Is writing Wikipedia like making a quilt?
- Mary Mark Ockerbloom is the co-host of Philadelphia WikiSalon and Wikipedian in Residence for Annual Reviews. Dilettante Army is an Art+Feminism organizer. Pharos is long time member of Wikimedia New York City.
Information about craft is almost nonexistent in Wikipedia and Wikidata. With a view to stitching up that gap, Wikimedia New York City members have started Wikipedia:WikiProject Craft, hosting Craft+Wikipedia Roundtable sessions with the Textile Society of America. Putting together a new WikiProject involves piecing together many different contributions—much like piecing together a quilt. We hope you'll contribute and explore the world of craft!
Craft is the creation of objects using human hands. It is practiced by professional artists, tradespeople, amateurs and enthusiasts with a spectrum of skills and vision. Craft artists work with traditional craft materials and practices in fields such as glassblowing, pottery, jewelry, textile arts, woodworking and metalworking. The studio movement is part of a broader world of craft where boundaries blur between hobbyists, makers, specialists, and artists.
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Bennett Bean, painted pots -
Norm Sartorius, Perseid spoon -
Jan Yager, Tiara of Useful Knowledge
With one hand, craftspeople hold firmly to tools, techniques and traditions that have been practiced for generations to create practical, usable objects. With the other hand, they reach for inspiration and imagination. They may make objects that are both beautiful and utilitarian, like the quilts of Gee's Bend, or that only reference utility, like a spun-glass wedding dress displayed at the Corning Glass Museum.