Category Archives: arts and crafts

Interesting article in this week’s New Yorker on “Shop Class as Soul Craft” by Matt Crawford, placing it in some historical, social and political context. By doing this, it effectively defangs his argument and finally, condemns it to being a motivational text- useful for corporate HR managers.

My parents were craftspeople- my dad just told me he is building a sailboat this summer, and my mother made clothing- not just baby bibs and coasters; edwardian style wedding dresses. They grew up in the city and suburbs and set off for the hills to do real work. My maternal grandparents were very happy with modern conveniences, for the obvious reasons- my grandmother grew up under difficult circumstances and vividly remembers moving to a house with the toilet inside.

So, what is the value of slow food and handcrafted everything? Well, the food tastes better. And the clothes and furniture are more beautiful. And the time spent making them is mindful time- you choose to spend those hours developing skills. Does it need to be universal and political? Do I need everyone to make their own mozzarella? Absolutely not.

Many of my friends into their 30s and 40s and 50s are still grasping for a vocation, hoping to find the perfect fit in the same way we look for a perfect partner, I’m afraid. Instead of simply making cheese or pasta or a new outfit or a dining table, suddenly we are running the best artisanal _____ in Brooklyn, writing a book about it, and selling the screenplay. Sigh.

But perhaps that is what I want? When I have my feminist shaker furniture studio in Red Hook employing pregnant teens from the projects and rehoming puppies while supplying my woodburning pizzeria (burning scraps from the shop!) with fresh organic vegetables from the greenroof garden, will I still get to work and think- this isn’t quite right. I’m not quite where I want to be.