Page 214 - Constructing Craft

unemployment for instance, and the increasing success in the arts by suggesting

that the changing composition of the population and the maturing of the urban
environment ‘gave vitality to New Zealand life which the economic commentaries
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overlooked’. The increase in vitality, a sign of increasing cultural confidence in
New Zealand society, was seen to be a positive boost for some craftspeople.

Craftspeople also looked to teaching to share their knowledge and experience and
for employment opportunities. Formal education also gave more recognition to craft

art thus promoting the ‘new’ craft in the new market.

In the next chapter we look at the growth of one of New Zealand’s largest craft-

related industries to see how one dominant conglomerate could impact on the lives
of craftspeople and how craftspeople could influence the strategies of big business.

But here we consider the many ways that craftspeople ensured that their
‘businesses’ stayed viable during periods of economic growth and decline.

Studio Pottery

In the relationship between studio craft, related industries and government, craft

held the subordinate position and was always dependent on decisions made by
others. To develop and grow within this environment craftspeople had to be

resourceful, adaptable and political. Pottery was the dominant craft in the struggle

between studio craft and business. Potters were more likely than other craftspeople
to be earning all, or a substantial portion, of their income from their craft and were

therefore more closely aligned to industry than most other crafts.

Early Craftspeople look to Industry

In Chapter Two it was noted that when the early craftspeople were first developing

their skills and finding materials only two sources of information and prepared

materials were available to them. A very small number of books from overseas
helped expand their knowledge and some related businesses supplied a very

limited range of materials – usually leftovers not required by them. Potters were
fortunate in that a number of manufacturing businesses used clay as a part of their

Constructing Craft