A conversation series with modern artisans.
The Trades Show explores what it means to be a craftworker, the revival of the artisan trades, and a return to what makes us human: the ability to make with our hands.
Watch and listen to the next generation of artisans
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A return to what makes us human
In a world driven by speed, where convenience supersedes quality, where everything is getting faster –our food, our fashion, our feeds.
What if the real revolution is in slowing down?
Before the algorithm, before the assembly line, before 2-day shipping,
There was the maker.
This show is a return to slow. A return to a legacy of artistry, of honest, hands-on, hard work and heart work.
A return to what makes us human - the ability to create with our hands and our hearts, not just our heads.
Made for the craftworkers and the craft-curious
A maker seeking connection, collaboration, or stories of expansion
An aspiring artisan looking for advice, apprenticeships, or inspiration
A creative person who is curious, or feeling disconnected from their creativity
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Get to know your host
Hi there! I’m Briana Ottoboni, host and creator of The Trades Show.
A few years ago, after a local shoe cobbler revived a pair of beloved black loafers, I could not stop thinking about what happens when the current generation of shoe cobblers retire or pass on and there is no next generation of shoe cobblers to take over their craft. This same philosophy can be applied to most craftworkers – metalsmiths, stained glass artisans, neon sign makers, woodworkers, you name it. As a woman, I see even more of a gap for not just the next generation of craftworkers, but the next generation of women in artisan trades.
The Trades Show is my way of sharing the stories of what it means to be a craftworker, exploring the return to the artisan trades, and ultimately, a reconnection with what it means to be human and make things with our hands.
I have since worked alongside a shoe cobbler in Portland, Oregon and now support artisan businesses through business and creative consulting services, while working on my own art based out of San Francisco.