Hand-crafted holidays: Local artisans prepare items with a personal flair.
Posted on Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunday photograph by Sarah Nader Robyn Knapp of Bentonville worked in her in-home studio making hand-blown lampwork beads for jewelry. Knapp has been making the beads for the past five years and sells her work through her business Shibumi Glass.
BENTON COUNTY — In a few days, families will wake up in the wee hours, bundle up in warm clothing and wait in line outside big-box retailers in northwest Arkansas to have a shot at good deals on holiday gifts.
But while the Wii, Elmo Live and the iPod Touch will fly off the shelves this year, some shoppers are looking to purchase goods that have a more personal flair.
This year, more than 30, 000 people have taken the “ Buy Handmade” pledge at www. buyhandmade. org. In taking the pledge, folks promise to “ buy handmade this holiday season, and request that others do the same for me. ”
Heather Stanley of Rogers has been busy preparing for the holiday gift-giving season. Under the name Lady Spleen, Stanley makes custom necklaces and hair accessories that she describes as “ bright, colorful, quirky and a bit irreverent. ”
Using polymer clay, wire chain, acrylic paint and polyurethane, Stanley makes and sells heart-shaped necklaces that declare love for anything from bacon to monsters — and sells them all over the world through the popular online handmade goods marketplace etsy. com. Her jewelry and accessories are sold in a store in New Orleans, and she’s made matching pendants for a roller-derby team.
As an artist and someone who purchases from other artisans, Stanley sees a benefit that is greater than mass-produced goods.
“ When you buy from an individual artist, you have a wider selection of things that appeal to a small number of people. When a large company markets their products, they (look for ) what they can make for the broadest range of people, ” she said.
As a seller, it allows her to develop a connection with her customers that goes beyond a cash register. “ It’s really satisfying, getting that individual connection with people. Rather than just selling something, you’re actually gift-giving in a way, ” she said.
A few years ago, Robyn Knapp of Bentonville grabbed a torch, left her job as an analyst and decided to stay at home with her children and begin making glass beads. Today, Knapp is the owner and operator of Shibumi Glass, and has been able to make a living making blown-glass lampwork beads to sell to jewelry designers through her own Web site and through etsy. com.
The online marketplace has been a great benefit to Knapp, who has been able to build a bigger customer base.
“ It’s made all the difference in the world; that’s why you see so many cottage industries popping up all over the place, ” she said. “ It provides lots of opportunity for the artists and the crafters to spend more time at home, and spend more time with the family. ”
But the hand-crafted gift doesn’t necessarily have to be something that can be held or worn. Kassie Misiewicz, artistic director of the Tricycle Theatre for Youth in downtown Bentonville, sells gift certificates for performances, drama classes and camps for youth from age 4 to 18.
Misiewicz said that during the holidays, she’s working with children to encourage creativity and imagination. “ For me, it’s getting back to the basics of people and relationships and play. Our big thing for the holidays is turn off the TV and turn on your imagination. We’re stripping away all the frills, the lights, the whistles — getting people into imagination and creative play, ” she said.
Misiewicz said the Tricycle Theatre is “ giving memories, as opposed to something that’s going to break and give out two days later. ”
But in addition to giving memories and more personalized ideas, buying handmade —and buying local — can help stimulate the local economy.
Daniel Hintz, executive director of Downtown Bentonville Inc., said support of local artists is crucial to the economic development of northwest Arkansas.
“ The flow of new people, new ideas and new products (comes from ) art, education, culture and tourism. The more we invest in that, the more we keep places like Bentonville and northwest Arkansas competitive, ” he said.
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