On Sunday, the weather cooperated a bit and I made it over to Brooklyn to attend The Fourth Annual Renegade Craft Fair. Started in Chicago by crafter Sue Daly, this fun show took place at the McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood. (additional shows will be held later this year at Chicago’s Wicker Park and at Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion in San Francisco) Brooklyn’s event featured handcrafted goods from over 200 talented and completely creative craftsters.

A little bit of everything was at the show. For the fashionistas, there was a lot of jewelry, plenty of totebags, and multitudes of clever t-shirts and onsies. Always a sucker for letterpress, I took the opportunity to stock up on cards and stationery.

Designs ranged the gamut, but one big trend was owls and birds–the passion for these feathered friends just doesn’t seem to be ending.

Here are some of my favorite decorative finds:

handcrafted and handpainted Glazed Porcelain Plates from kg+ab

Custom Printed Window Shades by Addie Gartland of Drink and Dream

ted lights: custom tea lights available in singles or groups from domestic construction

Kitsch-Plates—switch plate covers, tissue box covers, and night lights découpaged by hand with vintage wallpaper by Fondue Art + Design

Letterpress Photo Mats by Sycamore Street Press

These are great–you adhere your photo to the mat, cut your mat to the desired size, and frame.

Typographic Neighborhood Posters by Jenny Beorkrem of Ork Posters

Jenny currently has designs from New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. This blue and white one is soon going to be hanging on my wall!

Just a few other things that really made me smile:

Handprinted Vintage Hankies by Bird & Banner -they even do custom invitations printed on hankerchiefs!

Needle Felted Birds handcrafted by Lauren Alane—So cute!

colorful Straw Flower Jewelry made with vintage craft straw by Cathy of California

handcrafted Tin Bird from Bossa Nova Baby

And, one of my very favorite things was this clever Postcard Machine:

Watch her piece on You Tube to see how it works. Hilarious!

Most of these clever crafters sell their pieces through Etsy, a great website that provides a marketplace for all things handmade. Visit their website and spend some time exploring the offerings of hundreds of creative folks. You’ll be amazed!

—Jennifer Kopf

Technorati Tags: Renegade Craft Fair, handmade, craftsters, crafting, letterpress, Brooklyn, Etsy, wall art

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Whenever I travel, I always like to visit the local farmers’ market. I go not for all the yummy fruits and vegetables, although they are tempting, but for the other local fare: the work of local artists. Public markets are a great place to pick up little one-of-a-kind souvenirs of your trip. I love that when I look around my apartment, a blue and white plate reminds me of a trip to California, a framed postcard takes me back to Paris, and a naive painting reminds me of travels in Connecticut. And now, with the help of a pretty 5-cent cherry blossom postage stamp, I’ll remember my past weekend in Washington D.C.

On Saturday, my friends and I visited the Eastern Market in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. A continuously operating public market since 1873, Eastern Market serves as a community gathering place and a source for all kinds of local foods and goods. On the weekends, the market hosts its Market 5 Gallery Arts & Crafts Fair and The Capitol Hill Flea Market.

While filled with a lot of expected pottery and jewelry, there were a few booths worth a stop.

The first was where I bought my little trinket. Fifteen-year-old D’Elia Chandler collects and frames vintage postage stamps. From Audrey Hepburn to Gee’s Bend Quilts, she gives these small works of art a charming new life. And at $7, what a bargain! She doesn’t sell online, but can be contacted at ptmdelia@hotmail.com. Let her work inspire you to frame something memorable, such as postcards, theater and concert tickets, and even matchbooks.

Framed vintage maps of places you have lived, traveled, or dreamed of exploring make great wall art. The Map Man has stacks and stacks of maps to peruse—the hunt is half the fun!

My favorite discovery was Erika Rubel and her Had Matter collection. Erika crafts whimsical key holders, shelves, and clocks with pieces of recycled and vintage materials. Each one is so clever and really makes you smile. These are definite conversation starters and a great way to add that fun factor to your home. I really loved the hula skirt!

Most of her pieces are under $100. You can see more on her website.

By Jennifer Kopf

Technorati Tags: Washington D.C., Eastern Market, farmers’ market, arts & crafts, maps, postage stamps, D’Elia Chandler, The Map Man, Erika Rubel, Had Matter, recycle, vintage, hula

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Whenever I travel, I always like to visit the local farmers’ market. I go not for all the yummy fruits and vegetables, although they are tempting, but for the other local fare: the work of local artists. Public markets are a great place to pick up little one-of-a-kind souvenirs of your trip. I love that when I look around my apartment, a blue and white plate reminds me of a trip to California, a framed postcard takes me back to Paris, and a naive painting reminds me of travels in Connecticut. And now, with the help of a pretty 5-cent cherry blossom postage stamp, I’ll remember my past weekend in Washington D.C.

On Saturday, my friends and I visited the Eastern Market in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. A continuously operating public market since 1873, Eastern Market serves as a community gathering place and a source for all kinds of local foods and goods. On the weekends, the market hosts its Market 5 Gallery Arts & Crafts Fair and The Capitol Hill Flea Market.

While filled with a lot of expected pottery and jewelry, there were a few booths worth a stop.

The first was where I bought my little trinket. Fifteen-year-old D’Elia Chandler collects and frames vintage postage stamps. From Audrey Hepburn to Gee’s Bend Quilts, she gives these small works of art a charming new life. And at $7, what a bargain! She doesn’t sell online, but can be contacted at ptmdelia@hotmail.com. Let her work inspire you to frame something memorable, such as postcards, theater and concert tickets, and even matchbooks.

Framed vintage maps of places you have lived, traveled, or dreamed of exploring make great wall art. The Map Man has stacks and stacks of maps to peruse—the hunt is half the fun!

My favorite discovery was Erika Rubel and her Had Matter collection. Erika crafts whimsical key holders, shelves, and clocks with pieces of recycled and vintage materials. Each one is so clever and really makes you smile. These are definite conversation starters and a great way to add that fun factor to your home. I really loved the hula skirt!

Most of her pieces are under $100. You can see more on her website.

By Jennifer Kopf

Technorati Tags: Washington D.C., Eastern Market, farmers’ market, arts & crafts, maps, postage stamps, D’Elia Chandler, The Map Man, Erika Rubel, Had Matter, recycle, vintage, hula

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One incredibly balmy evening earlier this week, I dropped by R Gallery’s opening of “Hugo França: The Story of the Tree.” It was a truly marvelous, don’t-miss-it show. The Brazilian designer carves stunningly elemental–and incredibly large-scale–furnishings from discarded Amazonian Indian canoes and fallen Pequi trees, some dating to 1,000 years old. Among the beautifully sculpted pieces on display were low-slung coffee tables, languorous chaises, and enormous room dividers.

The installation includes an insightful video that sheds light on França’s creative process, which is equal parts brute force (chain saws, chisels) and pure imagination (he has an otherworldly, almost spiritual communion with the trees and an ability to “see”–and then expose–their inner form). The utterly simple lines belie the complexity of the laborious handcraftsmanship that goes into making them.

Sadly–and unfairly–Brazil still gets a bad rap when it comes to earth-consciousness; deforestation and an active timber black market have marred the country’s reputation. The work of many contemporary Brazilian furniture designers goes a long way to correcting that. The ones I’ve met have been universally respectful of Mother Earth, embracing sustainable practices long before they came into vogue and celebrating nature’s inherent beauty with exquisitely poetic work. França included.

The show is up through June 14. If you can’t afford one of the pieces (which run into the tens of thousands!), order a copy of the catalog. Photographed by Tuca Reines, it’s a work of art in itself. –Jen Renzi

Technorati Tags: Hugo Franca, R 20th Century Gallery, best New York art exhibitions, luxury eco-friendly furniture, Brazilian wood furnishings

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Scared of auctions? Don’t know when or how to raise the paddle? Not sure how to sign up in the first place? Wondering whether you need a lot of money? Curious about how it works when you win?

Then get thee to Phillips de Pury + Co’s Saturday Sale pronto! The next one is tomorrow, April 26, with sessions at 10 AM and 2 PM. Go! Even if it’s just for an hour!

Really, I cannot say enough good things about this newish series, launched a year and a half ago as a sort of “starter” auction targeted at first-time buyers. Sales typically feature an assortment of lots from all departments–from modern design objects to jewelry to fine art–with lower starting bids than their usual fare. Tomorrow’s sale has an emphasis on art toys (think: limited-edition vinyl Godzillas) and watches, but still includes the usual complement of Thomas Demand photographs, Damien Hirst prints, Roy Lichtenstein art plates, and furnishings by the likes of Raymond Loewy and Terje Ekstrom (above). Check out the catalog for details on each item. (You can also bid online! Although that’s not as fun.)

My advice for auction neophytes: Go, register (very easy) for a paddle, then sit and enjoy. Don’t even bid the first time, unless you feel moved. Just get into the vibe of the thing and start to notice the tenor of how bidding escalates and get a feel for how closely estimates match selling prices. I always learn a ton, and discover all sorts of intriguing name and unusual furnishings I’ve never seen before.

Even if you are a well-seasoned art buyer, it’s a fun and lively event, with an unpretentious, feel-good vibe. And great bargains. –Jen Renzi

Technorati Tags: how to buy at auction, Phillips de Pury & Co Saturday sale, Saturday@Phillips, affordable modern furniture auction, collecting modern design

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