Schnuppe von Gwinner specialises in European living culture through the prism of art, craft and design. Schnuppe is an art historian, author, curator and blogger. She has been involved in the creative communication and marketing of European arts and crafts since 2000, and since 2004 via the agency she runs called craft2eu. As project manager and consultant, she has been invited to serve on juries and committees of creative projects with a broad geographical and craft remit. She works across Europe for organisations and institutions supporting creative craftspeople with innovative qualifications and new economic opportunities. As an author, Schnuppe writes portrait features on selected designers and creatives for magazines, books and expert publications, as well as essays for catalogues and press. Ever since 2005, she writes a daily post on the craft2eu blog which centres on the promotion and challenges of European craft and design culture. Schnuppe is also the author of the blog for the GRASSI Museum of Applied Arts Leipzig.
- What does craftsmanship mean to you?
- The enchanting symbiosis of perfect craftsmanship and ingenious creativity. It reveals the intention of its creator, who captures the echo of the zeitgeist and points beyond it. With a joyful gesture, experimenting and inventing new creations, exhausting all options.
- How does it feature in your work and life?
- My special attention and sensitivity to design, materials and craftsmanship has been with me for as long as I can remember. It connects me with truly remarkable people and their values. For decades, I have been campaigning for the recognition and appreciation of their work and their holistic creative achievements.
- Do you work with craftspeople and how?
- I give craft artists publicity, transform their concerns, creative enthusiasm and expertise into stories, articles, essays, images, films and marketing strategies. I curate exhibitions, become their advocate in juries and competitions. I accompany them and take an keen interest in their development.
- How would you define excellence?
- Excellence is evident when the intention and creative hand of a maker are present, touching our senses, as a feast for the eye and the touch. Excellence will trigger an impulse for a discourse on beauty, appropriateness and the changing times.
