We bring you a blog post from Maria Cadenas, as her placement at Craft Scotland comes to an end.

No es un adios, es un hasta luego - it's not goodbye, it's see you soon!

It is, exactly, nine months since I sent an e-mail to Craft Scotland and this all started.  

I was looking for a cultural enterprise where I could carry out my ‘Leonardo Da Vinci’ grant. One rainy October day in Edinburgh, I noticed an e-mail from Craft Scotland, one of the organisations that I had wanted to work with!

Nervously I opened the Craft Scotland e-mail, which could have bad news or good: but this day luck was on my side. The e-mail, written by Emma Walker, the Craft Scotland Chief Executive, asked me to make an arrangement to meet, and maybe carry out my internship with them. 

We met in the gorgeous The Dome and there, after a couple of cups of tea and some shortbread, we started a beautiful friendship between Scottish craft and Spanish craft.

Today, in my final days at Craft Scotland, I have many good memories. It is impossible to write each one down, not because of the number (there were many) but due to the intensity of them. During the last six months Craft Scotland have been not only an organisation where I carried out fascinating research about Spanish craft, it has been a school and above all a home, where the Craft Scotland team have looked after me and they made me feel part of this amazing team.

Craft Scotland has allowed me to delve into a wonderful world full of history, wisdom and creativity: the world of craft. I have learnt a great lesson: the importance of Craftsmanship in every country and for every culture. My stay here has made me conscious that craft is not a trade made by hand but craft is an art, is a culture and is a different way to see the life made by a human being. 

Craft consists of numerous professions which have survived over the years to the present day. Craft has survived globalization, the predator of local culture, thanks to the craft makers who have, decade-by-decade, made sure that their profession and their way to carry it out continues. Therefore, craft should be seen as a culture and tradition keeper full of history, wisdom and creativity. 

I have to say thank you to Craft Scotland for their goodness; for their patience in understanding a Spanish person who is learning English; for their enormous interest in knowing different cultures and roots; for giving me the huge opportunity to work with them and carry out amazing research; for trusting me since the first moment even though seven months ago my English was not too good.

Without any doubt Craft Scotland has been one of the most enjoyable and exciting things that I have done during my whole stay in Edinburgh.

Maria Cadenas

Maria Cadenas worked on a placement with Craft Scotland after being awarded a Leonardo Da Vinci grant. From December 2011 to June 2012, Maria explored the differences between Scottish and Spanish craft sectors including how they are resourced, supported and promoted; the political contexts; and the potential for Craft Scotland and Scottish craft to develop opportunities in Spain.

If you would like to know more about the work that Maria undertook while at Craft Scotland, please contact Emma Walker, Chief Executive, emma@craftscotland.org