A CEL EBR AT I O N OF DI V ERSI T Y Choosing the subjects to profi le in Handmade in Melbourne was an enormously challenging task – we could have produced many more volumes. Within the limitations of space and time, however, we wanted to celebrate the diversity of handmade goods being produced in Melbourne. In these pages, then, we’ve brought together 80 disparate talents, from knitters, bakers and candle makers to internationally known glass blowers, ceramicists and jewellers. In an attempt to broaden the book still further, we asked each subject to offer one or more source of inspiration. The result of this request is a fascinating insider’s view of Melbourne – the craftspeople our subjects most admire; their favourite suppliers of raw materials; little-known markets, secondhand shops, bookshops, galleries and websites; sculptures and places of natural beauty. You’ll fi nd a directory of our subjects and their inspirations in the back of the book. Creating Handmade in Melbourne has been an amazing journey through a world we feel privileged to have glimpsed. It has given us a new appreciation of the value of handmade items, in spiritual, emotional and monetary terms. Some people may fi nd it difficult to justify the cost of a handmade candle or ball of soap, let alone a tailored suit or beautifully hand-crafted dining table. But to understand the expense of some handmade products is to understand the preciousness of time. It is to understand the value of individuality, and the durable, enduring nature of the products in these pages. All of them fit the William Morris ideal of bringing joy to both maker and user.
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