One of the primary reasons why people buy crafts in craft shows is because they are tourists in the area, and they want to have a physical object that would remind them of the place they went to. As such, it is a good idea for any craftsperson to check his or her location, and let himself or herself be influenced by the culture of the place. If you are a craftsperson who grew up in the area, this wouldn’t be too much of a problem. But what if you are a visitor as well?
People who don’t hail from the area where the craft show is held will definitely have a problem trying to get an affinity with the culture of the place. This is a surmountable problem, though, for the affinity can be developed over time. Buy and study the works of your fellow craftspeople attending the event, and try to make friends with them while you’re at it. Having a good and friendly relationship with some of them will rub off on you, and you ay start to understand their cultural influences over time.
That won’t do the trick by itself, of course. The only way to understand the culture of a place is to spend some time in it. Don’t hole yourself up in your booth for the duration of your stay. Explore the place in its entirety; have a short break, and look for interesting things that you can do there. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll pick up a few things.
When everything has been said and done, you’ll have to go “back to the lab” and try to integrate their culture with your own unique signature. Don’t try to lose your identity in the process! Let your techniques be influenced, but don’t try to outright copy the feel of the crafts that came from that culture.
In the end, you must always remember to avoid forcing anything. Don’t be too alarmed if your piece ends up without the feel that you wanted it to have for that culture; if you bash the culture in, you’ll end up destroying both that and your personal touch. In my opinion, the soul of an item makes it all the more desirable for people to touch and buy. But you just can’t have a soul for the object if you force the craft.
