Artigianati.com

by Halen Harvey

Home crafts have made a comeback. In the major centres like Wellington and Auckland, there are market days where people can sell their wares. And groups get together to swap ideas and technology.

But in Taranaki, the craft movement seems to be largely undercover. And Rebecca Mooney, owner of Kina NZ Design & Art Space, wants it to come out into the open.

"What we need is a craft day. It would be great to bring everyone out of the closet. I'm sure there is a huge pool of creativity out there. We need to get together to do something."

A craft revival began in New Zealand about five or six years ago. It was noted with the introduction of button necklaces, Ms Mooney says.

People started using their grandmothers' button collections and turned them into something different.

It's grown since then. And it's more than just a reintroduction of textile crafts.

"It's like they have the skills their grandmother had, but they are almost turning it into fine art, making it quirky."

There is a word used in art called upcycle: someone will take something, say a doily their grandmother crocheted, and turn it into an evening purse......

Read more at  -  http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/3674120/Crafts-make-comeback