Submitted by: Amanda Bosiak, Member Services
In a typical work day at the Saskatchewan Craft Council, I talk to half a dozen SCC members on the phone and correspond via email with a dozen more … and that’s on a slow day. As the Member Services coordinator, without even leaving my desk I tend to feel pretty connected to the membership and to what is happening, not just with our members, but with craft in Saskatchewan.
Realistically however, I know I only hear a fraction of what is going on in the wider Saskatchewan craft community. Because the Saskatchewan craft community is HUGE.
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| Google Map representation of SCC Membership distribution in Saskatchewan and the Prairies |
The SCC boasts a membership of over 400, well over half of which are Professional Craftpersons (they actively make a living from the production and sale/commission/exhibition of craft). Among those 400+ members, are craftspeople in various stages of their career, from emerging artists to those very near retirement, as well as skilled part-time craft artists, craft guilds and patrons. The SCC was built by members, and is close to celebrating 40 years because over 400 members are working toward, supporting, and celebrating Excellence in Craft in Saskatchewan. That is pretty amazing.
Yet nearly every day, I hear about someone in Saskatchewan making craft that is not a member. I hear about them through social media, attending craft shows and word of mouth. I can’t possibly put a number on how many people in this province outside of the SCC membership are craft artists, but in my wildest dreams* it’s a mighty big number.
So what does all this have to do with this blog, Talking Craft? It all comes down to communication, and the fact that no matter how good you are at something, there is always room for improvement. Communication works best when there are several tools for it to work both ways. The SCC staff, our board of directors, our members – we all do our best to be a part of the Saskatchewan craft community, and to be people the craft community can come to with questions, concerns, suggestions and more. So in the interest of doing our best to be connected to and representative of craft in Saskatchewan, we bring you Talking Craft.
We want this blog to belong to you – SCC members, and everyone in Saskatchewan involved in craft. Through Talking Craft, we will give you an inside view of goings on at the SCC, and we hope to provide you with useful and relevant information about this wonderful thing we all do; craft. More importantly, we want to hear what you think. We welcome your comments, but we also encourage you to contribute in the form or articles, reviews and letters.
Let’s get talking!
*World domination through craft!