Looking for a way to try and free ourselves from the grips of technological stranglehold, I decided to begin a reoccurring analog media and crafts night and open it to our community in qathet Powell River. What began as a simple idea, to create a space where we all come together to put down our phones, reconnect, make art and be together, turned into a beautiful ritual of creative reset for myself, friends, and community at large. The Luddite club hosted knitting circles, we stitched a huge granny square tapestry made from dozens of collaborators, we hosted salad party potlucks, brought our knitting yarn dome to the beach to weave amongst the elements, we listened to music on cassette, cds, vinyl records, typed on the typewriter, took pictures on polaroid & film cameras, we made collage, painted and came together fully present.
The only downside…? we kept forgetting to take photos! putting our phones away, we’d often completely forget to document the moment. I’ve included just a snapshot of what we got up to, the feature photo shows our knitting circle complete with granny square collaborative tapestry on the beach in june, and a snapshot of one of our salad parties, as well as an art jam day, working away on various projects together.
The feedback from the community has been incredible. Any time I invite people to our meetings they light up “what a great idea!” We need to be encouraged to step back from the screens every once and a while, and it’s easier to do with friends. It can be an incredible opportunity to meet your neighbours, share skills, and come back to the quiet moments that we have so often forgotten in the modern age. Luddite club will continue into the fall / winter with the additions of VHS movie nights on our reclaimed from the garbage CRT tvs.
