Supporting Makers during Social Distancing

Now is a great time to support your local artists and crafters. Buy that handmade item you always intended to buy. The malls are closed, but most of your friendly local makers and creators have a way for you to purchase directly from them. You could buy one-of-a-kind handmade items made by people you know for about the same price as a mass produced object made by machines and strangers.

LIKE WHAT EXACTLY?
Jewelry, paintings, pottery, quilts and potholders, stained glass, clothes, woodwork and furniture, photographs and music... people nearby, possibly right next door, are creating all manner of beautiful and unique items.

WHY LOCAL?
Not only will you have a new thing of beauty in your life, you will have a lasting emotional connection to that object because you know the creator. And you can feel good about yourself because you supported the artist financially.



WHO ARE THESE STRANGE BEINGS?
See, those artists and crafters might very well be the suddenly unemployed wait and kitchen staff everyone is worried about. The service industry is full of creative people. They have lost their job, can't play their gigs, the crafts-fairs and farmers-market are canceled, and the galleries we all worked so hard to get into are shuttered and dark. All those people you've depended on for years might have lost all of their carefully created and difficult to balance income streams in a single heartbeat.

WILL IT HELP?
I'm not saying you have to pay their entire rent or even a week's grocery with your purchases. But a sale or two could ease their mind and let them know they still have value. Just a nice thank you, a good tip if you will.

WHERE ARE THEY?
Look for your creative friends' accounts on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram. If you don't know any creators, ask a friend if they do. Some artists already have an online storefront. They might even have an Etsy or Amazon account with a full payment system. Many traveling crafters can take credit cards or checks, and some of them are so old they still deal with cash (maybe even make change in their head).

LAYAWAYS and GIFT CERTIFICATES
Don't want to touch anything from outside the house? They could reserve the item you want and hold it safely until you can both meet face-to-face again. Or maybe a gift certificate for you or a friend.

SERVICES
Don't forget services. Objects are nice, but housebound photographers might be able to scan all those family photos you have and make them into a nice digital album for you. A fabric artist could turn all those concert tees or your grandfather's old shirts into throw pillows for you. Pay a student to edit your videos, add soundFX or do voiceover. Pay a musician to create a sound track or stinger.

PERSONAL TUTORSWant to make something yourself? Well some of those artists are also gifted teachers and mentors. You, or you and a group of friends and family could probably figure out a way to pay a local creator to host an online tutorial on your desired subject. "Make and Take" parties are popular, why not a "Make and Stay Put" party?

AFFILIATES and STORES
Already making stuff yourself? What about all the people who write those helpful DIY guides you consume one after the other? Check to see if they have a store or an affiliate link, then buy something through them. They have researched and tested the tools and materials they promote. Amazon affiliates make a small percentage on sales. It doesn't even need to be an item they link to, just click on their link and purchase almost any item. (here's my link: My Amazon Affiliate Link)

DESIGN and CONSULTSOr maybe you just want advice or some design help. Get an online consultation from your local designer and pay them for their knowledge. "Explain it to me like I'm five," or let them pick-apart and improve your idea, or tell you why your current process isn't working... basically pay someone who has the knowledge and experience to help you.

ARTIST ADJACENT
There are all kinds of talented, skilled creators out there. Don't forget about the people who make custom skin care products, the bodyworkers or the gardeners and landscapers. What about the people who bake your favorite morning muffins and crusty breads. Or those who make the jams and jellies or the hot sauce and dry rubs. Call them up and pre-buy their first post-quarantine batch of products.

GET OTHERS INVOLVEDAfter you have bought the beautiful custom jewelry, hung the new painting and photographs, worn your new clothes, listened to the CD and sent in your design for a new stained glass window... share and repost this article. Encourage all your friends to also support your local creative community.

Add links to your friends' sales outlets in your social media posts. Encourage artists to add links to themselves and other local artists. A lot of us have lost our "day job" and whatever trickle of income our crafts used to provide - all at the same time. For the next few weeks you could help sustain, or at least encourage, local artisans while still buying really pretty things for yourself just like on a normal day.

Retail therapy doesn't get much sweeter than this. And you might find that buying locally is a great way to keep your community thriving even after the malls reopen.

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