Art Star is a gallery and boutique selling handmade work in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties.  If you are at all familiar with the Art Star name, it may be because of their Art Star Craft Bazaars, Philly’s largest outdoor craft markets.  I went to my first market last winter at the Armory and was enchanted by their carefully juried show!  When I challenged myself to get to know my neighborhood, Art Star was my first stop.

The owners, Erin Waxman and Megan Brewster, both have backgrounds in the arts themselves.  They attended Tyler School of Art and sold their own work before opening Art Star.  Like most people in the handmade community, they are both incredibly friendly and helpful.  They have worked hard to build their business, which actually started with the Craft Bazaars.  After some success with these they opened the first Art Star shop in 2004.  Now seven years in, they have expanded their shop and are now in a bright, high-ceilinged location on North 2nd Street.

In their store they rotate 70-75 artists in a wide variety of mediums.  They have work in textiles, print, ceramics, metal, wood… the whole range that handmade can offer.  Almost all of the artists are in the United States, and many are local to the area.  They still hold their Bazaars as well.  They’ll have the first one of the year this May 12th & 13th on Penn’s Landing, showcasing about 140 artists.  So if you’re already planning on going to the Guild’s new Rittenhouse show that weekend, you can stroll over to the waterfront for even more handmade!

Now the two of them are working on their own brand- Art Star.  They recently opened their own Etsy shop, which is stocked with collaborations between themselves and other artists.  These items are labeled “for Art Star”, and show Megan and Erin’s art background combined with their business know-how.  By collaborating they can produce new items that may be slightly outside what an artist may normal create.  For example, making a metal necklace inspired by a paper print, and producing a range of “for Art Star” 2012 calendars (printed locally), focusing on individual artists’ work.

Talking to Erin and Megan was like talking to any other crafter.  They are a part of the creative spirit in Philadelphia, promoting handmade and getting people in the habit of buying locally.  These two women work hard, but they love what they do.

Spring Art Star Craft Bazaar applications deadline is Monday, March 5th.
Art Star website: www.artstarphilly.com
Art Star Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/artstarphilly

A 10^th Anniversary Celebration for the Central PA Gathering of Guilds will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 9 am – 4 pm, and each attendee will receive a special handmade gift provided by the participating guilds! The Gathering will be held at the Swatara Church of God Gymnasium, 4860 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA, and will feature a special exhibit by the guilds at WITF, 4801 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA. WITF will also offer guided tours of their facility throughout the day. Shuttle service between WITF and the church will be provided.

Admission is canned food items for the Central PA Food Bank. Homemade soup, sandwiches, and baked goods will be available for sale throughout the day.

Over the last few years the slow economy has created a resurgence of interest in hand made work, providing a fertile ground for a renewed appreciation for both art and craft in fashion, home decorating, and gift giving. A growing awareness of ecological issues has led crafters to use recovered materials, re-purpose cast-offs, and discover new ways to recycle. A noon lecture on “The State of the Craft” will be presented by Sherrie Boyer, Executive Director of the PA Guild of Craftsman. Other lectures and demos will be featured throughout the day, including “From Fiber to Fabric” by Terry Kunst, and “Lace: A Web of Beauty and Intrigue” by Deb Bender.

The Gathering of Guilds focuses on education and outreach, providing an opportunity for Central PA residents to learn about the plethora of guilds & groups available to them, and to network with like-minded people at little or no cost. More than twenty fiber and needlework-related guilds will gather to display the work of their members, demonstrate various techniques, and interact with the community.

Participating guilds include:

Apple Needlepointers, Blue Ridge Mountain Lacemakers, Central PA Basket Weavers Guild, Central PA Bead & Jewelry Society, Central PA Guild of Handweavers, Harrisburg American Sewing Guild, Harrisburg Area Polymer Clay Guild, Harrisburg Crochet Guild of America, Keystone Lace Guild, Nat’l Asso of Wheat Weavers, Lemoyne Star Quilters, Letort Quilters, Red Rose Embroidery Guild of America (EGA), South Cumberland Fiber Guild, State College American Sewing Guild, Susquehanna Chapter EGA, Susquehanna Sewing Guild, Thimble & Thread EGA, Wool & Peace Rughooking Guild, and York White Rose EGA.

For more information, contact (717) 938-2904, email gatheringofguilds@att.net, or go to website at www.keystonelaceguild.org

Choose an adjective from the list below to complete the prompt.  There are no incorrect answers.  Color me ____________ :

• Confused
• Stressed
• Elated
• Flattered
• Proud
• Relieved
• Loved

And therein lies the wonder of being a mom!  I can be all of those things in the span of a week, a day or even an hour.

Having a 21-month old is certainly a challenge.  One minute, my daughter seems as content as can be and the next, tears are streaming for reasons that I cannot quite understand.  One of the activities we’ve been engaging in a LOT lately is coloring, or “coleurs” as my daughter calls it.  Coloring proves to be a great distraction when either of us needs to change gears.  I love sitting at the kitchen table and being commissioned, instantaneously, to render whatever pops into my little one’s head.  If nothing else, my drawing skills are certainly improving.

My cats have come a loooong way.

We love to dip into my enormous stash of stickers and use crayons.  Santa tucked triangular Melissa & Doug crayons into my daughter’s stocking, which were a great idea.  The colors aren’t very intense, so I’m not sure if I would recommend these specifically, but I would demand that every mother of a toddler get some triangular crayons.

I also offer my personal horde of crayons.  When I was young, I didn’t have triangular crayons.  I had to pounce on any art supplies that were headed toward the edge of the table before they hit the floor.  I hope to hone these cat-like reflexes in my daughter through the use of cylindrical crayons.

Any Silver Swirls you see in there are vintage 1991!

I have some very special crayons that were made for me with a Crayola Crayon Maker.  I’ve got my eye on Craigslist for one that is gently-used.  I’d LOVE to have one of our own!

These beauties have the same mystique as a batik!

I’ll leave you with a couple of shots of our most recent time creating!

So fun!

On this particular day, it was requested that I draw a meatball, a black Elmo and a red Cookie Monster, among other things.

this article is re-posted from an article by Karim Olaechea on the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

February 7th, Governor Tom Corbett addressed the General Assembly and laid out his budget priorities for the coming year. Touting the wisdom and austerity of last year’s budget cuts, Corbett proposed a FY2012-13 budget that is “at once lean and demanding,” while pledging to not raise taxes and to “not spend more than we have.”

• Level funding for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
  On the positive side, funding for the PCA has been maintained at $9.065 million, $8.179 of which is allocated to community arts grants.
• Further Reductions for the Pennsylvania Historical and Museums Commission.
  Once again, the PHMC has seen a reduction to its budget. Overall funding for PHMC was reduced by 3.6%, this includes a 5% decrease in funding for state historic preservation. PHMC’s museum assistance grants remains at zero for a third year in a row, down from from $1.8 million in FY2010.
• Funding for Zoos Eliminated.
  Funding for the state’s four zoos has been cut completely, down to zero from $450,000 in FY2011-12.
• Public Television Budget Line Disappears.
  The once zeroed out line reserved for public television has been removed from the budget document altogether.

• To read Governor Corbett’s budget speech in its entirety
• Download and read the full budget

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