I wasn't born to follow

And all I see in the field of craft furniture is a circle of centrifugal force. As more link up through MDFA, DMOU , the further the intospection grows. The idea of group unity, a mighty force to persuade the world began before this. When I began the furniture designer makers numbered 30 odd. After 20 years of students and new faces looking in  a sad , depressing thing has happened. I have seen it first hand. Those first 30 were all pursuing thier own avenues. As the vast 2nd generation joined there were few further ideas. Yes, the odd one was brave or strange enough to not care and walk a new path. Sadly now, there is just a sea of objects, a blur, an interchangeable sea of designer makers wading up to thier knees in blood. The DMOU forum had moments of creative expansion. Cheltenham, the barometer of the up and coming is homogenous. Those with something new to offer avoid the 'woodies' like the plague. I watched a programme called 'the school of saatchi' where students tried to impersonate what had gone before in the hope of approval and acceptance in to a club that no longer exists. I got out of teaching 10 years ago because I could no longer sell them the myth. I couldnt lie anymore to students buzzed up thinking Cheltenham was some kind of achievement. I read a comment today from the Millinery Works catalogue from David Savage suggesting that this was a goldn age of craftsmanship, a stolen quote from an article by Jez Broun from years ago when there was One. Now is a poor time for craft furniture with few genuine innovators ou there. I wont follow. I have noticed all the creative minds gradually drop away from commenting on the DMOU forum whilst the buisness minded have taken over. As with the x factor tv, mediocre creatives with technical skill are all the rage. Creativity, true new views of possibility and beauty have been abandoned for the sake of money.
The explosion of creativity collided with commerce and a generation of those who sought attention irespective of creativ vision has caused a homogenity of anonymous objects. Like Punk, the first generation of bands all sounded different, the second generation, looking for punk approval all sounded the same.
I left teaching for my refusal to propogate this approach. I left a group workshop at discust at young makers hunger for attention. I feel personal guilt now, as I did as a teacher, watching someone blindly and enthusiastically plunge in to the void of ego before art.