How do you visit a studio fairly?

Three of us decided our budget before we flew to the other side of the Japan to visit the studios of three textile craftspeople in advance. We phoned and made appointments and asked them for two hours of their time and we would pay for their time directly or by purchasing their work. We were going to interrupt their work day in their homes and ask questions about techniques and just generally interrupt their lives. We know well that the house gets a tidying up and our thoughts are on other things besides our work before guests arrive. We would be interrupting our hosts life for a few more hours that the ones we spend there.

How do you manage this fairly?

We brought the obligatory Japanese visiting presents of some specialty from our town. We show up on time with our heads low and voices quiet and respectful.

Our first stop at the weavers house was wonderful. We were given a brief tour of the studio and we asked plenty of questions and fought over the wonderful weavings she had at the studio. We all had tea together, laughed a little and left with a good feeling.

The next stop didn't go so smoothly. The work was not very good and our host seemed tired of receiving guests but was very very kind to us. We headed quickly for the shop area and tried to be enthusiastic about buying $500 worth of stuff we didn't want. We left yawning and cold footed into a wet directionless wind. The bottom of the stream in front of the studio seemed muddier than it had an hour earlier.

We went out for drinks that evening and debriefed on the days activities. Japanese craft masters who were producing work that was far far beneath their skill and knowledge level because they had to make a living. (?) Tourist shop stuff. It was painful to witness. Cheap cloth with bad motifs dyed with precious indigo with hundreds of years of technique development behind.....a crappy placemat.... I tried not to be negative... I was the non-Japanese and I try to keep my critical tongue in my mouth. It is hard to not sound like you are criticizing all Japanese and not just the particular craftsman. A few beer later we were shaking our heads and trying to get somewhere in a discussion about what was so wrong.

You don't know whether to cry or scream or hang your head and walk away.

The next day we visited an indigo dyer in a remote small town. We were not very enthusiastic about the whole thing. We were in for a surprise. Amano san was animated and passionate and skilled, charming and intelligent. (and drop dead handsome)

His knowledge is broad and deep and he tries new things. He was open-minded and civic-minded. He shared his knowledge and his time making humans look very good.  He was busy and although we would have liked to spend longer with him we left him to get some work done.

I've had an endless flow of visitors through my house/life to look at the silkworms and indigo and the old house itself. (I have felt like a panda in a zoo a few times. Look at how the foreigner lives.) I let visitors know in advance that I have nothing to sell from the house. Nothing. (That takes care of many problems.) I take cues from how they behave in my place. (Respectful, funny, warm and brief go a long way.)

It is tricky visiting the studios of  'makers'. I am interested to hear other's experiences and attitudes.

The indigo posers...