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The Handicraft Revival
"We were only just in time" Francis Goodrich, 1926 Missionaries and social workers began to come into the Blue Ridge at the turn of the century to work with disadvantaged mountain people. Once in the region, they discovered the vestiges of a strong handicraft tradition. This tradition had nearly died out as factory-made goods became widely available in the mountains after the Civil War. These charitable workers sought to revive the making of handicrafts, providing an opportunity for people to obtain a cash income and improve their standard of living. Certain events came together at the turn of the century to create a market for these handicrafts. The 1876 Philadelphia Centennial, celebrating the hundredth birthday of the Revolution, sparked interest among Americans in colonial artifacts. Handwoven textiles were particularly popular, and much of the craft revival in the Blue Ridge centered on the revival of weaving. Secondly, the English Arts and Crafts Movements, led by taste-makers John Ruskin and William Morris, denounced factory labor as dehumanizing and urged a return to craft production. Ruskin and Morris also believed that factories were producing cheap and tasteless household furnishings, and called for a return to simpler, finer articles. The hand-made products of the mountains found a ready market among the Northern elites who appreciated the ideas of the Arts and Crafts Movement and were affluent enough to afford the newly-fashioned mountain crafts. Interestingly, this was not a true revival at all. The objects produced were generally designed and made to suit the contemporary Northern and urban market, and were not really traditional. Nevertheless, the people who made these items had the opportunity to earn money and today their products are eagerly sought by collectors. This exhibit focuses on some of the schools and companies that were active in the Craft Revival movement. Indexes: |
