Craft in America

I've only just started watching the series, but Craft in America is a fascinating account of the handmade community by the artisans who comprise it. For me, the allure of handmade objects is the visceral dichotomy they present; makers/artists/craftspeople communicate in a primal, non-verbal language, relaying complexity and insight that is difficult to convey with the limited lexicon of modern languages. Still, it is a very powerful thing indeed, to listen to an artist talking about her work, while watching her create it. Seeing a bit of scrap metal, a weed from a city field, a lump of clay, blades of grass, or any number of raw materials turned into something useful or beautiful, or both, is a visual reminder of the creativity alive in the human mind. And that, I think, is the ultimate appeal of handmade objects.

The artisans featured are all successful, and some of them are incredibly pretentious, but the overall feel is that of the craft community: full of clashing personalities and styles, but also full of creativity, acceptance, and history. I highly recommend you add Craft in America to your Netflix queue, order the DVDs, watch for episodes on your local PBS station, or view them online at PBS.org. If you are drawn to crafters or crafts of any variety, I think you will enjoy this peek into the creative spirit.