I am very glad to announce the winner of the MS x LCW Competition.

Winner: Lindy Neave

Why craft matters?

Craft matters to me in many ways on many different levels. Craft is my livelihood; I am a goldsmith and still learning the skills to become the best craftswoman that I can be. The fact that the techniques, tools and materials that I learn and use on a daily basis have all been refined by generations before me provides a real link with the history of my craft, which I think all craftspeople can recognise in their own field. There is so much to learn in any craft - you can always find new and different ways to approach and appreciate it, and to experiment and constantly learn.
I particularly love craft for the way that it enables a different way of thinking and living. The creation of objects using traditional skills requires time and dedication, as well as creativity and determination. It is a very physical process to master a craft, and it is wonderful to hold a piece of jewellery, a jug, a blanket or a vase that is the culmination of years of learning and practising made into a tangible object, and feeling the connection with the skilled hands that created it. The passion that creates a crafted object instils inherent value in it, providing its maker with a career that provides an incredible relationship with their product.
I can’t imagine a better way of life than creating beautiful objects for a living, and sharing that joy with the people who purchase and love them. The patience, stress, elation, frustration, joy, passion that goes into each and every piece makes craft what it is, and is exactly why a hand crafted piece holds so much value.
Lindy Neave, UK

Thank you very much everyone for entering the competition and sharing your thoughts/opinions about craft.