“Making New York-A Hands-on History & Shopping Experience” at Chelsea Market is a Must for Holiday Gifts and More!

November 28, 2017 by NY Handmade Collective

NY Handmade Collective artisans are back at it this holiday season in the beloved and coveted Chelsea Market, November 27-December 3, in the event space, with their “Making New York-A Hands-on History & Shopping Experience." This holiday market has been picked by "Time Out New York" as one of the top five holiday markets to shop this season!

This highly curated week-long market will showcase the history of handmade makers/settlers to our team members today, bringing together some of the best brands in local handmade and will include some hands-on workshops/demonstrations. A list of available workshops and times are below:

Monday, November 27th - 3pm-6pm

Cor Garcia-Held of Cor Pottery/Bklyn Kiln will bring her potter's wheel and demonstrate how pottery is made.

Tuesday, November 28th - 3pm-4pm

Joanie Brittingham of LittleJoanieSoaprano will give an introduce to how soap is made.

Wednesday, November 29th - 1pm-2pm

Watch Cindy Peng of C indy Penguin Jewelry show her crocheted jewelry process.

Wednesday, November 29th - 3pm-4pm

Elena Kanidinc of SimplyNu will show how to make felt holiday ornaments.

Thursday, Novmber 30th - 11am-1pm

Cor Garcia-Held returns for another pottery demonstration.

Thursday, Novmber 30th - 3pm-5pm

Staff from Blick Art Materials will demonstrate a DIY craft

Friday, December 1st - 3pm-4pm

Meredith Stein of Private Picassos will demonstrate DIY stamp-making.

Dia De Los Muertos: A Primer

November 01, 2017 by NY Handmade Collective

Over the past few years, around Halloween time, you may have seen festive, brightly decorated "sugar skulls" proliferating; and it's easy to see why - they're unique, colorful and detailed. But to appreciate these emblems, it's important to learn about the holiday with which they are associated - not Halloween itself, but rather the Mexican holiday of Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead).

Dia de los Muertos is a holiday for people to celebrate and honor loved ones who have passed away. Celebrations for Dia de los Muertos take place from midnight on October 31 through November 2.

While Dia de los Muertos coincides with the Catholic holidays All Soul's & All Saint’s Day, it's not simply a Catholic celebration: the indigenous people of Mexico have combined these significant calendar days with their own long-held beliefs and traditions, to honor their deceased loved ones. The multi-day holiday gathers of family and friends to pray for and remember loved ones who have passed away, and to support the spiritual journey of the deceased; Dia de los Muertos is a time to celebrate the dead temporarily returning to Earth, and to celebrate life.

It is believed the origins of the modern version of Dia de los Muertos that is celebrated today in Mexico, by Mexican people living around the world, and embraced internationally by millions can be traced to indigenous observances hundreds, or even thousands, of years ago as part of an Aztec festival dedicated to the Aztec goddess, Mictecacihuatl. The holiday, and particularly the associated skull motif, has become a national symbol of Mexico. Dia de los Muertos shares some characteristics with celebrations and observances in other cultures around the world for honoring and celebrating the dead.

Dia de los Muertos begins with the belief that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31. The holiday has developed such that over the last century, the most common interpretation is that the spirits of deceased infants and children reunite with their families for 24 hours, on November 1. Then, on November 2, all other spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that have been prepared for them.

Toys are often brought for dead children (referred to as "the little angels" or los angelitos in Spanish), and alcohol is sometimes gifted to adults. Families will also offer other gifts, or favorite snacks or sweets of the deceased, which can be placed on their grave. Altars are sometimes set up in homes either in place or of in addition to celebrations at cemeteries, or graves themselves are intricately decorated; in each case, these offerings are meant to encourage the dead to visit.

The most common and well-known symbol of the holiday is, of course, the skull (calavera in Spanish). So-called 'sugar skulls' came about because foods such as chocolate and sugar in the shape of a skull, decorated with colors and patterns, and sometimes the name of a recipient marked on the forehead, are often presented during the holiday.

(not historically accurate representations of the original sugar skulls, but delicious nonetheless!)

This theme is also commonly represented in the form of decorated skull masks (called calacas in Spanish).

(Dia de los muertos symbols have become so widespread that even craft stores sell ones you can decorate yourself)

It's also important to remember that the traditions and annual activities celebrating Dia le los Muertos vary, depending on family traditions and sometimes changing from town to town; it was not celebrated in Northern Mexico until the 20th century. The holiday currently has great national importance; some families will prepare all year for the celebrations, and may spend several months' salary on decorations and preparations.

This year, huge parades have also taken special care to celebrate those lost in the earthquake that hit Mexico earlier this year, paying special tribute to the victims with huge Dia de los Muertos parades.

I have always found this holiday and its traditions to be poignant and powerful, and have celebrated in mixed media paintings showing vibrant calavera motifs atop watercolor images.

As this holiday becomes increasingly popular around the world, it's wonderful to join in and celebrate, and to honor your deceased loved ones and celebrate life as part of the Dia de los Muertos tradition; it's also important to always remember the meaning behind the symbols. And now, as the clock strikes midnight, feliz Dia de los Muertos!

Lauren // Wandering Laur Fine Art

Glass Fusing Class

October 27, 2017 by NY Handmade Collective

Glass Fusing Class

I love working with glass. While I've done lamp working for many years, I had never done glass fusing, or kiln working, before and wasn't too interested until I found a new store opening along one of the streets I often used in Mamaroneck. This turned out to be a new store, workshop and gallery for Bullseye Glass, an American art glass manufacturer based in Portland, OR. I had to check this out.

It is only a street away from the Mamaroneck Metro North Station. Easy trip from Grand Central Terminal in the city!

A veritable candy shop for glass fanatics!

Samples of work and Bullseye is big on education. There are classes for the complete beginner and the experienced glass artist, and you can rent time in their studio and kiln time for firing your projects after you take the proper classes.

Part of the location is a spare and elegant gallery for contemporary glass artists

The Studio in the back, full of kilns and well lit work tables

All the staff are incredibly helpful and friendly. My introductory class was taught by James O'Neill

This is my worktable at home, but Bullseye provides all the tools and glass you need for the class

The class introduced us to the tools we needed to use and the different kinds and colors of glass we could use to make and decorate a plate. A lot of glass was pre-cut, but we all practiced scoring glass with the cutter and breaking it with the splitting tool. It was a lot easier to cut and break than I remember in high school stained glass class! Glass came in sheets, in powder and frit, and in stringers - thin round sticks like vermicelli. Everyone in the class thought of different ways to decorate their plate. When we finished the plate went on a kiln board for it's first fusing in the kiln. This was called a full fuse, as all the glass would melt together to make a single flat 6mm layer.

After the full fuse, the glass would be put on a mold for the slump fuse and a second firing. This time the kiln would be set to a lower temperature and the glass would just melt into the shape of the mold .

This is one of my glass plates atop a mold. The molds are ceramic but specially coated to prevent the glass from sticking.

This is what my plate turned out like. I used strips of glass, frit, and stringer.

I got a lovely plate and another new hobby started! I would highly recommend classes at Bullseye to anyone who is interested. The introductory class is quite easy and very reasonably priced. Glass makes great gifts!

www.http://www.bullseyeglass.com/products/resource-center-new-york.html

Sumi-e Artist Koho Yamamoto, New York City’s Treasure

October 24, 2017 by NY Handmade Collective

"I believe that one has to be strong and bold, and unafraid to make mistakes."

Koho Yamamoto

Anyone familiar with the local history of sumi-e in New York City knows about artist Koho Yamamoto. At 95 years young, she has taught hundreds of students Japanese ink painting over the years. Her work, which ranges from expressionistic landscapes to abstractions in black and white, has been recognized by many, including Mother Teresa, Isamu Noguchi, and the Smithsonian Institution.

I am a student of Koho, and call her Sensei.

"I was initiated into the sumi-e art form at Topaz Internment camp in Utah by the renowned artist Chiura Obata. My experience during WWII and my life in internment taught me to have courage during uncertain times."

It was during her time in the Japanese internment camp that Koho Yamamoto developed her love for art. She devoted herself to her art under the guidance of her teacher, Chiura Obata, the renowned painter and educator who founded the art schools in the camps.

“My paintings come from nothingness.”

The current Soho exhibition, "The Handshake," showcases her life's masterpieces and the genius of Koho Yamamoto. Her abstractions captivate the viewer with energetic brushstrokes full of life. This impressive collection of ink paintings leaves the viewer in awe of her artistic vision and sheer talent. In "Bamboo2", the bamboo stalk is masterfully rendered in a single brush stroke!

Much more than my sensei, I consider Koho a living legend. Every class is an enriching and joyful experience. She is my inspiration! Don't miss her exhibit, on view until November 15 at Cubico in Soho, NYC. RSVP: https://artveer.com

(Faux) Zatar Roasted Potatoes

October 19, 2017 by NY Handmade Collective

What is Zatar?

For a recent family gathering I was assigned to make Zatar roasted Potatoes. I must be out of the loop because I had no idea what Zatar was.After looking it up I found it was a middle eastern spice that is very trendy now. So trendy in fact that there was none to be found in the stores in my neighborhood. I found a couple of recipes for faux Zatar and gave it a try.

Zatar has Sumac in it, this faux zatar replaces that with lemon peel.

I have a big family so had 5 lbs, of red potatoes ready to go, you won’t need this many. Not only are we many, we all cook and love to eat. I grow thyme so had plenty dried. for some reason I saved and dried the peels of lemons I had juiced. Sesame seeds needed to be toasted but basically I was ready to go.

Recipe
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Recipe: for about 4 servings
Cut 4 potatoes into bite size pieces and par boil about 10 minutes
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried lemon peel - replaces Sumac whichI didn’t have
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Course salt to taste
Grind together in food processor or spice grinder
Place par boiled potatoes on parchment paper - I love using this whenever possible saves a lot on clean up!
sprinkle oil on potatoes and toss
Sprinkle with Zatar mixture
Roast for 35 minutes..
If inclined drizzle sesame tahini on top and serve

Sumi-e: An Introduction

September 28, 2017 by NY Handmade Collective

The first time I picked up a bamboo brush was in a third-grade classroom in Japan. It was the highlight of the day for our visiting group of teachers from America. The initial experience of dipping that brush into the ink and writing my first kanji is unforgettable. Twenty years later, I have rediscovered my fascination with Japanese ink painting, known as sumi-e. In this first installment in a series, I will introduce some basics to get to started in sumi-e.

Experiencing calligraphy for the first time, twenty years ago in Japan.

Not So Simple

One may hear of "the simple art of sumi-e", but sumi-e is far from simple. It has the potential to be life-changing, as the practice of painting with ink is more than the art form. The sumi-e artist is challenged with capturing the essence of a subject with the fewest brushstrokes. It requires self-discipline, courage, and the willingness to take risks in learning to use the ink and brush confidently. Once the mark is made with the brush, there is no turning back, and no corrections can be made. This encourages dedication to improve, spontaneity and in time, energetic paintings full of life.

The Four Treasures

In sumi-e, the essential materials are known as "The Four Treasures." While it may be easier to use bottled ink, I find that grinding my own ink allows me to focus as I prepare to paint.

Paper (washi): While a variety of rice papers and silk is traditionally used, beginners will actually practice on many, many sheets of newspaper.
Brush (fude): The brush is traditionally made of natural materials with a bamboo handle in a variety of sizes.
Ink (sumi): This is a dry stick of ink, also known as pine soot ink. Bottled ink is used as well.
Ink Stone (suzuri): The ink stick is rubbed in water onto this stone which has an area carved out to hold the new liquid ink.

practice on newspaper before using expensive rice paper

Beginning Sumi-e

The basic strokes of sumi-e can be learned by practicing specific subject matter found in nature. The photos above show some of my early experiments with bamboo, pine, and plum blossom, the building blocks of sumi-e painting. The techniques learned can be applied to all aspects of brush painting, and is a necessary foundation to expanding to other subjects. Practicing these subjects teach control of the ink and handling of the brush: making confident strokes without hesitation is key, as this will show in the work. Since results are immediate, one can instantly determine the effectiveness of technique. The practice of sumi-e takes great dedication, and the process can be quite fulfilling to both artists and non-artists. Stay tuned for more in my journey!

Nicoletta is a lifelong artist and art educator, with an M.A. in Art Education and Administration. She travels the world seeking cultural inspiration for her art, and has worked in fibers, acrylics, oils, and sculpture. She currently teaches elementary art education, adult oil painting and sumi-e classes in New Jersey. She is also known for her unique jewelry, inspired by the reinvention of the mundane zipper, featured throughout the NY/NJ area as Artologie Zipper Jewelry.