Customer Reviews

Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Moviegoers often get into a classic argument: which was better, the book or the movie. The introduction to this book explains that it is a companion to a forthcoming documentary. I eagerly await the film. Sensing the passion with which the authors approach their subject I think it might be a five-star film.

The book felt too shallow - as if it were not expected to stand alone. The artists featured in this book have substantial presences on the web, making their work easily accessible without the book. Because of this I was looking for what value was added by collecting their work in one place. The accompanying essays offer something new as do the photos of the artists in their work spaces. The all-too brief text on each artist is lacking. It doesn't add sufficient depth to what is already on the web. It feels like sound bites from a movie (which perhaps it is.)

The photography is good and the quality of the book is great (as always from Princeton Architectural Press.) The hand-drawn timeline at the beginning of the book is a delight. It is an example of the analysis and synthesis I hoped to find more of in this book.

This book would be great for someone just getting into the DIY world, but for those already immersed, I think the movie will be a richer experience.

I just received my book a few days ago and have already torn through it. It has a great balance of informative backgrounds about the artists involved with the companion documentary, soon to be released, and amazing visuals of the artists' work. I also really enjoyed the essays added throughout. I was especially excited to see one by Betsy Greer. I feel I have some knowledge about the artists' work that I would not have had if the book was not released. It also gives some insight on how the "New Wave of Craft" snowballed into what it is today. The timeline at the beginning of the book is also very illuminating.

I think I first heard about Handmade Nation on a podcast I'd downloaded to my iPod. How ironic that technology introduced me to Handmade Nation. As an artist and craftsman, I've been making and selling my creations since I was a teenager and walked my handmade dolls and bears 2 miles down the road to the local gift shop. But now...now, is a great time to be a part of Handmade Nation. There are so many opportunities for artists of all kinds, and this book provides short profiles and great photographs on many artists. It also has a philosophical angle, a life-style angle. So, we get a glimpse into how creating things is a part of the way these artists view life, their life and their relationship to others. I find that most interesting. Some of the work profiled is not as strong, artistically, as others, but I'm not sure that is what the book is about. There are other books out today that profile the best in arts and crafts. This book is more about a movement, though honestly perhaps the movement is just able to be publicized more in this decade than in was in the '70s when I was shlepping my felt dolls down the street. We had art fairs and such then too, but oh, how great it would have been to have had the Internet! Scanning! Email! This book is worth getting, because it may be difficult to view the movie on which it was based. I've tried to find viewing places and time, but none are in my area, yet. So, if you are into crafts, and want a nice coffee table book, and want to support the authors who have sacrificed a lot, I believe, to bring handmade nation to the public, buy this book.

MESMO COM AS GREVES DO CORREIO AQUI EM SP FOI ENVIADO E RECEBI NO PRIMEIRO DIA Q OS CORREIOS VOLTARAM A TRABALHAR... UM BOM SINAL Q HAVIA CHEGADO FAZIA SEMANAS AQUI NO BRASIL.

I'd become jaded about books on creativity when I found this one on the library shelf. The author confirmed several things I'd suspected all along: it's OK to create just for its own sake, not so that you can eventually quit your day job; independent artists have always led the way; sometimes making a sale or going mainstream requires you to dumb down. This book makes the point that art doesn't have to be precious or exclusive. It's human nature to want to sing, dance, tell stories and make things. We've been doing it for millenia. It's a good read if you're discouraged about the state of the arts in our society and your own role in it.

I loved this book! It has an interesting timeline on how handmade work and arts and crafts have developed in recent years. The specific artisans that are featured are very interesting, and the photos of their work are outstanding! The focus isn't on the "traditional" arts and crafts so much as how people have developed their own non-traditional take on arts and crafts. There are some very creative things in here!

delightful to behold,
magical in its simplicity
all around good read and well done images to boot

I just bought this book and read it cover to cover in one sitting and loved it. What an inspiration. It makes you want to run to the studio and create, create, create! Beautiful design, excellent documentation and a great range of 'makers' to learn about. A must read for anyone remotely creative.

Today's craft world is now a linked culture of punk, artistic technique, and DIY philosophy, and HANDMADE NATION trades the new wave of craft sentiments that incorporate community connections and ideas in its process. From logs and galleries to craft fairs and teachers, over twenty artists from across the country discuss their lives, works, and community connections. HANDMADE NATION: THE RISE, DIY, ART, CRAFT AND DESIGN is a key acquisition for any art collection as well as for general-interest libraries specializing in crafts history and culture.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch