Traditions

Aprons & Hammers with Emma Greenwood from Craft on Vimeo.

So I'm still in Italy, sweating it out in Rome with the family. We have one day left and then the ridiculously long, uncomfortable flight home. We will be going from extremely long days, sunset after 8:30 pm, temperature around 30 degrees, to Melbourne's wintry weather, and extremely short days. I hope our immune systems are ready.

It has been a very inspiring trip, we have seen a lot of art, both contemporary and classic,  and we have eaten a heap of pasta, pizza and gelati. The kids have had a lot of attention, Hazel is a big attraction, as all the Italians wave at her and talk to her, calling her bella, or carissima. Travelling with kids and a Granny is, um, well, interesting, logistically challenging, expensive, and ultimately quite amusing. The kids are a big icebreaker.

I have been paying attention to the style of the Italians, hot damn they are sharp dressers! In Venice I was gobsmacked, Florence and Rome less so, but generally they have amazing knitwear, leather products (of course), and eyewear/spectacles etc.

I was particularly inspired in Florence, as Tuscany is the home of the leather industry, with many tanneries, workshops and manufacturers. A friend was visiting the San Miniato region to meet with leather producers, and I eagerly await her findings!

I love the traditions of Italy, whether it's food, arts/crafts, family, living with mucho gusto! And so in a very circuitous ramble, I finally get to introduce this short film, showing me in my studio, using traditional shoemaking techniques.

My buddy Tom from Bandit Films was commissioned by Craft Victoria to make a few films on Melbourne artisans/craftspeople, including Philip Stokes, Nicholas Jones, Emily Green and myself. Over the course of a year or so, Tom visited me in the studio and as he filmed we chatted away about shoemaking and crafting, there is no dialogue here but plenty of visual information.

I hope you enjoy it, seeing it all while I am away from home makes me a bit teary, as I do miss my studio, and am storing up all this inspiration and energy for a big frenzy when I get home. I especially love the closing shot of me and Little Hazel, she was only 18 months old, such a munchkin!