February 6, 2013
Every Town Needs A Baker
America is going through a bit of a renaissance. We are reclaiming trades that were almost forgotten. We are choosing to live in slower, deeper ways. We are investing in fewer, better products that are both conscious of the environment and connected to our community.
I have two competing reactions when I see this breadth of creativity . At first, I am inspired by the incredible and beautiful things people are making. But on the edges of my mind, I find myself feeling competitive and anxious that those other efforts will overshadow my own work. It sucks to admit it, but I’ve rarely met a creative that doesn’t feel that way deep down.
There is an alternative to thinking we are at odds creatively and I find reassurance in artists that don’t exist for their own self, but are focused on their region. Not too long ago small towns, for the most part, were self sustaining. The town had all the elements it needed to survive. A farmer to grow wheat. A baker to make the grain into bread. Their attention was on their town. The farmer wasn’t trying to grow food for every city in the states. The baker couldn’t possibly bake enough loaves to ship around the world.
The ‘trade movement’ started because we wanted an alternative to mass produced goods. So rather than feeling threatened by other creatives, I welcome and celebrate them. We need their diversity. In this day and age where small batch is getting more prevalent, I remind myself that every town needs a baker.
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