Common Ground Between Crafts Collectives and Conservation

Crafts collectives form as a survival strategy for
artisans in remote areas of the U.S. and abroad.
Often artisans are influenced by their rural
environment, using images of and resources from
nature in their work. Some coops are situated near
protected areas with local residents as members;
others draw members from a large regional area with
no tie to a protected area. Yet in some crafts coops
in developing countries, members have incorporated a
formal environmental agenda into the coop s by-laws.
This research explored two crafts collectives in the
U.S. to learn how craftsartists understand
conservation in this country. My inquiry focused on
the artisans perceptions of their work, the
collective and their community in regard to
conservation. The results showed that individual
artisans highly value, and are knowledgeable about,
their local ecology but do not take formal
environmental action as a collective. I propose a
model for integrating the ecological, economic and
sociopolitical actions of artisan members. The
implications of this research for those concerned
about crafts and ecology are significant; there is
potential for collaboration between artisans and
conservationists.

Autorentext
Jennifer J. Wilhoit, PhD: Environmental Studies at Antioch University New England. Founder of TEALarbor stories, The Ecology & Art of Listening - remembering nature, creativity & soul through story. Articles published in Cultural Survival Quarterly. Researcher, writer. Avid traveler, outdoor enthusiast, hospice volunteer, novice craftsperson.

Klappentext
Crafts collectives form as a survival strategy for artisans in remote areas of the U.S. and abroad. Often artisans are influenced by their rural environment, using images of and resources from nature in their work. Some coops are situated near protected areas with local residents as members; others draw members from a large regional area with no tie to a protected area. Yet in some crafts coops in developing countries, members have incorporated a formal environmental agenda into the coop's by-laws. This research explored two crafts collectives in the U.S. to learn how craftsartists understand conservation in this country. My inquiry focused on the artisans' perceptions of their work, the collective and their community in regard to conservation. The results showed that individual artisans highly value, and are knowledgeable about, their local ecology but do not take formal environmental action as a collective. I propose a model for integrating the ecological, economic and sociopolitical actions of artisan members. The implications of this research for those concerned about crafts and ecology are significant; there is potential for collaboration between artisans and conservationists.