An Artisan's Guide to Crafts and Places

Folk art is constantly changing. Traditional crafts such as handmade textiles and ceramics represent time-honored customs, yet they continually adapt to new conditions, be it political upheaval and globalization, technical advances, new fashions, or preferences. This makes craftsmanship authentic and genuine, and in our highly digitalized world, it is more desirable than ever. As an art historian, stylist, and dealer in textiles, traditional costumes, and ceramics from all over the world, Katharina Koppenwallner has been involved with this rapidly changing material culture for many years. The book traces her many travel routes, roughly following the Silk Road and the old hippie trails from Europe eastward to Southeast Asia and on to Latin America. She introduces the areas she has traveled to and their historical contexts, expertly describes dying craft techniques as well as “fakelore” trends, and tells enchanting stories about the most remote regions and their people. Richly illustrated and featuring an index and helpful tips on the best local markets, The Artisan's Guide to Crafts and Places is the ultimate travel book for anyone who is passionate about the aesthetics and quality of traditional crafts and the places where they are kept alive.