Thursday 26 September 2013

Spotted in Upper Brook Street

This is very encouraging. I'd love to understand the story behind this offer:
This page on this blog has attracted a very high number of hits in a short time 66 to be precise. when I would expect 15.

I've also had a few emails applauding the message BUT

And it's a very big

 BUT

Aren't we all living in Cloud Cuckoo Land - a land that many of us would like to escape to because we refuse to look reality in the face - instead we escape to our living rooms, our partners and kids  and communicate by Facebook - with the result that an increasing number can't be honest with each other face to face.

So what is the reality we could face if we dared?

The Public have NO MONEY or even energy for our creativity.

So what could we do that doesn't rely on this nonexistent market?

We are bursting with creativity but there's no market for our efforts!

One thing occurs to me that would be very much appreciated by all we creative people (and I've tried it and it works with my pots):

Why don't we stop kidding ourselves and forget trying to sell our creative outcomes - instead offer them for free : to others who also offer theirs for free. What does this mean?
We have a place where we swop 'creative outcomes of all kinds' - it could be a blog called Ulverstonswopshop.blogspot.com - with others that have 'outcomes' to offer. Lets all gain the benefits and the satisfaction that others appreciate our work and swop amongst ourselves. This will create a real buzz of being appreciated even though we end up no richer (in cash)- which isn't happening anyway. After all if we can't sell our stuff what could be better - we have nothing to lose we receive 'payments' in kind.

Hazel paints a picture and swops it with Jennie who makes a skirt who swops it with Christine who knits some socks who swops it with Geoff who cooks some scones who swops it with Rita who sings one of her beautiful songs who swops it with Rob who digs a bit of her allotment who swops the veg with someone Clare who needs a break and some babysitting who swops with 92 year old Joyce who enjoys a chat who tells Hazel (who painted the picture in the first place) a story of her adventures as a teenager. Look at how many people have benefited - self esteem has gone sky high - and are now happy and who has lost?

Yes, no one got cash but instead a hell of a lot of enjoyment was had in the process. We all feel really appreciated that our talents are valued.

Come on folks 

Get real

SWOP CREATIVITY 

Expressed through hardwork we enjoy doing anyway

Now the hard bit - say something! - Write a comment : "Yes Geoff this is all great in your cloud cuckoo land I prefer the time honoured process of cash for hard work - I hate your scones anyway" Fire away and be as honest as you like - having done this blog for over five years I've got used to the most abusive comment that you can imagine like " I saw you on the pavement the other day and wondered whether to run you over to rid our town of such a moron" Yes there are some angry people around - and I'm one of them - but we've all got our positive side I believe - let's show it.

2 comments:

Roz Lane said...

Excellent news and exactly what we have come to expect from Ulveston. 2 years ago I founded Cumbria Arts Collective Keswick but always looked to your town for the inspiration which the abundance of gifted artists there offers. CACK folded 5 months ago, largely because the lure of Ulverston proved too much for me and I moved 3 weeks ago. I have yet to find a house/flat but am happy to live in my yurt in a friend's garden (yurts are my speciality). I will deffo be in touch with this shop, apart from ornamental yurts I am also very interested in bracken dyeing/weaving, a little known artisan craft which originated in the now defunct hamlet of Gristlethwaite, near Cockermouth. I think I will be very happy here, amongst fellow craftspeople and I hope very much to introduce a little of the ethos of CACK to what I now proudly call our town.

Geoff Dellow said...

Welcome Roz. Would you be the person that was in touch some time ago before you moved who was also planning to live here in a yurt?

I home you find people in the town to work/play with. You're welcome to look in at our pottery group that meets every Monday evening from 7 pm onwards at The Coach House, Union Lane.