Etsy Global Craft Party

It's time for another Etsy Global Craft Party, this time hosted by our local South Carolina Etsy Team!

If you aren't familiar with the Global Craft Party idea, the goal is to get people around the world making things 'together'. This year's party is happening next week, on June 20, from 6-8pm.

Etsy explains the idea for us: In a nutshell, Craft Party is a celebration of meeting and making, of creativity and community. It’s a time to meet your neighbors and share a creative skill. It’s a time to have fun and party down with your favorite craft supply in hand.

Our local Etsy Team will be hosting next week's party, and if you have an Etsy shop or are thinking about setting one up, you'll want to meet the ladies behind the team! Not only can they answer your Etsy questions, they regularly post helpful resources and links in the Etsy Discussion Forums, so be sure to check them out.

They describe the Greenville Etsy Craft Party as: a casual get-together where you can bring your own craft(s) to work on with other local crafty peeps! We'll also have a craft supply swap (bring some supplies to trade/leave in order to take some new ones home) and shop critiques at the Greenville event!

Here are the details:

Date: June 20, 2013 Time: 6-8 pm Place: Oriskany Glass Studio, 1112 Rutherford Rd Bring: your own craft to work on, craft supplies for trading RSVP here.

The good news is that even if you're not in the area, chances are there's still an Etsy Craft Party near you. Visit the Craft Party site to find your local party!

Applications are Now Open!

We are officially accepting applications for the 2013 Indie Craft Parade!

Applications must be submitted before midnight EST on June 23, 2013 so tell all your creative friends and family members. If you have any questions about who can apply or what kind of handmade goods we're looking for, check out our Participant FAQs and then apply here!

Furniture Makeovers Launch Party

We'll be introducing our 2013 jury very soon, but in the meantime, we want to share and celebrate a huge accomplishment by one of our previous jury members and a longtime supporter, Barb Blair. We select each Indie Craft Parade jury member because of their involvement in the Greenville art scene as well as their contribution to the creative community at large. We think these folks have a lot to offer, so we're thrilled when they get recognized well beyond the scope of our city. This weekend, Barb will be celebrating the release of her first book, Furniture Makeovers, with a book party at her studio. The celebration starts Friday at 5pm, complete with amazing freebies for the first 100 guests in the door! Check out all the event details here.

If you're not familiar with Barb or her work, she specializes in redeeming found goods and furniture, often giving discarded pieces new life. More about the book from Chronicle:

Furniture Makeovers shows how to transform tired furniture into stunning showpieces. You’ll never look at a hand-me-down dresser the same way again! The book offers 26 easy-to-follow techniques that can be applied to all different types of pieces, from bookshelves to desks: painting, applying gold leaf, wallpapering, distressing, dip dyeing, and more. In addition to the core techniques, author and Knack Studios founder Barb Blair shares 30 beautiful before-and-after makeovers from her studio and outlines how to achieve each look. With helpful step-by-step photographs, a visual glossary explaining all the tools and materials needed, and a lovely contemporary aesthetic, Furniture Makeovers is a treasure trove of ideas and instruction for the home decorator.

Join us at Knack Studios this Friday to see Barb's work in person and celebrate with one of Greenville's many creative entrepreneurs!

Craft night workshops hosted by the SC Etsy street team

Listen up, South Carolina Etsy Shops! There is a special event, just for you, organized by the SC Etsy Street Team. On April 27 in Greenville, SC and on May 11 in Charleston, SC, the Etsy Street team will be hosting workshops to benefit fellow Etsy shops. Each Craft Night Workshop is an opportunity to network, learn some ways to improve your shop, see a product photography demonstration, and make an awesome craft! On top of that, food and beverages will be provided, and the whole thing is free! Simply register in order to attend. (Don't forget this part.)

Also, to get more information about the event, pop over to the Etsy Team Page and check out the Discussion Thread. And don't foget, if you decide to attend, make best use of this opportunity. Be ready to discuss your shop. Find out the successes and difficulties of fellow shop keepers. And of course, come armed with business cards to trade with other attendees. You don't want to forget all of those cool people you're going to meet (and vice versa).

Studio Tour: White Whale Studios and Gallery

Today we're taking you on a tour of one of Greenville's most unique artist co-op spaces, White Whale Studios and Gallery. Caroline George Lott is the owner of White Whale, a large house-turned-studios located about a mile from The Pendleton Street Art District. We asked her to share the story behind White Whale with our readers.

Indie Craft: When was White Whale founded, and was it always a dream of yours?

Caroline: Our Grand opening was October 2nd, 2009. Being an active part of the local artistic community was always a dream of mine. Owning and operating a studio was something that became a reality when we purchased a historical house in the Monaghan Mill community. We did not want to "ruin" the house by turning it into a multi-family house or just rent it out. We wanted to to have it live on as a place to serve the community.

One of the White Whale artists hard at work in his studio.

Indie Craft: We love that you turned a house into a group of artist studios. How many artists call White Whale home right now?Caroline: We currently have 7 fabulous artists. Most of the artists are full-time professional artists.

Common gallery spaces are located throughout the house.

Indie Craft: This big white house is such a beautiful and inspiring place. Do you know much of its history?Caroline: Yes, it was built circa 1890, even before the textile mill that is right down the street. It started out as a teacher's boarding house, and has been used in many different ways since. Anything from a boxing training facility to a bed and breakfast.

Indie Craft: What is the significance of the White Whale name?Caroline: The studio's name harkens back to Melville's infamous tale of a determined white whale (Moby Dick) outwitting the relentless Captain Ahab, just as the artists, within the walls of this old white house, battle the odds to pursue their work and life's calling.

You can visit White Whale Studios and Gallery during Greenville Open Studios.

The good news is that White Whale does have an available studio at the moment! If you're an artist in need of working space, you can email your portfolio to whitewhalestudios@gmail.com or visit the White Whale site to learn more about their mission in Greenville.

Available studio: 12 ft ceilings and plenty of natural light.

Also, be sure to follow White Whale on Facebook to keep up with their resident artists and find out about upcoming art shows.

Live Art Installation

We have a very fun public art project to share with you today!

In anticipation of their new store opening, Anthropologie has partnered with the Fine Arts Center to create a temporary art installation in downtown Greenville. A team of artists will work alongside high school students from the Fine Arts Center to create a large-scale piece of art and we're all invited to come watch.

This Saturday and Sunday, March 9-10, head to the site of Greenville's new Anthropologie (at the corner of Coffee and Main Streets) to observe as the project takes shape.

A note from Anthropologie:

"The piece will be painted on the barricade currently outside of the Anthropologie store location at 1 North Main Street on the weekend of March 9th and 10th. The 20’ by 8’ painting is designed and conceptualized by the students of the Fine Arts Center and we invite the community to observe as the students, along with the team of artists who will work full-time at the Greenville location, progress from first brush strokes to final touches. The painting will be on view at 1 North Main Street until the store opens at the end of March."

Mark your calendars and head downtown this weekend to see the artists in action. This should be a lot of fun!

Meet the Jury: Michelle Radford

Michelle somehow manages to be an art professor, a serious artist/crafter, and full-time wife and mom (soon to be of three). Through all of this she still creates fresh, new works that have a flavor uniquely hers. And her fiber goods, such as her reworked fabric jewelry and pillows, are stunning. If jurors were allowed to have booths at Indie Craft Parade in September, she'd sell out quickly.  

Indie Craft Parade: In your art as well as crafts, you have a tendency to turn trash in to treasures. What's the oddest thing you've incorporated into one of your pieces?

Michelle: I don't know if these would seem particularly odd to people who practice mixed media: a little dutch boy had to give up his head to a brooch, and a little angel had to lose her wings...all for a good cause. I've stitched bones into a piece. The finished products look must less sinister than they sound. My work is anything but Halloween-ish, however.

Indie Craft Parade: The gap between art and craft is continually growing smaller. Is this a trend that you embrace in your own work, or do you think of your fine art work as a separate endeavor from your crafts?

Michelle: My paintings tend to look very different from my "crafts". I could see them merging more eventually, though. I don't think it is very useful or interesting to try to keep the arts and crafts apart if they want to intersect or blend. The most rewarding handmade objects to me--whether "arts" or "crafts"--are thought provoking, meaningful, well-executed, and have a little bit of wow-factor.

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Indie Craft Parade: Who is an artist that you currently find inspiring?

Michelle: As far as no-longer-living artists, I always really enjoy looking at the work of Rothko and Rauschenberg. I really like the way they used paint, and how their work makes you think of space, format, and materials. As far as living artists who make objects for everyday use, I'm always really captivated by the things the artists at ShopSCAD make. It's really fresh and fun.

Meet the Jury: Teresa Roche

Teresa Roche's Art and Light gallery is often at the center of attention for Greenville's artist community events. Besides the numerous tasks that come with running a chic art boutique that boasts some of the best finds in town, Teresa manages to produce her own work. She's best known for her whimsical mixed media pieces. Next chance you get, visit her gallery in the Pendleton Arts District. You won't be disappointed.

Indie Craft Parade: You love using found objects as a basis for some of your art. What is one of your favorite finds yet?

Teresa: I love using vintage fabrics and wallpapers in my mix media pieces.  My favorite is a café curtain made from a fabulous 1950's bark cloth. The vivid chartreuse color is my all time favorite color, and it was a total fluke that I found it in a thrift store in New York.

Indie Craft Parade: Your gallery is in the heart of the Greenville art district. What kind of growth and development would you like to see in Greenville's art future?

Teresa: I would love to see the Pendleton Street Art's District grow with the addition of a great artsy café and other service businesses that would be open for daily retail hours. That way when customers come to the district they can grab lunch and run other errands within the area. The art, artists, talent and quality is already there. I think that it's so important for small business owners to come together with a concentrated marketing plan and a commitment to spend the marketing dollars and commit to the sweaty equity involved in trail blazing in order to have long term consistent growth.

Indie Craft Parade: As an artist and savvy businesswoman, do you have any suggestions for start-up artists or crafters?

Teresa: Yes, the importance of a business plan.  It doesn't matter how small or how big you start - without a business plan you can find yourself floundering.  Artists and crafters also need to be very thick skinned, willing to put the work out there and to get professional assistance in the areas they have weaknesses (i.e., marketing, accounting, merchandising, sales). It takes all of these things to run a business. And you have to remember that being a successful artist or crafter is a business.

Interview with our Jury: Barb Blair

Today's jury interview is with Barb Blair, a lady who can do marvels with cast-off furniture. She's made quite a name for herself in both the home design community and the blogisphere, with features in many publications. Her design aesthetic is fabulous, and I'd love to fill my house with all sorts of goodies from her shop. You can visit her studio in the Pendleton Arts District of Greenville or follow her blog, to keep up with all her projects and fun finds.  

Indie Craft Parade: You're contributing to a book coming out! That's super exciting. What can readers expect to see?

Barb: The book is called Design*Sponge at Home, it comes out September 13th. It is basically a large book featuring a lot of the content that makes up the website, and it shows readers how to incorporate the ideas into their homes. There will be lots of people featured in the book, and I will be in the before and after section. My projects will be featured as tutorials on how to transform furniture.

Indie Craft Parade: You exhibited at Indie Craft Parade last year and had such a cute booth. Do you have any advice for this year's vendors for setting up a creative display?

Barb: As far as a creative booth display. I think you should keep your booth consistent with your brand. Incorporate elements that tell your personal brand story without having to say a word. I think another really important thing is to have plenty of product. A full booth sells, and giving people lots of options is key to attracting a variety of buyers.

Indie Craft Parade: What is a quick summary of your creative process for restoring furniture? Do you have usually have a vision for a piece as soon as you see it?

Barb: When I pick up a piece of furniture I am always looking for interesting details that will stand out when painted. Or I look for furniture that I can add interesting detail to, such as wallpaper, stripes, and/or shiny new hardware. I check to make sure the piece is structurally sound and that all repairs (if necessary) are within my means to repair or can be repaired by a professional without taking too much off my bottom line. Once all of the repairs are made and the piece has been sanded and prepped for paint, I get to work executing my design plan. Speaking of design plans, I usually know right away what I will do to a piece when I see it, but there is the occasional piece that sits and stares at me in the studio for a few months before the plan hits me.

Indie Craft Parade: What new and exciting things can we expect to see from your studio in the near future?

Barb: One other cool thing is that I have just designed and had built my first piece of furniture! It will be the start to my new Knack couture line which will consist mainly of wallpapered and highly design intensive pieces. Other than that I am painting away in the studio, shipping pieces all over the country. And I just recently shipped my first international piece to TOKYO!

Interview with our Jury: Kevin Isgett

Indie Craft Parade has the enormous privilege of having a fabulous jury to overview the entries for this year's event. I've been to their shows, visited their studios, and let me tell you, their art has yet to disappoint. To give our readers a little better glimpse into their work, we're posting a brief interview with each of them. We're starting our interviews with Kevin Isgett, a talented artist of many mediums. I did not have the privilege of having him as an art teacher, but any of his students I've know have loved his classes.

Indie Craft Parade: Where are you currently finding some of your inspiration for your art and craft?

Kevin: I find inspiration for my work everywhere. Contemporary jewelry design is one of my major interests. Visually I'm inspired by natural forms... microscopic life, fungus, common detritus and trash. I like the juxtaposition of the castaway object with the precious. Almost anything can be beautiful if presented thoughtfully. I also collect vintage photos. Sometimes on a trip I leave the interstate to take pictures of the backsides of old billboard structures. I love their patina and structure.

Indie Craft Parade:

On the Jury page of the ICP website, you say that you like the "creative weirdness" of contemporary art. Have you worked with a material in one of your pieces that you think is particularly weird?

Kevin:

Yes, I do enjoy the creative weirdness of contemporary art and craft. The art world has become much more accepting of a huge range of working styles and subject matter over the last few decades. I love the ability it gives the artist to work in almost any style or medium. Many artists are capitalizing on the quirky unexpected qualities of found-objects and non-traditional materials creating a kind of visual poetry. Since I have a high threshold for what constitutes weirdness, I'd have to say I have not gotten there in my own work.

Indie Craft Parade:

Aside from art, what other hobbies do you have?

Kevin:

Other hobbies?... I enjoy going to junk stores and flea markets, looking for things to use in my art. I must be a one-trick-pony because most of my hobbies center around my art interests. Reading good fiction and poetry is a wonderful escape.