“Craftivism is important because it is a way to get people together and it is accessible to a lot of people,” said Amrut Mishra, a visiting research faculty in the Department of Women and Gender Studies. “It helps us have a connection to political action and a means to create the kind of world that we want to live in.”

Statistics and resources about gender-based violence shared during the workshop helped to raise awareness.

Bryce Leeson, first-year graduate student in fine arts, said the workshop taught him more about how to effectively describe craftivism and how to differentiate between craft and art.

“Artist books have an element of art and craft,” said Petra Clark, UD’s instruction librarian for Special Collections. “They are mediums used to teach and advocate for a cause from the artist’s perspective.”

Kaitlyn Tanis, UD’s history and social sciences librarian, spoke about Chilean arpilleras, which are hand-stitched, three-dimensional patchwork tapestries frequently depicting fire to symbolize destruction, political violence and resistance. Carly Gaynor, senior majoring in neuroscience and minoring in women and gender studies, said she saw them in Chile while studying abroad. 

“Some people are introverts who feel strongly about things, and may not be at all of the protests, but do want to engage in other ways with topics and issues that matter to them,” said Alison Wessel, UD’s social sciences librarian in the Research and Engagement Department and one of the workshop organizers. “Our goal for this workshop was to create a space for people to use their hands and lend their voice to the topic of gender-based violence, or any issues that are impacting them right now.”