artists

crafting as an institution.

when i knew i would be moving to vancouver, one of the first things i did was seek out crafting shows and sales that i could be part of. since part of my move was to allow myself more time to make jewelry, and focus on running my business, i figured i better be proactive, and seek out opportunities for just that.
this is how i came upon 'got craft'. since i found that the deadline had passed to apply for the show, i figured that helping out for the weekend would be the next best thing. get to hang with some like minded people, check out the vendors, and people who i would (hopefully) be seeing time and time again throughout the sale circuit.
i got in touch with andrea and robert, and they quickly fit me into the volunteer schedule. and i was all set.
the weekend was nearly derailed when the location became unexpectedly unavailable approximately a week and a half prior to the weekend of the sale. as a testament to the strength of the community the sale was held in, people rallied to provide a new location - templeton secondary school.
while i spent a large portion of the weekend hanging out at the previous location, redirecting those who had not received notification of the new locale, i was able to head over to the school on saturday afternoon to do some ticket selling duty, and get a chance to check out the event... as well as some artists i had been looking forward to.
the space was filled with incredible pieces, and a great mass of people in support of each of the artists. there's a common theme of people who support local artists, and when you gather a room full of them, along with the artists who are so talented in each of their spaces, you create this incredible experience.... it's tough to not really enjoy these types of moments.
a few of my faves from the sale?
i was able to meet sarah from camp + quarry - someone whose jewelry and blog i've loved forever. she had her table set up perfectly suited to her style - rustic, earthy, with some new goodies that were highlighted at the show first. her pieces are stunning.... i promise you won't be disappointed, as her pieces are even better in person.
a few of my other favourites, that i was able to see for the first time at the show. robbie vergara, who does amazing screenprinted pieces - that you have to see on his etsy (or in person at the next show!). king raven. wolfcow. deerman. bull headed matador. everything is pure perfection.
forest & waves - who first drew me in, with a hand illustrated map of toronto (bestill my homesick heart). it stopped me long enough to chat with edward, who grew up in north york - and we chatted briefly about toronto, and his work. simply lovely.
jen ellis designs, who was completely new to me this show, and i fell in love. in particular, with her teeny tiny ring collection... and it was clear i wasn't the only one. while gawking drooling looking at jen's stuff, i overheard her speaking with a customer, and i was totally impressed with her willingness to meet the woman where she needed to be... definitely not something she needed to do, but certainly impressed me as an eavesdropping potential customer. (sorry jen for listening!)
cabin + cub - who was lovely enough to donate some pins for all of the volunteers... and has some dynamite wooden pieces. foe and dear, who makes stunningly simple and beautiful jewelry. and meiku designs, who uses beautiful intricate weaving, and inspired by yoga signature pieces to pull together the jewelry line.
it was a great weekend - the next got craft? is coming sometime this winter - keep in touch with them via their website here. maybe i'll see you as a vendor at the next market!
(all photos are mine, except where noted)

art is best served free

in rereading some older posts, i re-stumbled onto these golden beauties.... jen wallace, in an attempt to mitigate mid recession blues, began a project called feed your soul. and it's free art. no gimmicks, no sign ups, nothing sleazy going on behind the scenes. legitimately free art. she invited artists to contribute, and artist sent in art, that people could then download for free. seriously. i know. 

 as jen says, "I love art and I know you do too. I also know that when people start to tighten up the purse strings they tend not spend money on things that aren’t necessary for survival, things like books, magazines and art. But, art is important for your soul. It helps rejuvenate, it’s thought-provoking, offers inspiration and can generally brighten an otherwise dreary day among other things."


this is an older project now, but all the art is still there for the downloading. it seems to me that artists are no longer uploading art.... but nevertheless, it's all there for you.
i simply love this concept. art as it should be. art for all. art should not be a thing that is inaccessible... it should be the opposite. thank you jen wallace, for thinking this as well, and making art something that all of us (with the internet) can have.

mountain passes

on our travels, i was lucky enough to be invited to stay with my amazing and lovely cousin lara for the night. we enjoyed amazing food (the first time since my aunt's in the sault and my cousin's in thunder bar, that i didn't have carbs galore - and yes, my stomach hated me for it), playtime with her daughter, and a bonus visit with my uncle al, who was visiting - and gave us a pleasant surprise when he opened the door.
lara, in addition to being one of my amazingly wonderful cousins (maybe i'm biased, but my cousins are the best in the world), lara is an incredibly talented photographer. so, in addition to having time to spend with her, we were also able to get out into the mountains the next morning, and take some photos. lara is spectacular. i can't say that enough - i've worked with a TON of photographers throughout my life, and lara's direction is fabulous. what she looks for is subtle and strong.

and. i have to say. i'm perhaps one of the most awkward people alive. anyone who knows me will attest to that. there's something to be said for a photographer who embraces, and loves human expression, and movement. and listen - when you're in the mountains, and snow is blowing into your eyes, and it's freezing cold, and you can't help but squint in the sun (MAN. life is tough. photoshoots in the mountains. sigh). she digs it. she embraces it. she makes it something wonderful. 


lara does everything. she shoots families and weddings. she shoots mountains and camping. she is also a fantastic artist, who paints like a crazy woman. i'm lucky enough to have one that was painted just for me (which did indeed make the trip across the country in the truck). i insist you check out more of lara's work here. and, her facebook page, where she regularly updates photos from recent shoots.
i have access to some of the best photographers i've ever seen. friends and family. how does a girl get SO lucky??

love notes - for the hated

i love lauren nicole hom's work. all of it. so you can imagine how much i adore her series (that was actually a class project) 'broken hearts'. hey! sometimes love sucks! and sometimes it's a great thing when you break up with someone, but then that person keeps your favourite book and you never get it back, and you have to pay all the money for a new hardcover version - and that sucks worse than the breakup itself!
so hey. here are greeting cards for when these things happen. (finally).
(please excuse the expletives. emotions are raw, people!)
oh breakups. nothing better.