Well hello.
It's been so long, I can only hope I remember how to do this blog thing...
New day jobs, health issues, creative blocks... its been a crazy few months.
And before we realised, we're days away from December. So close to tye end of a year that, personally, I wish was over already.
The page (our little Facebook tribe) has grown slowly but surely over the last few months, and my gratitude is without words.
Its intensely beautiful that people made the effort to look, interact, and press on that "LIKE" button.
Thank you!
Though I am not sure I'm entirely out of the creative block, I can only continue bringing you pieces I hope you'll like.
... now gratitude and blessings aside.
I've started up on the market circuit again (after nearly a year on hiatus). And again so much wells up in me when I am out on "the road" for Wonder Struck Inc.
Last night I nearly climbed straight on here to voice my tactless opinion of market patrons... but thankfully my phone's battery was flat.
At 10pm as people trickled away to their homes... stall holders were packing up their tables and wares slowly.
I stood packing my things into my car in a dimly lit, secluded little parking lot. Both my hands in agony from nylon burns (horse training incident), and I was alone. One of only 3 cars and no security to be seen.
I got home at nearly midnight, my body aching from the stress every market seems to inflict....for appearance sake.
And as I plonked myself down, too tired to sleep, infront of my work desk I couldn't help but be frustrated all over again. Saddened, angry, empathetic, at a total loss.
My sales last night were nothing to scoff at (I have such a great group of regular customers locally who apparently harassed the market organisers every month to find out if I was there and were at my table before I had even unpacked)... but my frustration was with the "tyre kickers" of market patrons. Not the window shoppers, or tag alongers, and definitely not with the buyers/supporters/fans.
Tyre kickers.
The "market goers" that seem to have no tact or De quorum. That blatantly use lines like "I can make this", or "how much does it cost to make this?" ....or best of all, they take pictures of your stock so that they "can show" their aunty's cousin's niece so that she can make it for them for "cheaper".
I see these market goers, makers, indie artists who make these items. Take hours of physical chore to make, to market, to sell their creativity... only to have it bulldozed as if it was nothing by people who have no genuine appreciation.
I have literally told Tyre Kickers to move on from my table.
I can see them from several stalls away as they make their way like black putrid clouds through a market venue.
It is very hard knowing that (like me for a long time) what they do at these markets, is often the only income some market stall holders have. Really!
There are stall holders who have found their creative niche, carried out the investment into their art, set themselves up for it....and then they have their art raped by market goers with no sense.
Its tiring to the soul as you see people exhausted, spent, and sometimes distraught as they pack up, long after patrons have left a market.
These are the people I get angry for. These are the people who deserve appreciation, or at least quiet respect, for their work.
Whether a market patron, or a market stall holder... surely we can create a better trend of the great "craft scene" we have in our country.
And I'll end this post with that...
