stella design gallery

Soledad Salame and David Brown at Goya Contemporary

Soledad Salame. Atmospheres in Blue 1 & 2, 2009.
Monoprint, silkscreen, solar etching. 25" x 68"

Goya Contemporary is opening two new exhibitions tonight--Soledad Salame's Barcodes, Atmospheres, & Islands, and David Brown's New Works.

There is a reception tonight from 6-8pm at the gallery, which is in the Mill Centre in Hampden at 3000 Chestnut Ave in Studio 214.

I am unfamiliar with David Brown's work, but I know Soledad from when I worked at Gomez Gallery at the Clipper Mill building in Woodberry. Her work is gorgeous in person--usually large scale pieces that are solar etchings or prints on aluminum (these days). It will be great to see her!

The show is up from May 12, 2010 to July 17, 2010.

David Brown, Purple Shape (corner piece), 2009.
Enamel on panel. 31" x 55"

Cicada Design

Yeah, so we're not going to talk about why I haven't been updating my blog lately. I'm embarrassed. You all can come up with your own fantastical reasons, if you wish.

I am excited to announce that I have finally opened up my own jewelry business: Cicada Design. I have opened up shop at Etsy and I'm applying for some local and regional craft shows. I'm living my dream! Ha ha. This really has been a passion of mine for years, and folks, it was only fear that was holding me back. Don't let that stop you all--learn from my mistake.

Here is some of my work (all images copyright emilie kleiner 2010. Please ask permission before using):

All work is low carbon steel and various semi-precious gem stone beads, except for the last picture, which is a vintage celluloid tatting shuttle.

I love to be creative and I know this will fill a huge, gaping hole in my soul that has been missing since I graduated from college with my art degree. I'm excited to be on this path and can't wait to make a name for myself!

Rip-Off Alert: Urban Threads

I read about seventy-eleven blogs almost everyday, and I came across a very important tidbit of news on Early Bird Special. Unfortunately, a company called Urban Threads has blatantly ripped off designs, instructional demos, and even personality from Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching (who is awesome and someone I admire very much).

Please read the Early Bird Special blog post. She gives a good recap, and links to other blogs that have also reported on the issue. What I am most proud of, regarding the grassroots uprising against dishonest business practices, is the very high level of class with which this is handled in the craft community. Yes, we are outraged, but no one is nasty or hateful. In fact, there is a call for corporations and sole proprietors to work together for the common good of craft.

Show your support for Jenny Hart and Sublime Stitching--visit the web site and buy some patterns! Do NOT buy patterns from Urban Threads! Protest with your wallet and spread the word that stealing ideas from anyone and passing them off as your own is not cool.

UPDATE 5.4.2009

Now that this mess has cooled down some, and I've had time to reflect on it, I feel a little silly for a one reason (regarding my blog post): I definitely responded hastily, and out of an emotional and biased place. Once I read about even the possibility of someone being deceitful and trying to ride on the coattails of a crafter who has worked hard to develop her own portfolio and customer base, I flipped. I think that's understandable, but I do wish that I had waited until more details emerged before I posted something for all to see on the blogosphere. Now people are accusing me of possessing a group-think mentality because of my knee-jerk reaction. Yikes!

I don't know how this will all work out. I hope that the truth becomes visible to everyone, but it might not. I reacted so strongly because of my admiration for Jenny (even though I have not met her, that doesn't mean I can't be a huge fan of hers), but also because intellectual property is SO difficult to defend against the ravages of derivative work and all forms of stealing. A person's creative mind is so valuable, and when one takes the time to bring to fruition the beauty that they see, I want to celebrate it. I also want to defend it, even if I end up going against my better judgment and write a frantic blog post.

Best of luck to Jenny and Urban Threads; I hope that they can reach at least a polite understanding of what happened and move forward in a positive direction. It would be really great if this situation could serve an educational purpose for all of us in the art and craft world. I've learned my own lesson about how wildly stories can take off on the internet!

Also, Niamh O'Connor has left a link to her response in the comments section of this blog post. Please take the time to read it.

Hampdenfest, Hon!

Tomorrow is the annual Hampdenfest on the Avenue in Baltimore (W 36th Street). Stop by for craft vendors, live music, great boutique sales, yummy food and a craft supplies drive at the BEST booth. All art supplies will be donated to Art with a Heart.

Hampdenfest runs from 11am to 7pm tomorrow, Saturday, September 13th. Hope you can make it!

Interview with Jen Menkhaus

I promised you all an interview with Jen Menkhaus, founding member of the Baltimore Etsy Street Team (B.E.S.T.) and mixed media crafter, and it's about time I delivered. I made the mistake of overextending myself this week so this is the only free evening I've had (sniffle) to put up a post.

Jen is a friend of mine from a previous job and I've always admired her creativity (she used to design the window displays for Anthropologie!) and original style. She's one of those people that you know is so much cooler than you are, and yet she is nice to everyone and has a sweet spirit. Go Jen!

Baltimore Etsy Street Team photo by Tya Anthony of Eyeni Photography, www.eyeniphoto.com   

1. Now that Pile of Craft and Artscape are over, what big events will B.E.S.T. be participating in next?

First up is Hampdenfest, September 13th (http://hampdenfest.blogspot.com/).  We'll have a huge space, 8 x 40'!  We have been invited to quite a few events in the fall, more info coming soon in our blog. (http://www.baltimorecraft.com)

2. I know that your goals at B.E.S.T. involve promoting Etsy, handmade craft, and each other's work. What kinds of alternative strategies do you have for promotion aside from blogging and advertising? What are you doing that is "outside of the box"?

I think there is strength in numbers - we have so many connections just through our members that we have been lucky enough to get word out quickly in the seven months we've been together.  I think that for me it is easier to promote others than myself, and that is one of the benefits of a group, since we are all doing that for each other.  I won't say we have been lazy about marketing and promoting, but we really have tried to develop a quality group of crafters rather than doing things like advertising.

3. I really enjoy your personal work--my mom now has one of your brooches and I've begun a modest collection of my own. What do you have up your sleeve for the fall?

Oh, my sketchbook is really full.  I have some new brooches, necklaces, cuffs, scarves, and kid's accessories coming in the fall.  I'll also be doing more labor-intensive, one of a kind pieces.  I had a huge demand for one of the pieces I created that had fifteen layers of embroidery, that I couldn't part with, and I'll be making more in that style.  It's just a matter of finding the time!

One of a Kind Felt Necklace. Copyright Jen Menkhaus 2008.

4. Finally, if there was one magical thing that you wish would happen to bring loads of attention and fame to B.E.S.T. and/or your own personal work, what would it be?

Wow.  We've had so much already, it would be greedy to ask for more right now!  I guess I would really like to see this handmade movement become a pervasive force in the US.  I personally feel very strongly that for the sake of our local economies, the environment, and overall quality of life, we should support local businesses and choose fewer, more special things over having many things.  Y'know, quality vs quantity.

Pointy Flower Brooch. Copyright Jen Menkhaus 2008.

Baltimore Biz Ladies

As much as I wanted to, I couldn't go to the Baltimore Biz Ladies meetup at the American Visionary Art Museum last night. It was hosted by one of my favorite bloggers, Grace of design*sponge (of course, since I am constantly referencing her I might as well do it once more), as well as some local business owners and designers: Kat Feuerstein of Gilah Press + Design,  and Megan & Lesley of doubledutch boutique.

However, I bring you some fabulous news: the handouts from the meetup are posted on Grace's blog! Click here to download the documents. This is great information for those of you who are thinking of starting your own craft or design business (and for those who already have!).

This weekend I am off to photograph my college roommate's wedding in West Virginia. I rented a Canon EOS 40-D (woo-hoo!) for the event so I think I am sufficiently prepared equipment-wise (although I'm nervous as heck). I'd like to give a shout-out to Service Photo in Hampden for giving me stellar customer service today when I picked up my camera. I was very impressed. Once I figure out who it was that helped me, I will post his name.

I'm going to leave you with some images from the very first wedding I ever photographed (it was a disaster--I don't want to talk about it):

Bride & Groom. Image copyright emilie kleiner 2008.

Bride & Groom. Image copyright emilie kleiner 2008.

Groom's father. Image copyright emilie kleiner 2008.

Tango Lesson. Image copyright emilie kleiner 2008.

Denyse Schmidt

The August/September issue of American Craft magazine features my favorite quilt artist on its cover: Denyse Schmidt. She is a former ballerina who opened her quilting studio in an old factory building six years ago in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

I came across her work in a Martha Stewart Living magazine years ago (yes, I love Martha Stewart dearly) and immediately responded to her carefully structured, asymmetrical quilts. I'm actually not sure that asymmetrical is the best word choice to describe her piecing, but it is definitely not all straight lines and right angles. Like Lulu Smith, Denyse is also a talented colorist, but with fabric instead of hand-pigmented resin.

My favorite quilt is below:

Drunk Love in a Log Cabin. Copyright Denyse Schmidt 2008. Via www.denyseschmidt.com

It looks like American Craft magazine's web site isn't updated for this latest issue, so you'll have to purchase a copy at your nearest Barnes & Noble or Borders bookstore. Hopefully you can find it at a cool indie newsstand like Harbor News here in Baltimore!