“People say to me often enough: if you want to make your art succeed and flourish, you must make it the fashion: a phrase which I confess annoys me; for they mean by it that I should spend one day over my work to two days in trying to convince rich, and supposed influential people, that they care very much for what they really do not care in the least, so that it may happen according to the proverb: Bell-wether took the leap, and we all went over …”
“You whose hands make those things that should be works of art, you must be all artists, and good artists too, before the public at large can take real interest in such things; and when you have become so, I promise you that you shall lead the fashion; fashion shall follow your hands obediently enough.”
— William Morris, “The Lesser Arts.”
Wish I could put some Simpich artwork here. It seems to fit what you are saying. “You whose hands make those things that should be works of art, you must be all artists, and good artists too, before the public at large can take real interest in such things; and when you have become so, I promise you that you shall lead the fashion; fashion shall follow your hands obediently enough.” I am enjoying these days. Seeing someone list a Simpich Snowball Doll on auction for 99 cents and seeing people quickly valuing it over $50.00. It probably cost $100 to make it and was sold for less than it cost to make it in the first place. Maybe someday they will be valued for all that went into them. Maybe in the meanwhile they will help someone see the light of life who is Christ. They were always made to help people see the love of Christ especially in his birth.
Yes! Yes! The Simpiches represent perfectly what Morris had in mind. Excellent work done purely for the pleasure of doing excellent work rather than mere financial gain.