Art you can fuck is a slowly growing movement of artisanal sex toys: made of glass, silicone, metal, stone, and wood, these toys have been masterfully hand crafted and invite you to use them by design. These are the kinds of pieces that would be at home in a gallery or display case, among other works, and with many of them, no one would be aware of their sexy utility just looking at them.
“Please don’t touch” is commonly seen on signs and whispered by guards and curators in museums, galleries, and other places where you regularly see artwork. But maybe, you want to touch the artwork—to feel it, and to know it. Perhaps you've even found a piece of artwork to be erotic in some way—whether you, like Pygmalion, have fallen in love with a marble sculpture, or you think you simply deserve more than your run of the mill vibrator or dildo. You have cultivated tastes, and you want something that looks more at home with your mid-century modern interior design and high tech gadgets than, say, your typical rabbit vibrator.
This isn't to say all artisanal sex toys you’ll find are good quality and body safe. Quite the opposite, with the many makers on Etsy and other corners of the internet who are very good at their craft but not aware for example, of concerns with porous toys. Wooden sex toys that have a “natural” or “food safe” coating are porous, and can therefore harbor dirt, bacteria, mold, and STIs. The only truly non-porous and sterilizable wood sex toys are from NobEssences. The same can go for improperly sealed stone toys.
Another issue with some artisanal sex toys relates to design. For example, anal toys need to have a flared base of some kind so your sphincters won’t pull it into your rectum when they contract, which happens involuntarily. Many people end up in the ER for this reason—please don’t be one of them. Be wary about where you buy your toys from, and if you want to play it safe, purchase primarily from established companies or those that have been reviewed by reputable sex toy reviewers online.
But what’s it like getting down and dirty with a piece of artwork? Well, awesome. There is something special about what is generally more accurately called a sex utensil or sex tool than a sex toy; they are generally well designed, beautiful, and feel good in the hand. These artisanal sex toys have either been engineered or hand-made with extreme attention to detail.
Because of the level of mastery, beauty, and quality these products are imbued with, one often feels respect for them. You’ll find that you only want to use them when you have the time to lavish the attention on them and yourself that they deserve. These do not offer a “wham, bam, thank you ma’am” kind of experience, as many run of the mill sex toys do. Like a piece of fine art, they are appreciated hands-off and hands-on.
Like fine art or high tech, artisanal sex toys, tools or utensils are more expensive than their “regular Joe” brethren; but like their creative and technological cousins, you’re paying for something that’s been conceived to excel at its purpose, with fine materials and craftsmanship involved.
Are you an appreciator of fine art and craftsmanship? Then why buy something made of cheap plastic? You should consider any number of beautifully hand made silicone, glass, and wood toys. If you’re an appreciator of high tech, you might appreciate a luxury rechargeable vibrator or well-engineered stainless steel sex toy. In either case, you should feel comfortable displaying your new erotic art in a case—where people may or may not realize its use—and feeling free to touch the art whenever and however you’d like.
Any questions about artisanal sex toys? Leave them in the comments..
Caitlin is a writer, sex educator, consultant, and product reviewer who focuses primarily on issues of sex toy and accessory safety, pleasure, sexuality, gender, and more. You can learn more, or ask any questions, at their website- www.sex-ational.com.
© eillen1981 / Dollar Photo Club and Alx / Dollar Photo Club
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