Local Craftacular Type Thingamajigger

Immediately after the First Friday of my "Collaborations in Junk" show was a local Craftacular event. I heard about it shortly before and I thought, what the heck- maybe they have some openings. So I called up and sure enough, they did! So, I had to take more time off work, but I had all the art done. Plus display items hanging around to boot. It ended up being a really good idea. I met some nice people, made more sales and lined up some things for the new year. I hope I can get in on that thing again next year. :)

Here's what my booth looked like:

Collaborations in Junk: THE SHOW

So the show finally came. I got to convert a little empty room into my own tiny gallery space for my junk show. So here's what it looked like:

Croquet folder holders

Sketches of old photos and old label art with fabric swatches in the mix

Recycled metal xmas trees and a fabric map of the USA hanging crookedly

Dolled up tractor umbrella, model T steering wheel and drawer pulls as xmas tree. Plastic farm animal wreath in background.

Recycled metal trees galore, the one in the foreground has baby food jars as display spaces for tiny objects- here it's for Halloween- so there are bugs in the jars. Rubber, fake bugs. Not real ones.

Lamp, lantern, ornaments, figures. Yep.

Getting Ready for "Collaborations in Junk"

So I decided to have an art show in November to take advantage of the holiday season. I haven't had an art show in quite awhile—never one where I embraced my artsy crafty crossover to this extent. So I started a few months ago by collecting rusty scrap metal (via a special fella I know) and visiting my dad for father/daughter welding time- you know, like everyone does.

I knew that I wanted to do up some junk metal holiday trees, so I got to work on those right away. Here's some evidence of the process.

Dad welding something or another

Pre-paint

This sucker comes apart/collapses for shipping or storage!

Then I decided to change it up and consider a show of more repurposed materials and I thought of using old toys as decor. (hot glue, fabric strips and styrofoam ring as base)

Ok, so I had to supplement with a couple of store-bought bags, but most was old. All was crappy.

Then I got some inspiration about reusing croquet sets in a new way and put my head together with my dad again to come up with a neat idea there- folder holders.

Why not revisit the U.S. fabric map project? (See previous post on that one) Working on that. Sketches. Yes. Put fabric in that, too. Sure!

I've been wanting to use jar lids to make a hurricane candle holder for a few years now- I'm gonna do it! (used phillips and flat head screwdrivers and an awl to make the holes, layered stencils and spraypaint for outside decoration)

Bottom dish and candle yet to be added

And hey- let's do a lamp!

Bulb reconsidered. Otherwise, this is probably the coolest thing in the universe.

So anyway, that's the idea. I've been making a bunch of stuff and I'm having a show. Shortly after November 4 things will be up on Etsy at melagerie.etsy.com.

Empty Bowls Event 2011

Well, Empty Bowls 2011 finally came (see February 7 post about the event). The soup was good and plenty and I ended up taking home a bowl that looked a bit like a geode. I'm pretty sure most of the pieces I helped with found good homes. I have evidence of a few.

The group project bowl I worked on with the marketing team, in a tulip motif, went at some early event, so I didn't get to see it off. The photo I'm sharing is of it in a case over at the Lux center. They were good enough to showcase some of the bowls before the event in a gallery in an upper room of the building.

Matt painted a lovely bowl that was part cherry blossom part bonsai. A high school exchange student from Mexico ended up with the bowl. Neat thought- having something you made end up in another country. (Carrie Masters took photos of the event- some here are from her. Check out her site! She does more than take photos.)

The February 7 post with a floral bowl was snatched up by a lady who later sent her husband to pay for it. I have photos of those series of events (via Carrie), so I thought it would be funny to share.

By the way, over $8,000 was raised for the BackPack program organized by the Lincoln Food Bank.

Bowl Glazin'

For the past few years, the university where I work has put on an event called Empty Bowls. It's actually an international thing and you can read about it here. The art department gets volunteer community groups together to make and decorate ceramic bowls. Then people can purchase a ticket to get a handmade ceramic bowl, soup and peace of mind that they donated to charity. I got the marketing team to do some larger pieces, but I've since gone back to do some on my own. I even got my fella to go with me- super fun. 

First, here's a larger one on a bowl shaped like a flower pot- before firing.

 

Now after a trip to the kiln:

I always like them better with my pencil lines still in- but those burn away during firing. Blast! Eh. 

I don't have photos of the finished product of others that I'd like to share, so I'll just wait. I like instant gratification- before AND after in the same post. I hope you agree.