Page 8 - Constructing Craft

Introduction

Forty Years of Studio Craft

In 1949 Helen Hitchings opened a new gallery in Wellington. It flourished for a

brief period, before closing in 1951. There was nothing particularly unusual
about this – art galleries came and went on a regular basis in New Zealand.

However, what was a little different about the Helen Hitchings Gallery were the

items on show and the way they were displayed. Along with paintings and
sculptures by well-known artists visitors could see pottery, weaving and furniture

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handmade and displayed within an imaginary New Zealand home. Hitchings
was attempting to educate New Zealanders in new ways of decorating their

homes employing a modernist interior that provided an environment for

displaying modern art and studio craft. Hitchings was, of course, trying to make
a living – small handcrafted objects are generally easier to sell than paintings –

but she was also providing an outlet for a very small group of people who loved
making objects by hand. She supported both artists and craftspeople. The

embryo of a craft movement had formed.

Over forty years later, craft writer, Peter Gibbs, reflecting on the craft movement

he had been a part of as a potter and writer, wrote:
The popularity of hand-made crafts peaked in the halcyon
hippie days of the 1960s and 70s. Driven by a worldwide folk
art revival and the Kiwi do-it-yourself ethic, the time was ripe to
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drop out, buy a potter’s wheel and become self-sufficient.

Constructing Craft