Rufus Tureen
DCL
If you‚re the kind of person who looks at an old magazines and sees, well, an old magazine, then you're the kind of person Maura Madden is trying to reach. During her monthly crafting sessions, or “ Crafternoons,” in New York City, Madden shows DIY pros and wannabes like how to make things like knotted necklaces from the string in the junk drawer to paper trinkets from old copies of Vanity Fair. Now with her book, Crafternoons, which includes step-by-step instructions for more than a dozen projects, Madden show how with a little creativity—and a lot of inspiration—you can turn out everything from quilted earrings to handmade dolls. (Hint: Want to skip the crowded malls this holiday season? These items make terrific holiday gifts!)
How did you get into this line of work?
I started hosting Crafternoons as a low-budget, highly imaginative way of getting my family and friends together. I wrote Crafternoon: A Guide to Getting Artsy and Crafty with Your Friends All Year Long in the hopes of inspiring other people to start hosting their own afternoons of craft. Crafternoons are more than just get-togethers—they are a way of reminding people of the importance of nurturing our creativity and our relationships. Crafternoon is not my full time job yet, but will be someday soon I hope!
What was your “a-ha” moment?
The very first Crafternoon, when I saw everyone so completely engaged in their craft projects and their friends. I felt the positive energy radiating from the group and thought, “Man, why don't I craft with my friends more often?” And I knew right then that I wanted to do this on a regular basis.
Who is your green hero?
I really admire all of the small farmers growing diverse, organic crops to feed our communities. Specifically, my dear friend from college, who is the co-owner of a small farm in upstate New York. She is completely devoted to using the most eco–friendly techniques and is constantly looking for new ways to be greener. It is a very demanding lifestyle, but one that more and more people are embracing because they care about what goes into the foods we eat.
What is your ultimate green goal?
Someday I hope to live in an [url='http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/tour-a-sustainable-house-online.html']energy-efficient house[\url] with a vegetable garden where I can grow most of my own food. Until that day, I'll continue to be a member of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program where I know the farmers, like the one my friend runs upstate.
What is your motivation?
I want to make the world a craftier and more imaginative place. I want to reintroduce people to the joys of artistic expression in a group setting. And I want to remind people that crafting and being creative are not about being perfect. There is a Japanese aesthetic called wabi–sabi that celebrates the beauty in imperfection. Crafternoon is all about that—imperfection and individual expression.
What is most important to you, ecologically speaking?
Waste in all forms makes me crazy. I‚m a hoarder, which has its downsides, but there are clothes from high school that I still wear and clothes that my mom wore in high school that I still wear, too. I really love wearing vintage because it makes fashion more interesting, but also because it‚s an active form of recycling. Reusing as much as possible is my primary goal, and, with Crafternoon, I do that by saving scraps of paper, fabrics, popsicle sticks, and old magazines—anything I can think of to use in my craft projects.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
It can be quite difficult to convince some people that everyone has the potential to be creative and crafty. You‚d be surprised to hear how many people tell me they are not creative, and it makes me sad to hear that. We are all creative beings; we just have to nurture that side of ourselves in order for it to come out.
What is the most rewarding?
Convincing a self–described “uncreative” person to make something crafty—that‚s incredibly rewarding. Just being in the Crafternoon environment, watching people make cool things and new friends is really inspiring.
Of the people you have worked with, who impresses you most?
My mom is the most impressive lady. She is always crafting something for somebody, and she never tires of making homemade things, no matter how meticulous and time–consuming they may be. She keeps herself inspired by going to see art exhibits and performances all the time and never shies away from a craft challenge. She's also always encouraging people to be creative—and she makes some [url='http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/emeril-fudgy-brownies.html']delicious brownies[\url].
What green thing do you do everyday?
I take public transportation. It‚s the fastest, easiest way to get around [url='http://planetgreen.discovery.com/travel-outdoors/newyork-city-guide.html']New York City[\url] and it's the best thing for the planet.
What do you wish you could do?
I wish I could inspire people everywhere to take time out of their busy schedules to gather their loved ones together for Crafternoons. They do good things for your soul.
What is your biggest eco-sin?
Take-out. It‚s terrible. Every time I get take-out, I'm shocked by how much wasteful packaging it takes to get the food to my front the door. Of course, I try to tell the folks I don‚t need utensils, and I recycle or re-use everything that gets delivered; I use plastic spoons as paint mixers, chopsticks to unclog glue bottles, and napkins to make recycled paper. But still, it's better to cook at home or eat in at a restaurant. That way there's nothing disposable involved.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
I‚d get people to focus more of their energy on being creative and nurturing their relationships. Nothing else matters as much as that.
What is your best green advice?
Make things yourself, whether it‚s dinner or a birthday present, tomatoes from your own vegetable garden or a tote bag to carry your groceries home. The more energy we expend creating, the less we expend consuming. And that makes for a greener planet.
Change Makers is series of interviews with people famous and obscure who are creating a more sustainable world through their work. Meet more Change Makers here.
