Saturday, January 31, 2009

Oh Germany!

I've traveled near and far and this is the first time jet-lag has kicked my ass so hard! But more importantly the first screening of the feature length version of Handmade Nation was a huge success!
Handmade Nation in Germany!
I didn't get one in-focus photo of people watching the film because I was so nervous I was all shaky! Look, there is Tracy Bull of Happy Owl Glass on the screen in Germany!

In case you haven't been keeping up on my insane travels or the status of the film I'll catch you up oh-so-quick.

Crafting & listening to programing
People worked on projects and drank while they listened to the programing.

The all female artist collective Chicks On Speed hosted the event Viva La Craft which is a part of their ongoing series called Girl Monster. The programing for this event in Hamburg held at Kampnagel included the world premiere of Handmade Nation, a dye workshop with Kathi Glas, a lecture from the lovely ladies from Tatty Devine from the UK and a performance from the Paris based band Koko Von Napoo.

Viva La Craft

Nadine & Mo at Viva La Craft

Koko Von Napoo

It was so exciting to see the film in it's final form projected on to a big screen. Of course it was a bit strange to be screening it to a German speaking audience, but everyone in here seems to speak a lot of English. There was definitely some stuff lost in translation. There were some full time English speakers in attendance who gave me great feedback too which was awesome! Now I just can't wait for the premiere in Milwaukee this Thursday and NYC the next week!!

Today I also had the opportunity to speak with Dirk a freelance reporter from Deutschlandradio Kultur, what seems to be the equivalent to NPR in the states, who is doing a segment on craft and handmade. Dirk was a super nice guy who had some really fantastic questions for me. I can't wait to hear the results (which I'm assuming will be half in German half in English since my interview was in English). It is really interesting to speak with people outside of the United States about what is going on with this handmade revolution and their perspective on it. Also, everyone is really amped on our new president by the way!

A BIG thank you to Chicks On Speed for this opportunity and all the work they do around the world by bringing talented women together to share their work!

Kampnagel

DSC_7764.JPG
Here I am backstage with all the German snacks they left out for us! The rest of the photos can be found HERE and some others are on including a lot of street art and whatnot are on my personal flickr site HERE.



Wednesday, January 28, 2009

I'm in Germany! Street flyers for the "Viva La Craft" programing Handmade Nation is a part of tomorrow!

girl monster flyer

Tuesday, January 27, 2009


Germany bound!

Super tired in the airport waiting for my first of 3 flights to Hamburg where I will be screening the feature length cut of Handmade Nation!! Cris (the editor) and I watched a final cut this morning before she dropped me off at the airport (I was just here less than 12 hours ago!) It looks so good and we are so excited to begin to screen the final version......

In Germany Handmade Nation will be a part of programing at "Viva La Craft" on Thursday at the Kampnagel Theatre.

The programing on Thursday is as following:
9:00pm introduction+workshop
9:20 artist talk faythe+alex
9:30 screening "handmade nation" by faythe levine
10:50 lecture rosie wolfenden of TATTY DEVINE
11:30 koko von napoo, Paris France
then dj-set from melissa, alex+nadine of Chicks on Speed

Next post from Hamburg!
Back from the 68th Annual Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) trade show in Anaheim, CA. I was there to help introduce "indie" to the larger craft market. I've never been to an industry show on that scale and it was very overwhelming and quite the experience.

Anaheim convention center
The looming convention center

Cathy of California & Christine Haynes
Thank goodness there were familiar faces: Cathy of California & Christine Haynes

Indie-Craft Welcome Event
The event I was a speaker at.

Sooooooo this happened:
Paris Hilton at CHA
Paris Hilton introducing her new line of scrapbooking goods. Wow.

IMG_8896.JPG
And much more importantly Christine Haynes got to see her new book Chic & Simple Sewing for the very first time in print. It looks amazing!!!

Jenny Ryan and a copy of her new book!!! Sew Darn Cute
And Jenny Ryan producer of Felt Club also got to see her book Sew Darn Cute for the first time in print!!

Congrats ladies!
View the rest of the show pictures HERE.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

UPDATE: Featured Handmade Nation artist Mandy Greer has an opening at the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland.

WATCH this beautiful clip of the installation courtesy of Ian Lucero

January 22 – May 31, 2009

/description from museum website/
Translated from Italian, “dare alla luce” is an idiomatic expression for giving birth: “to give to the light.” Drawing upon late Renaissance artist Jacopo Tintoretto’s painting The Origin of the Milky Way for inspiration, Greer recounts her own version of the Roman myth in which the milk of Juno’s breast rose to the sky to create the galaxy. Through countless small gestures of her craft, Greer employs humble handicraft processes and materials, executing her work through crochet, braiding, sewing and beading processes that use yarn, beads, shells, feathers and more. Merging the mythical and the mundane, Greer collapses the language and materials of the ordinary with the spectacular and the epic. The resulting work intertwines objects and space, resulting in an exuberant, sensual and visceral installation.

Organized and commissioned by Bellevue Arts Museum and curated by Stefano Catalani, Mandy Greer: Dare alla Luce is accompanied by an exhibition catalogue produced by Bellevue Arts Museum. The catalog will be available for purchase in The Gallery January 2009.

Museum of Contemporary Craft
724 Northwest Davis Street
tel 503.223.2654

Hours | Tuesday–Sunday 11 AM to 6 PM, Thursday 11 AM to 8 PM

more info: museumofcontemporarycraft.org/exhibitions/index.php?f=2009_01_greer

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Monday, January 19, 2009

Some recent press....

screenshot: The Little Red Suitecase interview

I did an interview with Patty on her blog The Little Red Suitecase

screenshot: Paste

Kate passed link this along to me




Thursday, January 15, 2009

This is the 200th post, I suppose that is some sort of milestone or something.....

Back from the West coast to below zero weather here in Milwaukee. It is BRUTAL. But I will say that it stayed light out all the way until 5pm today and that is a good sign!

I had a fantastic time in Seattle, Olympia and Portland and got to see so many old friends both crafty and from my pre-Handmade Nation life (Seattle is my hometown!). I am home for a week then it's off to Anaheim, CA for the Craft and Hobby Association trade show and then to Hamburg, Germany for a screening of Handmade Nation!


I posted a ton of photos from my trip but here are a few quick highlights:

The Anne Bonny
Spencer Moody owner of The Anne Bonny
Seattle: The Anne Bonney where my reading/screening was last week.

Sarah Utter in her studio
New work by Sarah Utter in her studio
Olympia: Artist Sarah Utter was my hostess in Oly and took me to her studio, Room 30 (below) where I got a new dress, a pizza spot for a terrific slice AND to her DJ night at Quality Burrito where you can get liquor mixed with home made Kombucha. I also squeezed in a signing at Orca Books that was great!

More Olympia....
Jenny Rose owner of Room 30 in Olympia, WA
Room 30 in Olympia, WA
Top: Jenny Rose the lovely owner of Room 30 a fantastic little boutique to check out if you are in the hood.

Portland!
Kate Bingaman-Burt doing a Gocco demo at Powell's
Namita Wiggers curator at the Contemporary Craft Museum introducting me at Powell's
Portland: My book signing event at Powell's pretty much ruled. Susan Beal and Kate Bingaman-Burt did a gocco demo printing save the date cards for my screening in April. And Namita Wiggers, the curator from the Portland Contemporary Craft Museum, gave the most eloquent introduction to my talk. I had a fantastic time and could not believe that over 50+ people came (thanks to those of you who sat on the floor!)

More soon.......

Friday, January 09, 2009

Today in the Seattle P.I. cover of the Arts section, article HERE.
screenshot: Seattle P.I.

Yesterday Jan over at one of my all time favorite blogs posted tour info HERE.
screenshot: Poppytalk Blog

See you at the Anne Bonny tonight at 5:30

Thursday, January 08, 2009

WEST COAST!
Please come say hello to me at the following events this week!

I had to cancel my Vancouver, WA event today because of the insane RAIN. I am hoping I will not have to cancel any other events but if I do I will post the cancellation here as soon as I find out.
Washout


January 9th 5:30pm: Anne Bonny 1355 East Olive Way, Seattle WA

January 10th 7:00pm: Orca Books 509 E. 4th Ave, Olympia WA

January 11th 7:30pm: Powell’s Burnside store, 1005 W Burnside, Portland OR

January 13th 7:00pm: Barnes & Noble, 626 106th Ave NE, Bellevue WA