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An enlightening day at the gallery…

January 12, 2019 by Amy L. 1 Comment

Inspired. That’s what I felt after visiting the Vancouver Art Gallery last weekend. My husband and I are members, so we’re free to pop in any time we like to check out the newest exhibition which is a great luxury. So much so that we may not even look into a new exhibit in that much detail in advance like we would otherwise, we’ll just head down instead to check it out in person. For some reason I wasn’t that excited about the WE: Vancouver exhibit. I figured, I live here already, and as much as I love it I’m not super interested in some kind of rah rah city pride type of thing. I found something very very different that encouraged me in more ways than one. (The Reclaimed Dress above is from Etsy shop, Adhesif.)

Seed Bombs from Visual Lingual

With the dawn of the internet, we’ve seen the rise of countless different types of sites – and I couldn’t help but wonder after visiting the exhibit, how this easy transmission of information might be changing our collective perspectives for the better. Now it’s altogether possible that the folks whose thoughts and work were on display came to these views without the internet’s helping hand, but there were three outlooks that I have heard expressed again and again by people online and by my own friends in the last couple of years that I can’t help but wonder if there is some kind of interplay there, and a really great one at that, that is making these types of views far more mainstream than they ever have been before.

Throughout this post, you’ll find handmade items that I feel fit the various themes of this post in one way or another!

Reclaimed Wood Vase from Peg and Awl

The first “manifesto” I came across in the gallery found it’s main focus in nature and architecture, and painted an enticing vision of individuals who find themselves deeply connected to the outside world in a sustainable way. If you’d like, read more here about Mari Fujita and Matthew Soules vision of a future where we commute by kayak and pluck tomatoes from our wallpaper, right here.

Next, a commentary on conscious consumption – reminding us to be in touch with what we eat and use in our day to day lives. Either by baking bread, or planting a fruit tree or any other number of things as Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon suggest here.

Reclaimed wood terrarium from Ecogro

Next stop – a display courtesy of Natalie Purschwitz, who for one year decided to wear only things she made herself. You can read more about her project here.

If you have a chance to read these manifestos or to peruse Natalie’s blog, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Are you inspired like me, or do you think these lofty ideas and ambitions are unrealistic or somehow unattainable?

Washington, DC, USA

October 27, 2018 by Tara Gentile 3 Comments

[hTara]

Megan Nolton, of Art Shark Designs, created this awesome print representing her hometown – but her shop also includes many prints representing other cities, including Philly, Venice, and Portland. Trained in graphic design, Megan also fancies printmaking and painting. Her “city love” prints are created using a Gocco printer and the red umbrellas are delicately added with watercolor. [Read more…]

Shades of Green – Moss

October 10, 2018 by Rebecca Hadfield 4 Comments

What is moss? Let’s start with a quick botany lesson. Lacking conventional leaves, stems and roots, moss is a simple plant belonging to the class Bryopsida. It is believed to have evolved from primitive vascular plants and is among the first green land plants to have developed during the evolutionary process. There are now over 12,000 species of moss.

Commonly found in wooded areas and at the edges of streams, mosses thrive in damp, low-light conditions. Although a few varieties of moss can survive drying out, and will return to life after being dehydrated, all mosses require constant moisture to survive. Indoors, where the air is typically dry, terrariums are perfect environments for growing moss. This lovely example by Mossopotamia is made from an upcycled glass jar. As easy to care for as it is pretty, all that it takes to keep your moss lush and green is a light misting of water and indirect light. As shop-owner Sherri says “No green thumb or horticulture degree required!”

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White Earth Studio

July 24, 2018 by Erika Jurney 1 Comment

Look who I found in the Gallery!

White Earth Studio: White Earth, a series of porcelain vessels, is a homage to my childhood in the Dakotas, its visual images and memories. It is a deep respect, a bowing down to the earth where I have experienced it.

Walking the freshly plowed fields as a child, I would find fossils, shells and arrowheads heads. I have renewed and extended my fascination with these shapes. I have discovered new connections between the prairie (once an inland sea) and the ocean. Like the prairie and the sea, my pieces display hues against large neutral backgrounds – a touch of pink or a glint of pearl – finding a prairie rose in a otherwise green meadow, or a single shell on a stretch of sand.

White Earth comes from some part of me that works unconsciously, a part that reaches down into my memories. White Earth comes from that private part of me, and I hope it will touch that part in others.

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For the Record

May 18, 2018 by Rebecca Hadfield 2 Comments

As a child of the 80s, my formative years were spent watching John Hughes movies, crimping my hair and hanging out at the record store. I had an unquenchable thirst for new music and, even with my tiny allowance, I managed to collect a couple hundred albums. Although I’m still hanging-on to a few favourites, I have since replaced most of my collection with compact discs and MP3s. And, judging by the overflowing bins of vintage records at the thrift-store, I’m not the only one. At the risk of sounding like a broken record (pun intended), when I think of the thousands and thousands of records languishing in such bargain bins, I can’t help but wonder how many thousands more went straight into the garbage.

Sharing my concern are Lorie and Tom of Rock and Roll Coasters. In their four years selling albums online, they’ve literally had to throw away hundreds of scratched and unplayable copies. Frustrated by all of the waste, they came up with a clever reuse for otherwise unusable 45s.

Each Rock and Roll Coaster is not just a nostalgic spot to rest your drink; it is a little piece of music history. Tom and Lorie take the actual record (not a copy) and, using their own perfected technique, embed it in 1/4″ of High Gloss Acrylic. They’ve even included the little yellow spindle adaptor for even more retro-cuteness. Love it!

One of the records that I have carefully tucked-away in the back of my storage room is The Go Go’s 1982 release, Vacation. I must have logged about a thousand hours in front of my dresser mirror, hairbrush in hand, singing along to “Our Lips are Sealed”. It’s no surprise, then, that I was instantly drawn to this purse by Brinda K Design. Making use of the album cover, inner sleeve and the record itself, these upcycled handbags are as durable as they are eye-catching. Hardboard backings, vinyl fabric and tubing, rivets, varnish and coordinating ribbons are all part of the construction of each unique piece, and evidence of Brinda’s impeccable attention to detail.

Another spin on album upcycling is this awesome tray, also by Brinda K Design. Made from an unplayable album and its cover, with leather-like riveted tabs at the corners, this catch all will make itself useful in the bedroom, hall or office. At just over 7” square, it is the perfect size to hold keys, personal electronics, stationary, jewelry, change, mail and more.

Finally, do you have an earring collection worthy of Cyndi Lauper herself? Here’s the perfect storage solution for “green” girls (that just wanna have fun):

Karen, of Retired Records creates her way-cool earring stands (above) from unwanted records and makes sure to include plenty of spots to attach your treasures. Each one-of-a-kind table-top display will hold up to 52 pairs of earrings or can be used to show off photos, artwork and more. Turn it around and you’ll see the support that Karen has smartly fashioned out of the album’s sleeve. Conveniently hinged, it holds the record upright when in use and allows it to fold flat for storage or travel. (Just in case you decide to get the band back together and head back out on tour.)