This is the first time I’ve ever had my work featured in a real gallery. Heck, this is the first time someone has referred to my plush as art! But I like being thought of as an artist, and I definitely like being able to put my creations in an open space for all to see.

SPACES gallery is a small contemporary art gallery located in Cleveland’s West Side. It’s definitely an interesting place. They tend to focus on unusual, highly modern, and highly interpretive forms of art, and even with this untraditional viewpoint they’re one of the most highly respected galleries in Cleveland.

There I was, little Sam, walking into a small art gallery with creaky wood floors and white walls bedecked with paintings. I turned the corner into the next room, and there they were– my whales and jellyfish suspended from the ceiling, floating against the bright white wall. It’s impossible to describe the wonder of the feeling. These are my creations, my pride and joy, put on display for everyone to see and marvel at and respect. Quite simply, I was overjoyed.

photo by Brenton Pahl for SPACES gallery

photo by Jerry Mann for SPACES gallery

photo by Jerry Mann for SPACES gallery

I’ve never truly considered myself an artist. I’m a maker, a doer, a creator; but not an artist. It’s the engineering side of me, the practicality, that tells me to make things that people will use or hug or give, not things that people just look at. But to be told that I make things that are nice enough to be just looked at? That’s incredible! And the fact that I got to show my work next to the work of some ridiculously talented plush artists? What a privilege.

So I understand, now, where artists come from. They want to see and be seen; they want to impact the world from inside the minds of the people. They want to make a difference just like anyone else. And I completely realize that there isn’t anything earth-shattering or symbolic about my adventurous whales… but all the same, I hope my art brought a few extra smiles to the world.

(this exhibit ran from November 9, 2010 to January 21, 2011. but i’m sure they wanted to keep the little guys there forever!)

get stuffed! SPACES art gallery exhibition is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

And now I can tell you all about what the little vinyl circles, and the blue polar fleece “mustache”, and the surprises were all about! I was asked to send along a few pieces to be part of a gallery show, “Get Stuffed“, at SPACES gallery in downtown Cleveland!

Of course, I sent over a Narwhal. But I wanted to take this opportunity to make something really awesome and unique… so I came up with some Adventurous Whales.

Adventurous Whales – Friendly Seas

Adventurous Whales – Friendly Skies

They’re both made from polar fleece for the main body, with vinyl and pleather accents and appliques. They each have pleather bellies. I couldn’t have done this without my trusty teflon foot… sewing all that vinyl is tricky! It’s especially hard to work with since it manages to be both slippery and sticky, plus once you’ve poked a hole in it you can’t change your mind!

I’m very happy with how they turned out, and I’m still brainstorming more “adventurous whales” for the future! With only a week to work on it, I had to stick to two (and even that was a lot!). The gallery opened last night, but I haven’t been over yet to see how they look with all the other plush. It’s definitely good to sew something super unique every once in awhile… something that makes you say, “well, that’s awesome, but i’m never making another one of those!”

p.s. can you find the mustache?

adventurous whales is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

In the meantime, here are some of my goofy “in-progress, super-secret” shots.

Hints:

1. a royal blue mustache
2. lots of painstakingly perfect vinyl applique
3. a couple black plastic safety eyes
4. three-quarters of a bag of fiberfill
5. major feeling of accomplishment

   

   (i don’t even know.)

   

   p.s. …notice anything new?

super secret surprises is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

My craft show Saturday went well, for my first one. It was a slow day for all of us, but I got to make friends with some Cleveland crafters and learn tips from people who have done far more customer interaction than I have. It was wonderful to get real-life opinions from people… online, there are plenty of people who stop through the site without buying anything. Do they like, dislike, hate my products? But in real life, nobody can walk by a whale without commenting on its cuteness. Which always helps the ego get a little boost.

I also had lots of fun brainstorming. First of all, I would love to do more craft shows. It’s hard to find shows in Virginia that aren’t super-folky, but I’ll be on the lookout this summer. And I want to build a nifty display setup; you guys don’t get any pictures because the room was dimly lit and, while I had a decent setup for my means (ie Dorm Room and dishracks), it wasn’t picture perfect. Next time, promise. And I realized that I don’t have anything that boys, especially boys in the “can still get dragged to crafts shows age”, can buy. First order of business once school’s out: boy ipod cases. That’ll be fun.

I did sell something. Two somethings, actually. And since there weren’t too many people coming through, I was happy. And I made friends, so you should check out their stuff:

Judy of Modern Pixie
Stephanie of Stephie Lou
Jessica of Jewelry by J
Jen of Jeneration Design
and Nelleeta, but she doesn’t have a website…

Today I was thinking about going for a walk through Little Italy and exploring the little art galleries… but the skies are alternating between bright blue and drippy gray. A good day for staying in and sewing, which is just what I’ll do – once I get my room to be less of a mess.

greetings from narwhal-land! is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

surveyed damage from the water main break around the corner

savored the sunshine and began a painting of Pedro the Magnificent, taking advantage of the rare window light

frolicked in the snow, including some tobogganing

spent time reflecting on the beauty of winter and the value of silence on a newman club retreat

And Ash Wednesday yesterday marked the start of Lent: a season of repentance and renewal, a season to break bad habits and form new, good ones. For my Lenten promise I am giving up facebook, and since that will add lots of small pieces of time in my day, I am trying to be more available to people around me who may need little pieces of help. I figure there are so many little things that I think I’m too busy for… yet I have time to check my facebook once every hour for five minutes at a time? Time to switch up my priorities.

happenings: a photo cache is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

I made my screen, printed about 30 little whales spouting hearts, then spent a good hour or so cleaning the screen! I definitely understand now why everyone hates cleaning the screens so much… no fun, and I made quite a mess. But the printing was so much fun! I’m hooked. (and of course, my first print was a whale.)

I’m always nervous to jump into things like this… especially with about $10 cost per screen, messing up is just so unacceptable! But for today I let myself have this one as a ‘practice’, and luckily it turned out great. They’re all a bit more “spongy” looking than I had expected, but I also made a design with a huge ink blob of printing area. I think in the future I’ll stick to more defined lines.

I still have ink all over my hands and I’m super tired, so I’ve been rubbing my eyes.. which of course has made them itchier. Wouldn’t be surprised if my eyes are bluer than usual in the morning.
(and of course i’m totally joking – i don’t think i actually got ink in my eyes.)

And my sewing lesson went wonderfully! We both had lots of fun, and she made some cute stuff: a pillowcase and a little zipper pouch. Tomorrow she’s going to work on a tote. I’m excited. I was very, very nervous this morning. And everything was fine. :)

i gocco-ed! is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

I must say that screenprinting is one of the most stressful arts I choose to dabble in. The entire time my mind whizzes through “oh no oh no i moved it wet paint! ah!” Of course, I lift the screen and everything’s fine and lovely and crisp and smooth and it’s all worthwhile.

I printed five shirts today with this lovely shade of blue… it’s almost turquoise, the second picture is more accurate color-wise.

I can feel my 14-year-old self telling me how awesome I am right now. Seriously, five years ago screenprinting seemed impossible, something I’d never try. Now I can do it, and it’s delightful in its hectic manner, and I just feel so cool.

whale tees! is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

Yesterday was just so blatantly gross outside that I needed to rebel against it by making something extraordinarily awesome. Something out of my ordinary, something to say, “ha, sun! i can be creative without you around!”

So I pulled my box of screenprinting goodies off my shelf, wiped the dust from my frame, and began stapling. I ran out of staples halfway through, but after an hour long staple quest and an exasperated lunch break I was back in business.

My design features a whale (shocking, i know) spouting hearts. The whale will sit at the bottom corner of the tee, with the largest heart ending up at the top center of the tee, not far below the neckline. I did a few test prints today on brown paper and am excited but nervous about printing the real t-shirts, an event that may take place tomorrow morning after church.

Before Christmas I screenprinted 100 shirts, front and back, as commissioned by a friend for his band. My facilities (dorm room and bathroom closet) were not optimal, and with schoolwork and finals approaching, it was nerve wracking, to put it lightly. Somehow I’ve managed to dive back in, and I’m thinking the more relaxed summer atmosphere will make this the enjoyable art I had imagined it to be long ago.

For the band’s screens, since the designs were text-based from the computer, I used the photo emulsion method outlined in the tutorials below. When using a design out of my head, though, I find it easier to draw on paper than on the computer and so I usually use the screen filler method. My dad and grandpa made the screens for me, and for the screen fabric I just picked up some basic silk acetate off the clearance rack.

want to learn to screenprint?
These are a few of the resources I used and found extremely handy.
· Silk Screen Printing Instructions – a copy of the manual that comes with Speedball Printing Kits
· Screen Printing – Cheap, Dirty, and At Home
· How to Silkscreen Posters and Shirts

It’s a great way to produce a lot of something without losing the handmade quality. If you have any questions, I’d be happy to help you out!

screenprinting and such is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog