[Nfb-krafters-korner] Still Seeking Training in Crafts for Occupation

Wed May 4 01:50:10 UTC 2011

Thanks for the suggestion.  I've been looking for individual teachers
and groups for well over a year now, which is why I'm so frustrated.
I actually contacted the only basketry guild near me and they were
unable to help.  I e-mailed several basket makers and at least two
chair caners, all local, but got no response.  I also e-mailed a
decent number of schools for the blind, all around the country, which
either used to teach manual trades or which looked as if they might,
and not one of them wrote back.  Thanks to Joyce, I'm now in contact
with a master broom-maker, who is also skilled at several other
crafts, including chair caning.  He is extremely knowledgeable and
helpful, but he's a bit busy at the moment so is not able to devote
time to teaching me.  I guess I'll try searching again and see what I
find.

All the best,
Eleni

On 5/3/11, Annette Carr <amcarr1 at verizon.net> wrote:
> Eleni,
>
> You might want to look into Groups and Guilds in your area that focus on the
> various types of crafts you want to learn.  There might be classes, or
> individual people who would be willing to teach or mentor you.
>
> HTH,
> Annette
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Eleni Vamvakari
> Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 3:24 PM
> To: List for blind crafters and artists
> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Still Seeking Training in Crafts for
> Occupation
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I know that I haven't written in awhile but I now have a landline so can
> join in on the phone chats.  In any case, I'm still subscribed to the list
> and am still trying to find places which teach the crafts that I want to
> learn so that I can do them for a living.  For those new here, My plan is to
> make baskets, brooms, soaps and maybe candles and to give them to a program
> called Pathways to Independence, which works with the New Jersey Commission
> of the Blind.  They come to your house, pick up the products that you make
> and then sell them at craft shows and give you all the money.  As some here
> may remember, I was considering starting my own business.  I still have all
> the e-mails from the discussion on how to do so and thank you for your help.
> But I'm really nervous about all the paperwork, particularly taxes and
> losing my benefits etc. if I don't make enough, especially since my earnings
> will vary in the beginning and I have to account for materials, shipping,
> insurance etc.  Of course, I could get help from SSI, but that in itself is
> a long and very complicated process.  I was told by the leader of Pathways
> that I'm legally allowed to keep all of my earnings from them, since they
> and I are registered with the Commission.  So I'll use them to test the
> waters so to speak and to make some extra money.  Note that I'm also very
> willing to learn other crafts that I can then sell.  Keep in mind that I
> know nothing of knitting, crocheting or sewing and have never seen colour or
> anything else.  But that doesn't mean that I'm unwilling to learn.
>
> As I said some time ago, I found a huge list of furniture stores around the
> country, which either cater exclusively to or which offer chair caning, and
> some even offer basketry.  My hope is to work with one of these for a
> regular income.  Many are in New York, and some are even in New Jersey.  But
> I feel a bit strange going to them without training.  I found only one
> place, the North Carolina Center for the Blind, which teaches seatweaving,
> along with basketry, bead work and a few other things, but they're not a
> residential facility.  I've done extensive searches online but the most I
> could find were centres which offered some arts and crafts classes for
> pleasure or industrial arts, which, in it's modern context, apparently
> refers to wood working with power tools and the like.
>
> My counselor is willing to help me, and indeed, the NJ Commission used to
> offer programs for these crafts but no longer does so.  But he hasn't been
> able to find anything and this is going on over a month.
> So I'm really hoping that since several people have joined since I did, that
> someone here can help me.  Joyce, I know that you're in a place which
> teaches caning.  Is it residential and how long does it last?  Perhaps, The
> Commission might be willing to pay for it.  Does anyone know if there are
> plans to teach any of these here in the future?  If there isn't an actual
> place where I can learn these things, would someone be willing/able to tutor
> me or do you know a teacher, perhaps retired, whom I could contact?  I'm
> sorry for being repetitive, but I wanted to sumarise my situation here for
> those new to the group and to update my progress for the rest.
>
> Thanks,
> Eleni
>
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