Q1

What drives makers to make? Independence and autonomy are frequently mentioned as driving forces for the people of Gabriola Island (Vannini, 2018). One craftsperson said that working is “fuelled by creativity, not fuelled by money” while another mentions leaving for “a sprit of autonomy, and self-sufficiency”. What i noticed the most in all of these people were that they weren’t chasing wealth but instead self-reliance within their lives. I feel the baker sums it up when he said he earns "a lifestyle, not a living" (Dariah Teach, 2019). Making for these people is how they have taken control of there life and time under there own terms, with one maker saying "you're still trapped by normal trappings" but now u have more say and chose the shape of that trap.

Q2

Which of the makers in the documentary resonated most with you? Why? The guitar maker resonated the most with me because he turns his practice into a philosophy, treating contraints as a guide. By only using material that are readily available to him, such as the trees in his area, it forces him to think outside the box and take more holistic approach to his craft. What particularly stood out to me as well was his slow, anti industrial approach. By making handcrafted instruments, he is able to create a unique sounding instrument every time, a uniqueness not naturally occurring in a factory. Making him irreplaceable.

Q3

How do makers describe their connection between material and making? The potter who works with clay puts it most directly, stating that handmade works create "an actual physical connection between the maker and the material" no mater the work. The maker can leave a trace since "each handmade item is going to … have the actual mark of the maker on it". The guitar maker reinforces this further, only using wood he knows "where the material come from, how they were sourced, what they are". For him, an understanding of the materials origin, is what makes the connection to it strong and real.

Q4

What are the relationship between design and making? This relationship is best described by the guitar maker, who focuses on "each instrument [having] its own voice and be unique". Instead of manufacturing each guitar to a predetermined design, the maker allows the design to develop as he builds the guitar, allowing the wood to determine his design. This is repeated by the basket maker, stating that the material "has a mind of their own" and often turning out "quite different" from what she had originally envisioned. According to this relationship, design is negotiated with the maker as they craft with the material (Risatti, 2013).

References

Dariah Teach. (2019, October 31). What is maker culture? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frynXFJbXaY

Risatti, H. (2013). A theory of craft : Function and aesthetic expression. The University Of North Carolina Press.

Vannini, P. (2018, October 27). A time for making. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7821992/