handmade

There are so many skilled artists and designers in the world – and so many stunning creations – it makes me sad, sometimes, that shops are filled with mass-produced items that are sold to millions. It’s not the lack of originality that bothers me (although knowing you are the only one in the world to have something can be cool) but rather the lack of care – of soul – that is put into the construction of each item. Mass-produced products are not necessarily badly made – indeed, some of them are virtually indestructible – but they lack the magic that is present when the entire construction process is controlled a designer.

When you hold something made by the one who invented it, you can almost feel their fingers creating it; the contemplation that has gone into each angle, each line. You can feel their care for it; their love for it. Sometimes even imperfections can make something more beautiful, more authentic – a reminder that this item was made by another human being. In this type of making, something of the designer themselves is imparted, something that is lost when a product is commissioned for manufacture in a factory.

There are millions of artists out there who want their products to be found and appreciated by others – the hard part is finding them. One who is worth discovering is Harriet Garland-Levett (photos inset), a Hawkes Bay designer who has a creative business making accessories, fabric headwear, jewellery and dresses.

A website that allows you to discover artistic creations is  the Australian RedBubble, which ships prints by artists and designers to most places in the world. (In a quick bit of self-promotion, you can see my RedBubble profile here: http://www.redbubble.com/people/amiriagale). Granted, this removes the ‘handmade’ aspect I was earlier referring to, but it allows the public access to stunning creations that would otherwise unlikely be seen. These prints, and the website itself, also act as a promotional device, drawing attention to the designer’s work, so that handmade products can be found and acquired directly.