As someone who doesn’t talk much, I’ve often relied on discussing the things I’m doing as a way to keep a conversation going. I’ve noticed this behavior in my daughter. She can be quite shy when she enters a room full of unfamiliar people. However, she immediately starts drawing and then shows the drawing as a way to initiate a conversation. As a former dancer, this was also an effective way to connect with people from different parts of the world who may not speak the same language.
I’ve long believed that handcrafts, as well as certain sports, have a unique ability to bring people from diverse social backgrounds together. When you engage in the creation of a handmade item, you're not just producing an object - you’re tapping into a rich cultural heritage and a shared human experience without any judgment on the other person’s background.
Whether it was conversing with a stonecutter in Bali or a candle maker in Mexico, you could easily strike up a dialogue with the artisan, even if the conversation often veered into very technical territory. Interacting with other artisans can lead to greater understanding and respect for different cultural traditions, ultimately strengthening the bonds between people. Being an artisan is a lifelong process of continuous learning - it’s a profession of constantly absorbing new knowledge.
A stone cutter and his family in Bali, 2015.
A candle maker, and her son showing his handmade dyeing color, in Mexico 2023.
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