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Leather art and craft in the days of quarantine.

On the net have several leather art and craft sites been visible with all kind of offers concerning leather art and craft – the increasing number is probably due to the crises as the world no experiences because of the epedemic as the Corona virus are origin of. It have brought most of the worlds leathercrafters and artists in a quarantine situation in theire homes and workshops. And in reality without possibility to travel to a fair for selling or exhibit the products they make -and by that have it also brought a loss of a economical income, –  as for some not means so much, but as for some is part of the daily household – and for some the bread and butter on the table. How many people in the world it concern have I no idea about. But fore a long time have internett showed that  leathercrafters and artists works everywhere on the globe even if it not have told anything about the number of people in the world as in one way or the other works with leather art and craft and how they depend on a income from it. I have never read a living condition survey for leather crafters /artists – and so fare in the good times have such investigation probably been looked upon as excess – if it at all have been thinked on. But in times like this – when  internett show a more intencive activity-  means it,  that it also pushes forward new solutions to promote leather art and craft products on. But it do not tell any about the existential questions as also include those who not are able to use internett or have acess to it.                                            *                                                                                                           A net page can be a good substitute fore the physical meeting on a fair or class room. And it’s reasonable to belive that for some are the netpage probably a idea the qurantine time have made actual, for others is it perhaps a old plan as finaly have become something of – and some have had it fore a while. So it’s a mixture of old and new pages as today flutters over the screen. It happen in a world where humans not longer are aloud to meet other without a distance of two -2- meters – and most leather crafters and artists wonder if the trade show they have been looking forward to a year or so – will be arranged. And in the darkest moments perhaps,- if it ever will be it!. It is of course not of the big worries in times like this when you look around – but still is it some of the everyday – still are we the same humans, quarntine times or not. The calendar still show dates for coming events as not yet  are cancelled in 2020.                                 *                                                                                                      Otherwise have arrangements cancellations come on a running leash all over the line so fare this year from the start of quarntine time as in my corner of the world startet 1 month ago to day, March 13. And some organizers,  have the internett brought information about, not in connection to leather art and craft, but still trade shows, will not arrange any new shows before in  2021, some operate with 2022. It means the whole 2020 already is a ”walk over”. And who can say what the 2021 will be like !. So fare looks it like all announced leather art and craft arrangements for the rest of the year, in the different parts  of the world – shall be arranged as planed. On the only international leather art and craft exhibition I know about – as was arranged close up to the quarantine time was the organizers not alouded to change staff,- and only (!) to,let in people in  small groups. How many as was in the exhibitions rooms was perhaps not so much of a big problem , because not many people come. And it’s perhaps not so realistic to think that all annouced leather art and craft arrangement as is announced in the rest of 2020 will be anything of. Coming cancellations will not be any big suprise, in  the writing moment. The authoryties (in europe) advice  not to travel abroad form the respective country this summer; it means in practise that it not ill be any leather art and craft arrangement to travel to- and ELWATS 2020 in Arnhem are already hanging in a thin thread and a ” 2020 walk over” what concern the whole leather trade is not so fare as it can looks like via internett.                                                             *                                                                                                              And where do the leather art and craft world stay – if 2020, in the end of the year – show up to have been a ”walk over” – and 2021 looks to be the same !.  Not only have it been a increasing numbers of net pages but I have also noticed a more intence activity with  leather art and craft online classes. It’s a option – but it is perhaps only a question about time how long online classes can be a alternative to physical arrangements and classes. I have so fare not seen any alternative on net to physical leather trade fairs and exhibitions. And a question is if internett can bring a solution, local as well global to keep this  part of leather art and craft going. In the writing moment is on-line classes the only option – and the respons from those ho attend this classes are good. But concerning fairs and exhibitions is it nothing today as suggest that internatt can be a solution. Most of the ideas as run on net today are not developed enough to have a leather trade show or exhibition on via internett. And do not ask me if it’s a realistic idea to develop it. It’s just a idea I think on, in case the days of quaratine should be ”the new normal”.