old good method goes well.

I am never shocked if someone cannot speak English or if many crafters aren?t online or even if they?ve never heard of Etsy. If anything, I will be surprised more if someone doesn’t know that Germany is famous for an international commercial trade fairs in the world. I didn?t know nothing about Renegade craft fairs before I read this post, though I know Etsy and have purchase sometimes.

Since my childhood, my father, who can not at all speak English and German, visited an international trade fair of Frankfurt many times, and gave me the German crafts souvenirs. I might have heard the story of the maister system. Or, I’ve visited the Germany fairs which held at the Japanese department stores or at a local little museums of children books or toys many times. I could watch at there even wonderful craft artisans from the German. So Now, when I see the crafts for Christmas which Americans made, I feel that I see the influence of the German ornaments. I can search for all the International Trade Fairs in Germany -230 exist in two years- by using my local language through our local website of the industry association. If I want to join as a trader, I can entry with my local language there. And, I can read a lot of personal reports of the Japanese bloggers who visited the Christmas market or the Seiffen. There are so many web about German craft or arts, not only the webs of trainspotter who ardently talks about Maerklin.

So, for instance… about the visit system in the atelier of the Seiffen village, some people say it is too much commercialized system, but hrmm… I will like to say it is not only commercial. But, I even do not know whether the American is interested in Seiffen. Thus, I could not understand why you have considered that the problem is competition. How does the art fairs or the Christmas market consist if the artist and vendors of Germany always fall into jealous? Why does Daimler AG support the artists even in my country which have some competing companies? Maybe, someone will say that it is just because a ‘history’ or an ‘investment’ – but I can say I doubt that reason.

Well, it’s just my personal opinion as a non-German, too. I am not a kind of German craft collector or of German art mania, and I don’t think I am specially familiar to the Germany. But still I wonder, when I ardently talk about a German crafts like this, if you do feel my opinion as something strange. If so, what meaning is in the ‘creative hub’ when the network is one-way traffic??If someone only want to bring something in from the outside- you just need a free extension code. How do you introduce Germany Artisans to the person who lives in the ‘Outside’? Until you explain it well, I can nothing but be as careful as many of German vendors there to you. If you are requesting the opinion from the outside person, I just say – Don’t be uptight about your method.

Hoping my comment can give you something new perspective. Sorry for my bad English.

Thanks for your comment Brittany, but I just wanted to jump online and clarify my point.

Holly

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However, I think you are a bit mistaken to lump Baltimore into such a category – just look at the enormous art and music community there. If you glance over Pitchfork or other “indie” coverage you will see that Baltimore pops up all the time these days thanks to the whole Wham City/Maryland Institute of Contemporary Art/etc scene.

There is a very thriving community of kids who are doing really interesting things and Baltimore is attracting people from around the region who have been gentrified out of more traditional creative centers like Brooklyn.

To support your larger point, though, as someone who has recently moved from Washington, DC to San Francisco, I will say that I feel there is more interesting, creative work being done in a place like Baltimore than out here – not in sheer amount, but in quality and degree to which it inspires me – and it is done with a more genuine, community-oriented attitude.

[...] This recent post from Holly over at Decor8 really resonated with me today, so I thought I’d share a little snippet below: [...]

I live in a very small town in Western Massachusetts. It is very hard for people to connect and network with other artists on a casual scale here, without attending some big event or showing your work in a gallery. The difference is, though, that the few people who do see your work locally are so supportive and excited for what you are doing — just because you are doing SOMETHING. It seems to me that it’s easy to succumb to the excuse of not being in a creative hub (i.e. city) to not create new and different work, but once you get going, there’s nothing to step in your way. Fewer distractions, more natural beauty, fresher air. Wow, I’m inspiring myself to get to work. :)

Laurie May Coyles last blog post: feathering my nest

The creative community should be just that, a community. We can all help one another, and learn from one another as well.

Maybe some aren’t ready to share, or hear others opinion’s or suggestions? If find that a lot of creative’s take all the responsibilities of being in business on themselves, they feel they can “do it all”. Hmm….may not be a bad idea to collaborate. You never know what 2 or more minds can came up with.

Trina

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