Just a few years ago, I was working for a boutique events agency which serviced large corporate clients. Our services were to create events that entertained staff and clients of the organisations - paid for out of huge marketing budgets with much bigger numbers than even our mortgage would ever see in any lifetime. It was nothing to spend upto thousands per head in event costs. Amongst the production of these lavish events was a pressure cooker of stress, to meet deadlines and feed the egos of the clients and organisations alike.
Don't get me wrong - this was an amazing job where I shared so many wordly experiences. There are very few careers where I can look back and be proud of what I achieved to pull off some really amazing gigs. We made so many people smile with our creativity and the characters and bonds I formed with fellow colleagues and characters of the events industry will fill a book of fond memories and laughter which I will forever cherish. Not to mention the skills that I developed which will stand with me for life!
After 12 years, I struggled with the idea of the way in which the corporate dollar was thrown away in lieu of fetching more business for an already rich organisation....after many years I decided to flee to the hills (Blue Mountains, NSW) to live a more frugal (and fruitful) life. However, I still dreamed of using my creativity to make people smile. After a few years, the opportunity arose and I took the bull by the horns and dove into the handmade industry. Admittedly, I wanted to join the handmade community for a very long time....and now that I am here I am finding its value in so much more than businesses being generated to make a living....rather businesses driven by passion, appreciation for quality and orginality.
To add to this, there are many so many "stakeholders" which support the industry, not just the 'Artesians' and markets. There are shops made from bricks and mortar, online shops, paper and online press. This is a true industry which not only generates economy, but also supports families in a much richer way than a job in a highrise through its community and by providing a creative outlet for many of its makers.
So, as I continue my journey in building red elephant creative, and this blog. I hope to bring recognition to the handmade industry and those who provide a platform for us 'Artesians' to share our creations, via blog updates and the tab on this blog devoted to "The handmade choice". Please feel free to add or comment, the choice of handmade is to be part of a community as...well as a industry.
