‘Self-Making’ and Marketing the Crafty Self

Abstract

As we saw in the previous chapter, many (predominately) female caregivers have sought out micro-entrepreneurship as a ‘magical solution’ to work-life issues; in this chapter I continue and deepen this discussion by examining how the particular marketing imperatives underpinning the contemporary craft economy give rise to a whole new set of work-life negotiations. Especially in the wake of the late 1980s and the arrival on the scene of the YBAs (Young British Artists), such as Damien Hirst, that artists and craftspeople need to become self-promoting entrepreneurial selves is hardly a revelation. Perhaps more interesting is the way in which Romantic or Bohemian mythic structures still feed into this performance as a means by which visual artists in particular are seen to ‘exaggerate and exploit their individuality’ and ‘feed into popular myths to reinforce their occupational authenticity’ (Bain 2005, p. 29). While as we have seen, especially since the middle of the twentieth century, studio and art craft practices have strongly overlapped with the history and experience of visual artists, nonetheless the historical divisions between arts and crafts have given rise to some points of difference. For example, for many craftspeople their particular self-promotional presentation resonates more with craft’s own iconic, historical and mythic legacies, with their associations with ‘good work’, quality, and a care for materials and processes.