SHOWTIME® FEATURE
EMERGENT MAKER MOVEMENT BRINGS
ARTISAN FLAIR DESIGN TO
By Kim D. Shaver
The same dynamics that have fueled “buying local,” customization and DIY have led thousands of people to start their own small businesses dedicated to creating and selling self-made products, often made one-at-atime by hand. In a world of mass production and mass marketing, online communications and social media have made it easier than ever for a single individual to create and distribute items that are customizable and unique. These creative entrepreneurs are part of what is being called the emergent “maker movement.” Makers are found in fields including technology, food, fashion and jewelry, home décor and home textiles. In the home space, makers’ products often are influenced by art and have an artisan flair. This new wave of consumer businesses founded by makers is born from their mastery of skill, creativity and a genuine passion of the makers for their craft. Their passion is contagious, as consumers are intrigued by the personal stories of makers, and motivated to support and celebrate artisans.
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MAKER MOVEMENT IS EXTENSION OF ‘BUYING LOCAL’ AND ‘INTENTIONAL CONSUMERISM’ “The maker movement is the next logical extension of ‘buying local,’ like the (farm-to-table) or local food movement,” says Jana Phipps, an expert in the use of embellishment for décor, fashion and DIY who creates and offers everything from decorative trims to jewelry under the Trim Queen brand. “The maker movement is a backlash against consumerism and mass production and a move towards ‘intentional consumerism’ that supports an artist and their loved ones, and makes a personal connection,” she says.
MAKER PRODUCTS ARE ‘SOULFUL’ EXPRESSIONS THAT EVOKE EMOTION “The maker movement brings in the human element and expresses the ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ behind the work on a personal level for a design solution,” says Jill Seale, an
