Double-header this weekend!

This is going to be a busy weekend! I've done 2-day shows, but never two different shows within two days.

This SATURDAY, December 1st (!), is the Lewis Elementary Holiday Bazaar & Tree Sale.

 

SUNDAY, December 2nd, is the Laurelhurst Winter Bazaar!

 

These will be my first elementary school shows, as well as the last two of the season before Crafty Wonderland!

We make Portland awesome: HHKnits

"We make Portland awesome" is a weekly series. I’m interested building our community of artists by helping us all find out more about each other.

This week: Helene Hughart of HHKnits

Who are you?
My name is Helene Hughart. I was born and raised in Austria to Slovenian Parents. I came to the US over 30 years ago and have lived in California, Kansas and now Portland for 17 years.

What do you make?
Knitting and sewing has been passed down to me from my Mother who taught me these skills before I entered school where in the 60's knitting and sewing was still part of the school curriculum. I have knitted ever since and only started to sell my creations after I stopped working with children and raising our son.

Besides making things, what do you do?
Besides knitting and sewing I enjoy gardening, hiking and traveling.

What inspires you?
I get inspired by the people around me and the materials I work with. My favorite projects are custom works.

Where can your work be found?
You can find my items on www.etsy.com/shop/HHknits and you can see my current work on www.facebook.com/HHknits page

What do you love about Portland?
I enjoy living in Portland because I can garden (long growing period), hike (mountains, beaches, hills in close proximity) and travel internationally.

We make Portland awesome: Kendra Binney

"We make Portland awesome" is a weekly series. I’m interested building our community of artists by helping us all find out more about each other.

This week: Kendra Binney

Who are you?
My name is Kendra Binney. I speak mostly through pictures, and spend most of my time painting, daydreaming, and wondering about small insignificant things.

What do you make?
I paint imaginary worlds of dripping landscapes and insecure, vulnerable characters covered in shiny candy coatings of resins. I sometimes turn these paintings into limited edition art panels, pendants, and other small things.

Besides making things, what do you do?
I spend a lot of time driving around in an ugly van with my dog - occasionally stopping to hike or camp or discover new things. I play a lot of sports in the summer, and also spend a strange amount of time reading about bugs. For someone who's normally very quiet, I tend to be very talkative when it comes to politics or social issues - probably breaching the tolerance of friends who are busy trying to watch a movie or something.

What inspires you?
Everything? I think painting is my way of processing the world around me. I’m often struck by the importance of fleeting moments , the perpetuity of their impermanence, and my inability to understand any of it. The world can be often despairing, and fiercely cruel....and then I see something to make it all completely endearing regardless. For me, painting is a way to grasp what can't be caught, and to express what I can't quite articulate.

Where can your work be found?
In rotating shows in random galleries all over the place. I currently have work up or shows scheduled in L.A., New York, and Manchester, England. - as well as locally. Information on upcoming and current shows can be found at www.twitter.com/kendrabinney , www.facebook.com/kendrabinney Work is also available online at www.kendrabinney.etsy.com

What do you love about Portland?
I was young when I first moved from Arizona to Oregon with my family. I remember taking a drive off the main road - sitting in the back seat with my face against the window - completely awestruck by how beautiful it was - the tangled masses of moss covered trees, the hazy fogs and streaks of rain mixing with the millions of colors of green. Until then, I thought those types of places only existed in fairy tales. I clearly remember thinking to myself that Portland was magic . . . which I'm still apt to believe is true.

Handcrafted Holiday Market this Saturday!

Erik and I will be here on Saturday 10-5! Though I've never been to the Marylhurst University campus, I'm under the impression that it's beautiful– and the show is inside the Old Library!

Siren Nation Art & Craft Sale in review

Originally I'd thought of this show as something of a "warm-up" to get me in the swing of things for the grueling show schedule I have planned this holiday. But it turned out to be one of the best ever! Good sales, excellent neighbors, friendly shoppers in a steady stream. It was extremely well-organized and well-publicized, AND it was in a McMenamins venue, so the atmosphere was great and of course lunch was a highlight.

Excuse the blurry picture. There were so many shoppers at this show that it was hard to find even a moment when the front of the booth was clear!

Tender Loving Empire's online Handmade Shop

Tender Loving Empire– the first shop to sell my work in Portland, and a place very dear to my heart– has been making a lot of changes to their website, including a beautifully updated Handmade Store! They've photographed and listed some of the House of Moss items they stock, and I think they've done a darling job of it.

Siren Nation Show this Sunday!

And so it begins. Come visit me and House of Moss at our first show of the holiday season!
Note the little felted acorns that made it onto the poster. :)

We make Portland awesome: Bread and Badger

"We make Portland awesome" is a weekly series. I’m interested building our community of artists by helping us all find out more about each other.

This week: Amanda of Bread and Badger

Who are you?
I'm Amanda Siska, the owner and artist behind Bread and Badger. My husband, Sean, works with me full-time in our home studio too.

What do you make?
We sandblast my original drawings onto glass and ceramic cups. I create all the art and maintain our online sites, while Sean does most of the production work.

Besides making things, what do you do?
I'm also the mom of a very energetic and hilarious toddler. Before he was born, I spent my free time knitting and playing video games, and I still find time for drinking beer and playing pool occasionally.

What inspires you?
I like to use bold art that reminds me of my childhood -- the wonder and imagination and obsession that we all have as kids. Kids just get so into things that they completely surround themselves with their favorite imagery. We can do this as adults too, without going totally overboard. What single thing defines you right at this moment? What are you really excited about? I like to think that we're making products that people can relate to on a really personal level and say, "this is who I am" when they use them.

Where can your work be found?
Besides Etsy and our website, we also sell our cups in person at Crafty Wonderland and Urban Craft Uprising (in Portland and Seattle, respectively). A full list of retailers that carry our work can be found here: breadandbadger.com/pages/where

In Portland, you can find our work at these awesome shops:

Antler Gallery – 1722 NE Alberta St, Portland
Bikeasaurus – 1725 SE Hawthorne, Portland
Branch + Birdie – 8021 SE Stark, Portland
Crafty Wonderland – 802 SW 10th Ave., Portland
Etcetera – 8621 N. Lombard, Portland
Land/Buy Olympia – 3925 North Mississippi Ave Portland
Made in Oregon – various locations
Pacific North Fresh – 23 NW 5th Ave, Portland
Redux – 811 E Burnside St. Suite #110, Portland
Tender Loving Empire – 412 SW 10th Ave., Portland
Twisted Yarn Shop – 2310 NE Broadway, Portland
ZimZim – 2805 SE Ankeny, Portland

What do you love about Portland?
My husband and I moved here from Boston 4 1/2 years ago because we love the weather (seriously!) and the people. Everyone's so chatty here! It's a nice change from all the aggression and competition that people on the east coast hang onto.

One of the best parts about running an online business is the ability to live anywhere we want, and it's such a bonus to have found a place that's so supportive of local artists and small businesses. I don't think we'll ever leave!

Featured en français!

My little seedlings and hearts have been featured in this entry of the French blog Avec Ses 10 Ptits Doigts! Merci beaucoup to the author of this beautiful blog!