Renegade Craft Fair Recap

The AfroMartha household has been so busy adding mileage to our vehicles that I have been seriously lacking in my posts.  Sorry!

Lotta, Me, my Daughter Yejide

As I mentioned in my last post oh-so-long-ago, I went to Renegade Brooklyn.  And what a wonderful time it was! I got to meet other artists/crafters and indulge my love of all things creative.  And yes, I met Lotta!  She was so gracious and approachable.  My daughter and I got to stencil a tote bag at her workshop and I got to pick her brain a little… it was quite busy at her station but she still took time out to make each person feel welcomed.  She even autographed our tote!  Check out picture on left.

I am now ever more resolved in my decision to pursue screen printing/printmaking.  I love the instant gratification and the permanence of what you create with this medium. Had I taken a serigraphy course in college I would have been hooked sooner.  Better late than never.

I am working on a new product line while perfecting my technique.  In the meantime I also discovered another designer, Jenny Sauer of Three Sheets 2 the Wind.  Her work is simply marvelous, and it’s exactly what I hope to be doing (and better) someday!  I was so excited that she lives/works in the Cincinnati area. I had visions of somehow working my way into apprenticing under her.  I was so excited that I commited the faux pas of comparing her to another artist. OUCH.  I meant it in the most sincere and complimentary way, but I realized too late that it’s never a good idea to compare one person’s work to another. I tried to clean up my comment with a comment, but it’s already out there.  You can’t take it back. Well, I guess I blew that.

Oh, finally I picked up my own copies of Meg Mateo Ilasco’s “Craft, INC” and “Craft, INC Business Planner.” Awesome.  A must have for anyone who has wondered where to even begin to organize the different facets of having a creative business. I hope to work through the workbook successfully before venturing back out to the business side of things.

And now, I get ready to get back on the road again!

Renegade Craft Fair…plus all the traveling!

The AfroMartha household has been so busy adding mileage to our vehicles that I have been seriously lacking in my posts.  Sorry!

Lotta, Me, my Daughter Yejide

As I mentioned in my last post oh-so-long-ago, I went to Renegade Brooklyn.  And what a wonderful time it was! I got to meet other artists/crafters and indulge my love of all things creative.  And yes, I met Lotta!  She was so gracious and approachable.  My daughter and I got to stencil a tote bag at her workshop and I got to pick her brain a little… it was quite busy at her station but she still took time out to make each person feel welcomed.  She even autographed our tote!  Check out picture on left.

I am now ever more resolved in my decision to pursue screen printing/printmaking.  I love the instant gratification and the permanence of what you create with this medium. Had I taken a serigraphy course in college I would have been hooked sooner.  Better late than never.

I am working on a new product line while perfecting my technique.  In the meantime I also discovered another designer, Jenny Sauer of Three Sheets 2 the Wind.  Her work is simply marvelous, and it’s exactly what I hope to be doing (and better) someday!  I was so excited that she lives/works in the Cincinnati area. I had visions of somehow working my way into apprenticing under her.  I was so excited that I commited the faux pas of comparing her to another artist. OUCH.  I meant it in the most sincere and complimentary way, but I realized too late that it’s never a good idea to compare one person’s work to another. I tried to clean up my comment with a comment, but it’s already out there.  You can’t take it back. Well, I guess I blew that.

Oh, finally I picked up my own copies of Meg Mateo Ilasco’s “Craft, INC” and “Craft, INC Business Planner.” Awesome.  A must have for anyone who has wondered where to even begin to organize the different facets of having a creative business. I hope to work through the workbook successfully before venturing back out to the business side of things.

And now, I get ready to get back on the road again!

Renegade Craft Fair Brooklyn!

Yes, I am going!!!!
For the first time EVER, I won’t be a day late and a dollar short. I am finally at the right place at the right time to participate in something I want to participate in.  I am finally in a major city during a major craft festival!  I will get to go to this festival and see all (okay, some) of the wonderful creative people of New York! I am beside myself with excitement! I will get to put a human face to the folks at Etsy and play around with crafty stuff at one of several workshops.  I will also get to meet one of my  favorite surface designers Lotta Jansdotter! She will be there offering free tote-stenciling workshops, and I will be there, with bells on! I am so mad that I didn’t think to bring my copies of her books to sign…then again, at the outset of this trip I didn’t know I’d actually get to meet her.  The funny thing is, I had planned on going to visit her studio tomorrow in Brooklyn, but found out I couldn’t because it would not be open on that day. I had emailed her from the website to check first (and good thing I did).  I followed the link for her facebook fan page, and there it was: an invitation to come and stencil with her for FREE!!! I couldn’t have planned this better!

I am very excited about this event for the obvious reasons above. I am also excited because I am taking this as a sign to finally go for it! I have been flirting with my surface design passion for a couple of years now… I’ve dipped my foot in the pool and backed up, dipped and backed up.  Now with my youngest child getting ready to start preschool full-time in the fall, I’ve been contemplating what I will now be doing with my days.  Of course, design rears it’s pretty little head again, and I am feeling quite drawn to it…this time more seriously.  I am working on trusting my own creative voice, and cultivating my creative confidence.  Ms. Jansdotter has been a big part of that for me…seeing the beauty in the simplicity of her work and knowing that I over think things too much, and that I need to just do it!

I cannot wait to see what tommorrow brings. Be on the lookout for pictures.