“Cottage Industry” focuses on the art and contemporary craft being produced by a group of Australian women running their own small creative businesses and will be on display at the Warwick Art Gallery until January 8.
It’s often referred to as the “Handmade Revival”. Nurtured by the internet, this resurgence in the popularity of all things handmade, combined with a movement against the homogenous nature of mass-produced goods, is allowing artisans to consider new ways to make a living by making things.
When Loretta Grayson found herself at home looking after small children at the turn of this century, realising that she had spent the last decade on study and career autopilot, she decided to go back to her creative roots.
Discovering an exciting world of artists and crafters sharing their work and experiences on the internet, she found freelance design work in the papercraft industry.
Many of the connections she made during this time became a part of her valued support network, giving her the confidence to explore the idea of building her own creative business, selling prints of her artwork on Etsy, a worldwide online marketplace for all things handmade.
Etsy’s website describes their mission as being to empower people to change the way the global economy works.
They say, “People value authorship and provenance as much as price and convenience. We are bringing heart to commerce and making the world more fair, more sustainable, and more fun.”
Many artists and crafters are now taking advantage of online handmade marketplaces and other creative communities to be part of this handmade renaissance.
Australian site Madeit, New Zealand’s Felt and the UK’s Folksy are among the many alternatives to Etsy for handmade goods.
Artfire, Redbubble and Bigcartel also offer inexpensive options for artists who wish to market their work online. Self publishing through blogs has also been embraced by the creative industry as a way to share information and inspiration.
The participating artists in “Cottage Industry” include Loretta Grayson, Dianne Kelly, Nic Hohn, Kate Mason, Jill van Iperen and Ngaire Bartlam.
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