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This month we feature the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair
Craft, the erstwhile preserve of Blue Peter and the Women’s Institute is back with a vengeance.
Domestic arts are now being treated as real art. “Traditionally craft was a nesting pastime, as housewives would make do and mend” says Daniella Proud, “now it’s an expression of creativity, and your gran would fall off her rocking chair if she saw how we’re sticking two fingers up at how it used to be done”.
“It’s a trend that’s gaining momentum. I see echoes of the Arts and Crafts movement, at the turn of last century people were tired of industrialism; they craved individuality. We’re seeing a return to that.”
But some craft will only ever be craft and even if you give it a go you are up against the experts. Artists and designers like Grayson Perry, Tracey Emin and Tord Boontje, who have blurred the boundaries between art, craft and design, have all been trained as fine artists.
Contemporary craft is fast becoming a hot investment among canny collectors, but what’s the best way to find a future classic?
Claire Beck of contemporary craft gallery Adrian Sassoon puts craft’s change in fortunes down to the proliferation of high-end exhibitions which have lifted it out of its village fayre environment and into the serious art world.
Part of crafts appeal is that it is easy to comprehend – a ceramic bowl is easier to understand and to house than a conceptual painting – but price is a major factor.
Craft pieces by leading makers are far from cheap (you won’t get much for under £1000) but as this is an expanding market, prices have still not peaked and so there’s a lot of potential for investment.
But if you're new to the field, how do you know what the right piece is? We asked four experts to run us through the basics.
It's on from the 23rd to 26th
We also feature numerous local weddings with local couples tying the knot and a countdown to the big day!
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