Page 187 - Constructing Craft

one fabric and dress designer worked at Centrepoint. Additional craft buildings were
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constructed in 1981. To some extent, craft appeared to offer more value to
Centrepoint as an example of a communal way of working than as a source of

income. When a newspaper article and a television documentary afforded
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Centrepoint some notoriety, sales of pottery increased. It appeared that the public
were more interested in the way the members lived; increased craft sales were a
fortunate corollary. Furthermore, for what must have been a large capital outlay, the

craft businesses did not seem to have contributed a great deal to the finances of the

community. In 1984, for example, about 20% of the income came from craft-type
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activities. Much of the remainder was from members who worked outside
Centrepoint who were expected to contribute all their income to the trust.

The communal nature of the community pervaded all aspects of life at Centrepoint ‒

craft items sent to exhibitions were chosen by consensus and involvement in craft
was often considered part of the ‘healing’ process Potter promoted. For instance,

John Sweden, one of the potters, noted that ‘there [was] a strong emphasis on
communication and sharing our feelings with one another’ which he claimed helped

him overcome the difficulty of making pots when he had emotional problems: ‘I can’t
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make beautiful pots when resentful or hostile’. It implied that his pottery was better
for the ‘openness’ the communal environment afforded him. The community

eventually collapsed amid recriminations following the laying of criminal charges
against Potter and some of his closest associates. To some extent, the association

of craft with the community corrupted craft. The purpose of craft appeared to act as
a form of legitimisation of the community rather than provide income.

Constructing Craft