Craft Boston...dragons, stories and eyes oh my!

 A quick post as I get ready to set up for CraftBoston this weekend: www.craftboston.org

I've been busy since ACC Baltimore.  The storyteller above is
honoring the year of the Dragon , sporting a cape which came
from the land of dragons. The bright hand woven fabric was
gifted me by friends who enjoy traveling in the Far East. 
I'm still working on a name for the new figure. It comes with
three masks and lots of story shards in the leather trunk. Here
is tale teller donning the dragon mask. with a mini dragon
book looking on.  Name suggestions anyone?


I've also been refining my "eye" designs for e-readers,I-pads,
and smart phones.

I still have envelope type pouches, but have additionally
designed covers for I-pads and e-readers which are more
book-like than pouches.  E-reader covers come in two sizes
 to be able to accommodate the range of readers out there.


Re phones: To help solve the problem when you want
to bring along your phone, but your pants don't have
pockets,  I've made some small leather pouches with straps,\
the perfect size to slip any smart phone in or out.
(Of course they also would be good for other "eye-catching"
uses.)


For those who prefer a little color, I've incorporated
the bright colored eyes from Kelly Kotulak and added
a bit of paint!
 

If you're in the Boston area, please drop by over at the
Seaport World Trade center this weekend. I'll be in
 booth #347 - Hours:
Friday 10-6, Sat. 10-6 and Sunday 11-5

Attending Craft Boston is always  inspiring. I'll
see whom I can find there to share in a future blog.
In an effort to try something new, Sunday has been
designated steampunk day.   Anyone who shows up
wearing a steampunk outfit will get $5.00 off admission!

Adventure on...and over!  Wendy

Fun, form, and inspiration at ACC Baltimore - Evan Chambers, Bernard Katz and David Bacharach

 
The ACC show in Baltimore was as spectacular as usual.  Sales and
attendance seemed to reflect a bit more optimism and improvement
in the economy...nice for all of us.  Some of my major pieces found
their new homes - Wudaineon the dragon is off to Houston Texas
along with Spike the Pupbeast and my avian couple,  Beadle and
Esatair are on their way to Florida...good homes for all.

But, as I have said before, it isn't just sales that inspire me to do
these shows.  It's being surrounded by amazing artistic energy
and discovering new (to me at least) artists. The desk lamp
pictured above is by Evan Chambers http://evanchambersobjects.com/
one of the "new" glass artists  at Baltimore this year.   I sure
would LOVE to have one his lamps on my desk!!! Little aliens
with hawk feet...what more could I ask!  Here are a
few more that were in his booth..but check out his website
to see all his awesome creatures as well as his beautiful more
classic vessels.
 

What amazes at a show like ACC Baltimore is the incredible
variety of excellent work even in the same media.The booth
mine faced this year was  also glass, but with a very different
focus. I had the treat of savoring the gorgeous sculptural forms
of Bernard Katz: http://bernardkatz.com/ and the pleasure of
getting to know him and his family better and to brainstorm on
electronics his side passion:

Bernards forms flow and interact  beautifully. It is easy to picture
them in an elegant settings - both in homes and in more public spaces.

The thing I'm always looking out for is craftspeople I know well
who are  pushing the limits, experimenting  and surprising me. David
Bacharach did that for me this year: bacharachmetals.com/studio
I've known David for many, many years, but always love to check out
his booth. How could I resist a booth with such an avian focus:

David said he'd had the birds before, but they never have taken over
the booth as they did this year.

I enjoy the interstitial dance David's woven metal wall tapestries
and sculptural basketry provide.  He is one of those long time
exhibitors unafraid to surprise and change inspiring me  to venture
on boldly!

My eye items were very well received. Thanks to feedback
I've come up with additional designs which I will offer at
shows at Craft Boston http://www.societyofcrafts.org/cbspring/springinfo.asp
and CraftNewYork:http://www.artrider.com/CNY12.html
in March.  Stay tuned!

Adventure on!   Wendy

All eyes on ACC Baltimore - collaborations and more

 
ACC Baltimore is this coming week: www.craftcouncil.org/baltimore.
I'll be there for both Wholesale on Wed/Thurs Feb. 22-23 and
retail Friday-Sun. Feb. 24-26 in booth #1200........with LOTS of
new items - sculptures and functional leather items - some the
results of collaborations.

The photo above is one example - A collaborative project with
Regina and Dan St. John of Chena River Marblers: www.chenarivermarblers.com   
At the Paradise City Arts Festival last fall, Dan showed me
some papers they were creating which looked like eyes...and
the wheels began to churn.  The end result: custom journals of
graph paper which they cover and include their eye endpapers.
I, in turn, have created leather covers for the journals.  Here's
a second view of the end product:




Most of my journals will still be blank pages, but for those
graphic designers who prefer graphing paper, we are ready
for them!

 In addition, I'll have new custom eyes for  items thanks
to collaborating with Kelly Kotulak:www.kmkotulak.com  
whom I met last year at Arisia.   This year at Arisia we
firmed up ideas.  Kelly agreed to make some custom
colored eyes for my work.  (Check out her jewelry
and other work on her website!)  The eyes (much
more magical in person than in these photos) arrived
just in time to incorporate into some items for the
ACC show. Newly  designed  cases  for  smart phones
and cases for e-readers and some journals will have them.
Creatures will get them for the next show. 
Here are a couple examples of the new items:  

I've discovered e-readers come in lots of sizes. The
one pictured above fits a kindle touch. 

This is an image of the phone cases with more traditional
eyes. I like both, but  it's fun to have choices.

And...finally, as you might have expected,  I've created cases for
I-pads... I was convinced at Arisia, it was really just too logical
not to  make some custom ones.  Here is the sample I have come
up with to show at Baltimore: 

 
Time to pack up....Please if you can...drop by booth #1200 in Baltimore!!!

Adventure on!    Wendy

New creatures for ACC Baltimore

 A new season of shows - a new group of creatures.  Once again I'll
be heading to The American Craft Council Show in Baltimore www.craftcouncil.org/baltimore
Wholesale dates 22/23, retail 24-26.  I'll be in booth #1200.
The new web footed avian above has shown up  for the event.
He's been waiting patiently to be finished. Here are a couple
"before" photos which show armature and the one stone in the belly: 



 

I was pleased the way the rawhide wings and webbed feet
turned out.  I'll get a professional photo at the show to share.
Still looking for a name.  Any ideas anyone?  He/she is about
29" tall, 48"+ foot wingspread.

And speaking of stones.  I returned from our Italian adventure

with stones picked up as we wandered the medieval hill towns

and looked at all the dragon images.  So...no surprise that a

couple new dragons emerged incorporating some of the stone

story shards:

The stones on his back remind me of the stony streets we climbed.
Name here -Lucciano? perhaps? Rawhide wings are moveable.
Size: 12" tall, 24" long, 24" wingspread.

 And finally a smaller one more with stone snout and stone
inside his back. Also moveable wings - about 18' wingspread.
Name?  Leapfore?

I've  been working on new designs incorporating eyes....some
work is collaborative....look for that in my next post!
Back to my studio....

Hope to see some of you in Baltimore!!

Adventure on!  Wendy

Arisia 2012 - Dragon books, eyes and costumes

 

   I finished a new copy of my Dragon Names book this year
to present at Arisia 2012 in Boston last weekend: 2012.arisia.org
Newly dubbed the "Great Book of Dragon Names" this new
edition contains 410 and counting names....for all you dragons
out there looking to name your young'un or for other wanderers
wishing to make sure their favorite dragon is honored in such
a book. (Actually...thanks to folks at Arisia...there will be
more names added before ACC Baltimore in February. I'm
still looking for more that begin with J, Q, and X.

Of course, dragon books, as I learned needn't be just for
reading.  They also make nice hair accessories as this
young customer let me know! 

 Arisia is always fun to participate in since its a delightful
10 min. from my home, an easy set-up, and is a voyage to
quite a different world than my usual fine craft show....I
always learn something new.  This year it was about the
world of theatrical and custom contact lenses.  Michelle
from www.exoticlenses.com was set up next to me.

- 

Check out Michelle's eyes! She's wearing a cat and a

blue star. I thought about getting a pair to wear at shows-

perhaps a banshee or black wolf set? But decided they

might distract my usual customers.

It's always fun people watching at this type of event. 

these are some of the folks who passed by my booth:

I thought this guy's steam punk stilts were very cool:

You pick up intriguing technical tidbits at conventions like

this too. I learned about el wire from this couple.  The oval

piece in the center is lit up! 

Who knows what my booth may hold next?

I picked up some spikey metal dice from

Andrew from  www.foambrain.com

which I hope to incorporate into a new

creature...stay tuned!  

Adventure on! Wendy

First Night Parade HYCC "Heroes"

Happy New Year to all!!  May 2012 be filled with adventure and
fun mixed with moments of delightful peace and quiet for us all!!

As usual this year, we ended the year with noise and glitter by
marching in Boston's First Night Parade along with the
Hawthorne Youth and  Community Center group.  HYCC's
"theme" for our presentation this  year was "heroes".  Local
artist, Lisa Lee, and I co-facilitated the project working  with
after school kids and other member  of the community on
Saturdays this Fall. Lisa and I enjoy working together  and
love seeing  a project evolve as we brainstorm and kids and
community take it and add their ideas. 

We discussed "heroes" and what "traits" make a hero and
left choices  wide open.  Each child or adult chose their
"hero", printed out a name/s, printed  out a "trait" on shade
cloth strips to be added to our large banner, and 17
individual "puppet" heroes were created.
Choice of heroes was varied - Many children honored
family members.

 Others chose inspiring  individuals in the community and world
(including Michelle and Barack Obama, Kip Tiernan (founder
of Boston's Rosie's place), etc. One youth chose himself, another
God, others musical idols.  Here is the side of the banner with
all the names. It's quite a list!

 

Choice of traits varied as well.  From Determined:

 To "Good Dad:" (one youth's choice for Pres. Obama), to feisty
(Kip),  helpful, awesome, inspiring, nicest, bravery, respect, real,
nicest. "Saved me", powerful, caring, loving...

First Night projects always include color and glitter. Lisa
is adding an extra bit of glitz to the HYCC banner here:

This is the trait side of the banner being carried in the parade. 

 Last year Lisa and I decided we had to have lights this
year. So blinking star lights lit  up the top of the banner..

The individual hero puppets were made of gallon
milk jugs on a dowel with arms of foam pipe insullation.

 with added shirts , scarves, hands and beads:

Michelle Obama had special glittery fingernails!

Just before the parade, the hero puppets waited
patiently for their creators to pick them up to march. 

Each individual puppet had a 3 LED tap light inside the
head...so the faces could be seen during the parade:
Here are a few in the parade:
"My Mom"

Niki Manaj:

Kip Tiernan and Louis Armstrong:

Pres. Obama walked with some Vetran friends:

I brought along Bill T. Jones:

We had donated New Orleans beads to pass out
along the route. Everyone started walking very bedecked!

Over 50 people walked with HYCC  this year (including one of
our daughters, her husband and two children.  Our grandson
had a great time choosing whom he thought needed beads!)
And because it was in the balmy mid-40's the crowds were
bigger than ever to share in the First Night Festivities. Right
after the parade, a  fireworks display is set off in the
Boston Commons....a great end to a family event!

Again Happy New Year to everyone!.. onward to 2012!!!

Adventure on!  Wendy