Craftivism: Reclaiming Craft & Creating Community
October 9th – October 30th, 2008
Opening reception: Thursday, October 12th, 4:30-6:30pm

A group exhibition guest curated by Faythe Levine (Paper Boat Boutique & Gallery, Milwaukee) featuring artists working at the intersection of craft activism, feminism, environmentalism, DIY, street culture and creative reclamation in order to build communities capable of intervening in the world around us.

Craftivists whose work will be featured in this exhibition include: Kate Bingaman-Burt, Amy Carlton, Cinnamon Cooper, Sabrina Gschwandtner, Jennifer Marsh, Cat Mazza, Handmade Nation, Lisa Solomon, Stephanie Syjuco, and Melissa Vogley Woods.

CRAFTIVISM:
BROWN BAG WORKSHOPS / DEMONSTRATIONS / LECTURE / DIY
All events are free, open to the public & take place in the Lawton Gallery: Noon - 1pm
[note: with the exception Sarah & Jenna's workshop which is 10/22: 4-5pm]
Gallery Hours: Tues - Sat: 10:00 - 3:00pm

A series of multi-colored Brown Bag workshops that celebrate crafty skills, techniques, a lecture, and participatory activities. All events are free and materials will be provided. You don't need to be an expert to participate. Surprise yourself and be part of a whole new craftivist world!

SHEDULE OF EVENTS

Wednesday, Oct. 15th
Alison Gates: Artists and Activists with Sharp Sticks (and the Penguins Who Love Them.)
A lecture focusing on knitting and community activism, including a short history of knitting, radical knitting (microrevolt.com), subversive knitting practices (Freddie Robbins), and coverage of sustainable yarn co-ops, the Heifer Project, and much more. Discussion to follow this 30-40 min presentation.

Thursday, Oct. 16th
Stephen Perkins: Create Original Page Art For Two Artists' Periodicals: Wipe (Australia) and Brain Cell (Japan)
We will create pages to be sent to the above artists' magazines. These publications have an open submission policy and your work will be published in a forthecoming issue & mailed back to you. Submissions for Wipe have to be on individual sheets of toilet paper (gallery will provide this). The Lawton will sponsor the mailing of the works. Some image making devices will be provided, but feel free to bring your own materials (rubber stamps, pens etc...)

Wednesday, Oct. 22nd
Kay Flick: How to Make Sock Critters
A demonstration on how-to construct sock critters. Students will practice making sock-monkey style lips, appendages and other stitching on a collaboratively created creature.

Wednesday, Oct. 22nd SPECIAL TIME: 4:00 - 5:00pm
Sarah Detweiler and Jenna Bigott: Alternative Stitching and Embroidery Tools
This demonstraiton is an introduction to some alternative crafting tools such as Punch Embroidery and Counted Cross Stitch. A how-to of both methods will be shown, samples provided, and include a handout listing supplies, where to get them, terminology, and additional books of crafting inspiration.

Tuesday, Oct. 28th
Tina Bechtel: Shaving Cream Marbled Paper
Using shaving cream as the base this workshop will be a hands-on session and participants will create their own marbled paper to take away.

Wednesday, Oct. 29th
Christopher Cannon: Cut to Pieces - Stencil Making - Guerilla Art
A demonstration of simple methods and tools for making and applying cut stencils out of inexpensive craft materials. A review of various materials and found objects that can be used to make stencils, and an overview of a variety of interesting applicaitons for them. It will be a walk-away project that allows participants to take home a matrix(es) for making guerilla/art.

Thursday, Oct. 30th
Chris Style: Make your own decorative serving spoon
This uses Sculpy, a pasta maker, and a spoon that each participant brings in. I will take and bake and you can pick up your finished piece in the gallery.