Kindness is a Competitive Advantage
Written: 16 April 2021
Kindness is a Competitive Advantage
At Find a Maker, we believe that the best way to create a community is to lift each other up. During Lockdown, our good friend, Mark Shayler, gave some advice that really resonated with us at Craft Festival. He said that Kindness is a Competitive Advantage and the theory is backed with some serious research.
So, in contrast with the elbows out, cyber bullying framework we associate with big business, Amy Cuddy of Harvard Business School cites that "a growing body of research suggests that the way to influence, and to lead, is to begin with warmth." Find out more here
5 Favourites from Find a Maker
With this in mind, we asked the members of our new directory, Find a Maker to chose their 5 favourites from over 190 makers and galleries. Our makers are a very friendly bunch and jumped at the chance to champion their favourites.
The first choices are by potter Lucy Burley Potter. Partly inspired by the still-life paintings of Giorgio Morandi, Lucy enjoys placing her work in harmonious groups, where the colour and form of each vessel is in balance with its companions.
Jane Bevan
I love the natural "treasures" that Jane creates from found materials: wood, bark etc - they seem to have a secret, ancient meaning.
Lisa Krigel Ceramics
I love Lisa's sculptural ceramics inspired by architecture - an expert blend of function and aesthetic.
Li'l Rabbitfoot
Li'l Rabbitfoot makes intriguing sculptural forms from coloured glass; like me she's inspired by flowers and forms in the natural world and her work appeals to me for its delicacy and skill.
The Byre Gallery
The Byre is an absolute jewel of a gallery - Elaine has a fantastic eye and curates harmonious displays of craft and art work from her group of artists, and I count myself very lucky to be among them. The Gallery deserves to be on everyone's "to-visit" list!
Amy Stringer Design
I love Amy's bold contemporary jewellery: the way it fuses industrial materials like cement, with precious stones to make intriguing pieces inspired by architecture: small-scale but really striking.
If you are a Maker, Craft Gallery or Craft Organisation, you can register your interest to join Find a Maker HERE.
Applications open 3 times a year. The next application opportunity will open in June and we will email to remind you to apply.