In the corporate conglomerate of the Emeryville Bay Street mall I discovered this interesting little arts store. It advertises itself as selling unique hand-crafted arts and crafts purchased directly from the artists, with an emphasis on local artists, in this case from the Bay Area. I more or less believe they do this, not just in intent but in execution. From hand-made cell phone cases to incredibly intricate metal wine bottle containers to earrings, most of the items are made by an artist that can be named. The best part of the shop was the friendly young man who was very enthusiastic about the items being sold in the store. He seemed quite informed about the origin of most, but not all, of the various items I was curious about. He very much believed in the store's mission of finding original unique creative art objects from local artists, even students in the various art schools in the area. Though I am not fully convinced that all of the art objects in the store are as "hand-made" as advertised, I wholly support this kind of store and wish there were more of them. For those of you people out there who buy the fake pretend mass produced "art" pieces from soul crushing death holes such as W@lmart and T@rget, please stop doing so immediately. Those "art" pieces, whether statues of Jesus or pink flamingoes or dogs playing poker prints, are mass produced in stinkpit Malaysian and Chinese factories by underpaid underfed children and women who are being exposed to toxic chemicals just so ignorant Americans can have a "wood" sculpture of a dolphin on top of their TV. Such "art" is not magical or special or good if its origin is thought about at all. Therefore, buy "real" art from actual talented local artists you could actually meet and talk to, not overseas factories co-owned by tax and union dodging American billionaires in money grubbing cahoots with vicious military dictatorships that care not a bit about their workers or the environment they live in. That pretty set of Three Bears dishes you bought at @lbertson's and have on display in your breakfast nook is not art. read more
