Welcome to the Global Women's Artisan Alliance!

Greetings, Friends,

Welcome to my blog, and welcome to the Global Women's Artisan Alliance! 

The Global Women's Artisan Alliance is an informal organization that I created to address the need for craftswomen and friends of craftswomen to network with one another to craft a better world for all women, especially marginalized craftswomen who are economically disadvantaged. The mission statement of the Global Women's Artisan Alliance is that together we strive to empower women to create art and create communities rooted in justice, and to extend practical support and friendship to women and women's artisan and craft groups locally and globally. 

The Global Women's Artisan Alliance has been born out of my love of arts and crafts as a practicing artist and casual collector of folk art, as well as the many years I spent traveling overseas for my job, where I encountered women's crafts initiatives and cooperatives while buying souvenir crafts and folk art. Initially I was simply  impressed by the beauty of the women's craftwork, but as I got to know these women better, in countries such as Mexico, Guatemala and Bolivia, I became more and more impressed with them on a number of levels. 

First of all, a great many of these women were "impoverished", living in shacks without electricity or clean running water, and planning their lives from meal to meal, or from one day to the next. Yet while they were materially impoverished, these women were often spiritually, culturally and artistically rich. They come from long and deep cultural and spiritual traditions that are sources of individual and communal pride, informing every aspect of their lives. They understand the joys of journeying through life's difficulties in faith, and the importance of belonging to and working together as a supportive community. They claim making beautiful objects as their birthright, believing in and striving for beauty in their lives and in their environments. They have led me to question who is truly impoverished--wealthier women in the first world who have many "things" but few significant connections or relationships as well as scant creative skills or traditions, or the women of the so called "third world" who, while economically impoverished, are so rich in other ways.

Likewise, I have experienced firsthand the simple joy of making art and creating something of beauty. Making art and crafting can be a deeply satisfying, empowering and spiritual experience for so many women,  not only providing joy, beauty and relaxation in our otherwise hectic lives, but also, over time, creating in us new ways of looking at life. Creativity in one aspect of life--be it knitting, doll making, painting or throwing ceramic pots on a wheel--spills over into other aspects of life as well until, soon, the artist or craftswomen is visualizing--with greater ease and increasingly satisfying results--all kinds of new and creative ways in which to address life's dilemmas and challenges. When we do this together, in creative and supportive networks and communities... well, I really believe that the sky's the limit in terms of what we can create and accomplish. 

Finally, since 9-11, many of us in America have a heightened sense of how small and increasingly interconnected a world we live in; a world that is often plagued by gross injustice, economic disparity, misunderstanding, distrust and conflict. Many American women are aware of these issues and injustices but don't know what steps they can take to address them, or how, as individuals, they might be able to make a difference. These women want to connect meaningfully and purposefully with other women globally, learning to listen to and become community with women from other cultures and countries. We want to make positive contributions to the future of this planet. We are looking for new ways to be global citizens, and want to connect with and partner with other craftswomen around the world to craft a better life for all of us.

This blog will be posting the stories of women and women's craft groups that are trying to make a difference. It is also meant to be an informal community or network for women who love crafts and crafting,  who value community, and who want to make a difference with their lives, to inspire and be inspired by one another. As my friend, I invite you to join me in this journey.