Monday Mosaic: Shades of Blue

By Kerry of Kerryhawkinsphotography

1. Eco Gift Tags, by Reclaimed to You

2. Yarn bowl for knitters, by City by the Sea Ceramics

3. Moustaches in Blue Dog Collar, by Cody's Creations

4. Cake Stand, by Arthur Halvorsen

5. Blue Monarch Butterfly Organic T-shirt, by AnLiStudio

6. Winter's Snow, by MaJenta Designs

Boston Handmade Artisan Fair at Jamaica Plain First Thursday May 3rd

by Leah of cricicis design

Next Thursday, May 3rd, five members of Boston Handmade will be exhibiting in a Boston Handmade Artisan Fair for Jamaica Plain First Thursdays held by JP Centre/South Main Streets Organization. This is our 6th year exhibiting as a group. You can find us at 633 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain, in front of the First Baptist Church.

Jamaica Plain First Thursday is an evening where local businesses open their doors and the neighborhood is encouraged to shop locally and support local merchants. It's spring and on May 3rd, Jamaica Plain will be blooming with entertainment.

Come visit Boston Handmade to shop handmade items varying from photography, ceramics, note cards, jewelry & accessories, and plush toys. Exhibiting artists are:
Karen of City by the Sea Ceramics
Jen of MaJenta Designs
Anne-Claire of Hibou Designs
Lucie of Lucie Wicker Photography
Leah of cricicis design

New Encaustic Art at Jameson and Thompson

Encaustic collage by Jessica Burko
seen here by the window as the wax cools

by Jessica Burko

After taking a bit of a hiatus from making art while getting adjusted to life with a newborn and a toddler, I am very excited to be having a show of my work opening next week.

Jameson and Thompson Fine Art Services, located at 15 Greenview Avenue in Jamaica Plain, has an exhibition space within their large warehouse-style shop* and I will be exhibiting ten new pieces of encaustic collage there from May 3 - 31.

Please join me for the opening reception of this show on Thursday, May 3rd from 6-8pm during the Jamaica Plain monthly First Thursdays art stroll.

Major bonus: Boston Handmade will be right across the street at 633 Centre Street, next to the Jamaica Plain Post Office, having the first Artisan Fair of our 2012 season! It will be a very festive evening in the neighborhood so I hope you can come out to celebrate art with all of us.

*Please be aware this venue is on the 2nd floor and does not have an elevator.

Creative Collaboration

By Kerry of Kerry Hawkins Photo

Boston Handmade Member, Jen Tang models one of the Boston Handmade T-shirts

Detail of the educational tags that come with each Boston Handmade T-shirt

One of the wonderful things about the Boston Handmade T-shirts is the packaging and tags. When I ordered my t-shirt it came wrapped in tissue with a fabric ribbon, and it has these cool tags attached.

The t-shirt design and printing project is a fun collaboration between Boston Handmade and Boston Handmade member and Screen Printer Evan Webster Ink. 

The Boston Handmade informational card has a wonderful description about our group including our website and Evan's tag is very fun and has a great tagline, "This tag serves as proof of genuine Evan Webster Ink Product. All work guaranteed." Clever!

Printmaking exhibition at the Boston Public Library

Randy Garber, To My Surprise, detail

If you're a fan of printmaking, you probably already know about Mixit Print Studio in Somerville, MA, where for the past 25 years Boston-area artists have been congregating, working, teaching, and sharing resources. If you don't already know about Mixit, you should, and tonight is a great opportunity for you to find out all about it.

Currently on view through July 31st at the main branch of the Boston Public Library is an exhibition titled, reThink INK: 25 Years at Mixit Print Studio, which includes more than 150 works by 71 artists in three venues throughout the Copley Square library location. This collaborative exhibition, produced by the Boston Public Library and Mixit Print Studio, celebrates the studio’s 25th anniversary and the library’s deep and long-standing connection to the Boston printmaking community.

Tonight, Tuesday, April 24th, from 6–7pm, in the Rabb Lecture Hall, The BPL and Mixit Print Studio present a panel discussion with three distinguished scholars and experts to explore the role of printmaking in art today. Topics will include the impact of digital technology on the conception and execution of contemporary printmaking, current institutional collection and curatorial practices for prints, and the continuing influence of printmaking on other media. The panel will be moderated by Randy Garber, local Somerville artist and Partner at Mixit. The panel participants are:

Patricia Phillips / Critic, Associate Provost, Rhode Island School of Design

Andrew Raftery / Professor of Art, Rhode Island School of Design

Susan Dackerman / Carl A. Weyerhaeuser Curator of Prints, Fogg Museum of Art

This event is free and open to the public and is sure to be a fascinating discussion. For directions and more information visit: http://www.bpl.org/exhibitions/current-exhibitions/mixit/related-events/

Monday Mosaic: Colors of the Earth

Curated by Lynne of Cozy Cottage Creations 
 

1. Cape Grass Bird Notecard , by An Li Studio
2. Set of Four Chrysanthemum Mugs in White , by City by the Sea Ceramics
3. 1 inch Dog Collar with Adjustable Buckle in Tennis Balls , by Cody's Creations
4. Eco Gift Tags - snowy , by Reclaimed to You
5. Fresh Onions Photo Print , by Kerry Hawkins Photography
6. Sterling Small Temple Studs , by Cristina Hurley Jewelry Design
7. Fauna - 250 yards of Shetland yarn , by Lady Dye Fiber Arts & Designs
8. Window of Belvane Stained Glass Gothic Arch Necklace , by Parrish Relics
9. art nouveau - heart bookplates by cricicis design

Celebrating Earth Day with Boston Handmade

Today is Earth Day. But ask yourself: Why celebrate the Earth with only one day of environmental awareness when it can be observed all year long?  

Unique hat recycled from a 1970s skirt, by Elephunks Trunk

At Boston Handmade we embrace the concept of Earth Day and carry the model through every day of every year. As independent creative business people the members of Boston Handmade produce and sell art and craft locally, and each member operates from a small working environment as opposed to pollution spewing factories. These environmentally friendly actions reduce both our carbon footprints, and those of our customers.

Collectible owl made from 20-year-old pants, vintage buttons, and eco-friendly wool, by Hibou Designs

Many of our members create their art and craft from recycled and upcycled elements. Found, rescued, or passed down through the generations, by not using new materials we reduce waste and save resources. Through our choices of materials and our creative methods, the mindset of, “reduce, reuse, recycle” means more to us than a slogan on a blue box. Conserving resources is something each one of us keeps in the forefront of our minds, and harnessing the power of our own hands propels us.

Paper quilt made from wallpaper scraps, damaged books, and found ephemera by Jessica Burko

Please celebrate Earth Day by recognizing and acting on the many things you can do to help the Earth, and by supporting artists and craftspeople who already do.

2nd Annual Yarn Swap in Jamaica Plain

Beautiful array of yarns for sale at Sheep Skate in Dedham, MA

If you spend any time reading this blog, you know that we at Boston Handmade are big fans of knitting, crocheting, and all things yarn. And as folks who partake in such activities we can tell you that anyone who works with yarn (hobbyists and professionals alike) have a STASH.

Stash is not hipster for "mustache" nor does it refer to reefer. "Stash" where yarn is concerned is a bag, or box, or closet, or room, or basement or attic, or annex (depending on the depth of your addiction) FULL of yarn.

This yarn tends to be that skein that you just couldn't resist because it was sooooo soft, but didn't have a project planned for it, or that lace-weight lovely that you scooped up to finally practice the intricacies of the skill, or the crazy-on-sale merino that you thought would compliment that other almost-turquoise you have but doesn't just quite, or the various odds and ends of smallish balls of yarn that you over-bought to make sure you had enough to finish that full-size bed blanket. A yarn stash starts out small, and has a tendency to grow completely out of control. Yeah, you know all about this. Don't deny it.

Well here's some great news for you:
Saturday, May 5th, from 11am-1pm is the 2nd Annual Yarn Swap at the Jamaica Plain branch library located at 12 Sedgwick Street. This is a great opportunity to meet, greet, get some new inspiration, and share your abundant stash. Bring yarn, supplies, and projects in need of a new home, and what ever is left over at the end of the day will be donated to the Caps For Kids program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Questions about this event? Contact jplainyarnswap@gmail.com.