Making vs. Buying

There have been several incidents recently in which my friends have suggested I make something rather than purchase it. A silver ring, a couple of prints, a necklace. Yes, I could make all of these things. But that isn't really what it's about. Purchasing something that somebody considers to be their artwork is not about acknowledging their ability to master a skill you couldn't also learn. It is about supporting the art community as a whole. If you were to one day create something and seek to share it with others by selling it, supporting yourself doing something you love, I guarantee your customers would have a friend standing behind them suggesting they make it themselves. And you, as the artist would want to scream and pull your hair out. Because it's not about the raw materials or the labor behind them. It's about expression. And you want your expression to be noticed, acknowledged, and supported.