An Artisan's Guide to Crafts and Places. A Journey to Folk Art, Traditions and Handmade Design

Discover the beauty of handmade traditions across cultures and continents. Handmade crafts tell stories of identity, tradition, and creativity. An Artisan's Guide to Crafts and Places by Katharina Koppenwallner takes readers on a r ichly illustrated journey along the Silk Road, the hippie trails, and into remote regions worldwide. The book combines travel narrative, cultural history, and design inspiration while showcasing traditional crafts that continue to evolve in a globalized world. Highlights: Fascinating insights into folk art and traditional crafts from Europe to Latin America Expert knowledge on dying techniques, textile traditions, ceramics, and more Richly illustrated with enchanting stories from remote regions and their people Includes travel tips, market recommendations, and a helpful index This beautifully designed book is a must-have for lovers of traditional crafts, design enthusiasts, globetrotters, and anyone interested in the aesthetics of handmade culture. Katharina Koppenwallner (*1966) studied art history, journalism, and folklore, and lives and works as a freelance editor in Berlin. In 2011, she founded her business “International Wardrobe,” which sells textiles, traditional costumes, and ceramics from around the world. She writes freelance articles for publications including the literary magazine Der Freund , Modedepesche , Süddeutsche Zeitung , FAZ Sonntag , and der Freitag . Since 2017, she has been writing the weekly column “Souvenirs” in the travel section of Welt am Sonntag .
Folk art is constantly changing. Traditional crafts such as handmade textiles and ceramics represent time-honored customs, yet they continually adapt to new conditions, be it political upheaval and globalization, technical advances, new fashions, or preferences. This makes craftsmanship authentic and genuine, and in our highly digitalized world, it is more desirable than ever. As an art historian, stylist, and dealer in textiles, traditional costumes, and ceramics from all over the world, Katharina Koppenwallner has been involved with this rapidly changing material culture for many years. The book traces her many travel routes, roughly following the Silk Road and the old hippie trails from Europe eastward to Southeast Asia and on to Latin America. She introduces the areas she has traveled to and their historical contexts, expertly describes dying craft techniques as well as “fakelore” trends, and tells enchanting stories about the most remote regions and their people. Richly illustrated and featuring an index and helpful tips on the best local markets, The Artisan's Guide to Crafts and Places is the ultimate travel book for anyone who is passionate about the aesthetics and quality of traditional crafts and the places where they are kept alive.