Splashes of paint smeared on the wall, markers and crayons thrown haphazardly on the ground, stacks of scratch paper piled high on the tabletop—arts and crafts was always a whirlwind of activity. Perhaps this is why we enjoyed it so much: It was a legitimate excuse to make a mess of things and get away with it.
We’ve all grown up since then, but whether we realize it or not, many of us have yet to give up this fascination with craft. Instax cameras often dangle from people’s wrists and more and more people are having their photos printed out. Local businesses have begun to make a name for themselves with their artisanal coffee, beer and chocolate. In many different fields, there appears to be a desire to go back to basics.
While the longevity of this craft movement still remains to be seen, there is no denying its existence. Despite (or perhaps even because of) the convenience and ubiquity of all things instant, there is now a newfound appreciation for a much slower and more intimate way of going about things.
The roots of craft
For Alessa Lanot (AB Comm ‘04), this renewed interest in arts and craft was what first gave her the idea to start her Crafternoon workshops.
“I would provide materials and people would just get together and start making crafts,” Lanot explains. “Then I realized that if these people were really enthusiastic about arts and crafts to the point that they would go out of their way to attend the workshops, why not give them more structured sessions?” These workshops, which started in 2012, soon branched out into a series of workshops on calligraphy, embroidery and pattern design.
Lanot isn’t the only one who found inspiration in everyday experiences. For Mark Jao, owner of the third-wave coffee shop CraftKatipunan, the enthusiasm began with a chance encounter. “I stumbled [upon] a specialty coffee place in Seattle a couple of years ago and I remember thinking it was a cool place to waste time in,” he recounts. “The feel of it was quite different [from] the usual coffee chains you see [and] it didn’t hurt that the coffee was out-of-this-world good.”
This encouraged him to open his own place, where ingredients are carefully chosen and special brewing methods ensure the quality of each cup. Because of the third-wave coffee movement, which focuses on improving the harvesting, roasting and brewing of coffee beans, coffee is treated as more than just a commodity. “You get to taste the different flavor profiles of the coffee, be it fruity, bright, bold [or] dark cocoa,” he says.
As for photographer and information design senior JL Javier, he remembers becoming interested in film photography after coming across pictures on his Tumblr feed in 2010. Despite the ease of digital photography, analog cameras such as the Instax have gained immense popularity over the last few years. “Film photos have an interesting way of capturing colors. There’s a depth and a richness to the colors that digital photography can’t seem to obtain,” he says.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE CUP OF JOE. Craft Katipunan brews coffee in a way that highlights the distinctive flavors of the different kinds of coffee beans. (Photo by Joshua E. Cabalinan)
The true artisan
With the word “artisanal” showing up everywhere, there are varying opinions as to what it means to participate in the movement. For Jao, a true artisan must first pay his dues. “You have to put in the hours and it’s not all fun and games,” he says. “Give respect to the original pioneers of the craft you are into.”
Above all, he emphasizes the actual practice of the craft. The art-slash-business of craft coffee, in particular, requires immense patience from those who specialize in it. “We give extra attention in preparing each cup,” Jao explains. “We also calibrate the machine twice a day to make sure the coffee we serve our first customer in the morning is the same coffee we serve our last guest at night.”
This mindset doesn’t just apply to brewing coffee; given the steep price of film and the difficulties that come with shooting in it, Javier notes that a film photographer is also pushed towards perfectionism. “You learn to time your shots better because you begin asking the right questions: Is the lighting okay? Are my settings okay? Is this worth the shot?” he explains.
The amount of trial and error present in lomography can frustrate people, especially when photos “come out low-quality, wrongly exposed, vignette-heavy, color-crazy and sometimes out-of-focus.” Still, Javier enjoys it. “I’m drawn to shooting with a camera that’s as careless as I am.”
As for Lanot, an artisan is one who enjoys the process of learning and the satisfaction of “making something out of nothing.” Though there are difficulties to be found in the work, the intricacies of each craft teach the artisans invaluable skills. “It’s also about learning new things and letting go of what doesn’t fit… [As] in any art field, it’s about finding your own voice with how you craft something and how you add your own style into what you make.”
Craft capitalism
Nowadays, going the artisanal route is seen as a form of nostalgia, a temporary escape from the hyper-digital age. “Right now, you can’t escape digital technology without making an effort of going back to the basics and doing things by hand,” says Lanot.
However, this is not to say that the two are mutually exclusive; in fact, the combination of the tangible and the digital may even pave the way for greater creativity in the future. For instance, Lanot shares that she prints her hand drawn pattern on fabrics. Meanwhile, in Javier’s experience, “technology today enables us to process—or post-process—our pictures so they look similar to film.”
With more and more people such as investors, entrepreneurs and artisans recognizing the value of skill and creativity in both mediums, the future of craft certainly seems bright. Lanot believes that the movement is one that will endure and that it isn’t merely a form of nostalgia. “It’s that desire to do things by hand before we digitize it.”
While craft may be all about the creation of personalized products, even multinational companies appear to be jumping on the bandwagon. Starbucks Reserve for example, Starbucks’ specially crafted line that claims to offer “exotic, rare and exquisite” coffee, has recently opened its first two branches in Tomas Morato and Fort Bonifacio. Ironically, digital applications like VSCO and Instagram even have presets that “borrow from film-esque looks and coloring,” Javier observes.
While some people may bemoan the fact that the artisanal is slowly becoming commodified, Javier doesn’t see it as a problem. “Trends always resurface and recycle, especially in art. Our preferences tend to go back and forth through the years.” These emerging ventures could be a prelude to a future where craft businesses are able to compete against the big names in their respective industries.
When profit is no longer the top priority and quality is valued over quantity, then perhaps products are likely to come out better and more satisfying for the customer. It certainly appears that we are beginning to appreciate the necessity of the meticulously crafted over the mass produced now more than ever.
