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I just wanted to say hi, and tell you that I haven’t forgotten about you, dear readers. I have composed a handful of posts in the last few weeks that haven’t worked out because the images or videos I was trying to link or post haven’t materialized. I am beginning to think it isn’t operator error, but instead some bug with wordpress… I’m going to look into it and hopefully be back soon with lots of pretty things for you to look at. I miss you!
There are some new prints in my shop from a few recent watercolor silhouettes that I may or may not have painted in the middle of the night when I couldn’t sleep. Enjoy! (sorry, frames not included, though I’d be willing to make a deal…)
p.s. I also just created a page today for Laurie Coyle Designs on Facebook. I’m not sure you can see the link if you’re not a member of facebook, but here it is. It’s hard to ask people to do this, but would you be my fan? (um, and also, what are you doing not being on facebook? seriously, get with the times already! — but DON’t post anything you don’t want them to own. Tricksy facebook.)
oh, also, if you’d like to do yourself a favor today, please get yourself a copy of Robbie Schaefer’s album “Strange and Lovely World.” Do it now!
I’m part of the newest Poppytalk Handmade marketplace, “Affordable Art”! Looking for some artwork but you can’t even fathom paying gallery prices? There is some Ah-mazing work over there, just right for your ol’ walls. Some of my favorite artists this month include The Cellophanes, Matte Stephens, Walking to Jericho and Sharon Montrose (her work below).
Did I mention that I think Art makes a wonderful gift? Well, yeah, I do.
(re-blogged from The Poppytalk Handmade Artists Blog, here)
I had the wonderful pleasure of attending the New York premiere of the new documentary film by Faythe Levine and Micaela O’Herlihy “Handmade Nation” last night at the Museum of Art and Design.
What a wonderful museum, and a fantastic film! I had been completely excited to watch this film in a room full of super talented artist and crafters, and the energy didn’t disappoint. Many of the artists featured in the film were in attendance, as well as other great makers that I spied in the audience from Etsy and blogland. The space was actually quite small, probably holding only 130 people in the sold-out crowd, so it had the feeling of an intimate event. We were all able to look around at the other makers, just as excited as we were to be there. It would have been so great if there were a little reception afterward, because I would have loved the chance to meet more of the talented makers in the room. I did manage to meet Kate Bingaman-Burt, the illustrator of the book Handmade Nation, which was very exciting for this illustration nerd and hand-lettered-type geek. She was giving out copies of her Obsessive Consumption zine, which we were lucky enough to snag. Thanks, Kate!
I don’t want to spoil the movie for you, because you’ll have to see it for yourself when it’s released near you; there’s a list of screening dates on their blog. There was a great panel discussion after the screening with Faythe, Kate, Mandy Greer and Callie Janoff, which was streamed live in the Etsy virtual labs. They shared some insight into their processes and thoughts about the film, as well as a short but interesting discussion about where the D.I.Y. movement is going. A few audience members voiced concern about the cost of crafting, and Mandy and Kate reminded us that we can all create with the objects often cast off by our modern culture, for instance by spinning thrift-store clothing into new, usable fiber. There was a huge exhibit in the museum entitled Second Lives, which really brought this point home; all of the beautiful work in this exhibit was comprised of ordinary and everyday manufactured articles, most originally made for another functional purpose. The questions regarding the fate of crafting and D.I.Y. (people are afraid it’s over or going bad places after being co-opted by mass marketers and retailers) was met with enthusiastic comments reminding us that humans have always and will always create, and the movement is really just gaining steam in the mainstream.
What do you think the fate of D.I.Y. and crafting might be? It’s hard for some people to imagine the future and not think we’ve come as far as we will, but I think there are infinite possibilities for expansion and evolution of the movement, of technology and for trends and techniques. I’d like to see everyone buying their holiday and birthday gifts from crafters in their hometowns, if not making them themselves.
My “Good Time” print is in a lovely little Etsy treasury tonight by moondogfarm (who sells the most sweet little felted hearts); go on over and check it out!
The top five things I’m happy about right now:
1. The sun is out, and it is 39 degrees instead of the customary 6 or 7.
2. Little birds (goldfinches, chickadees, nuthatches and pine siskins) playing at the feeder right outside my window.
3. Tickets and plans to go see the NY premiere or Handmade Nation next week at the Museum of Art and Design!!!
4. Feeling a tiny bit better each morning; finally the end of this death-cold is in sight.
5. My friends’ lists of 25 random facts/goals appearing lately on Facebook — so interesting!
What’s bringing you joy today? Keep the joy ball rolling and tell us!
Hi. Been missing you, but I’ve been so sick for over a week with a really disgusting cold/flu thing. I had been so lucky so far this winter to have stayed healthy, but it all caught up with me. I also spent a few crazy busy days at my parents’ house helping out my gramma who ended up moving in there (did I mention that?) and hanging out with my Aunt Theresa who came to help me, while my mom had knee replacement surgery. So I haven’t had a lot of time to do things like write blog posts. Or sleep. PLUS this site has been giving me lots of problems letting me post photos, but that’s probably better because you didn’t need any sick, tired, delusional posts, did you? (in addition to this one, I mean.)
So I’ll be back soon… hopefully in good health.
