Plaiderpillar

I will be participating in two shows this upcoming weekend.  Here’s the skinny:

First, Paula Wallace has graciously allowed me to show my bunny and kitty blocks alongside her immaculate oil paintings, prints, books, and other works.  The show is called “Fresh Paint,”  and will be held Friday, June 3 from 6pm until 9pm, and will continue through June 19.  It will be held at Dundee Gallery.  (Dundee Gallery is at 4916 Underwood Ave.)  I am also proud to be showing with Matthew Schrader and Valerie Spellman Batt, two artists who work in glass.  Matthew makes hand-blown items of all sorts, and Valerie works in stained glass.

I have been wanting to find the perfect items to bring to Jean’s Dundee Gallery for a while, and Paula’s show afforded me a wonderful opportunity.  Paula wanted some little bunny items, and the bunny (and kitty) blocks fit the bill!  Thank you to Jean and Paula for the opportunity.

Yay!  With the help of my WONDERFUL mother, I’ve gotten a bunch of stuff cranked out!  It’s a new cat purse!

Saturday, June 4 (5pm-9pm), I will be participating in a show to raise dog food (and money to buy more dog food) for the food bank.  It is called Fetching Food for Fido, and Anna Hunter is hosting it on the third floor of Hot Shops Art Center.  (Hot Shops is at 1301 Nicholas St.)  It will run for the whole month of June.  And best of all, IT’S A DOG-FRIENDLY EVENT!  (Unless they are like our puggle, Charlie.)

I will have animal items for sale (like this cat purse, mini monsters, bunny and bird items, blocks, etc.), and have donated a few more for the raffle. There will be paw printing, photos, adoptable Great Danes from Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue, and more.  Particpating artists include Anna Hunter, Randi Hunter, Rob Quinn, Matthew Shrader, William Holland, Gerard Pefung, Adam Swinarski, and me!

Hope you can make it to one, the other, or both.

I used to teach preschool, so I was predisposed to say yes when Kassandra asked me to speak to her group of preschoolers at Brownell-Talbot school.  I’ll drop by there a couple times during March, but the first talk will be about different types of creatures I’ve made.  This is a brief little video highlighting the basics.

Kevin Rooney and Josh Powell put this masterpiece together, and HOLY COW!  It’s a gazillion artists that they’ve organized into a two-day event, each with their own space in the Urban Storage building on 13th and Leavenworth. It’s named Science Fair because we look like a big science fair, what with our booths all lined up.  They have put so much work into this.  I’m always grateful that people would go to that much trouble to set up an event like this, and then just let me crash the party and reap the benefits.  There’s no possible way this thing will be anything less than insanely fun.  Thanks, guys!

Saturday, January 29 6:30 pm - 11 pm

Saturday, February 5 6:30 pm - 11 pm

Here it is in their own words:

On January 29th, 2011, the Urban Storage building on the corner of 13th and Leavenworth will be overrun by more that 75 artists, performers and musicians. All participants were given a single storage space in the massive warehouse to do with as they saw fit. Visitors to The Science Fair will be treated to a visual and sonic feast ranging from a single work of art hanging in a unit to full solo exhibitions, massive installations, site specific performance pieces and sets from local bands as they wander the maze of units.

I just made a new bird pattern.

I made it for YOU!

Urban Outfitters asked if I would display some pieces in the store for the month of November and do a demonstration of a little sewn something as well.  This is what I came up with:  A little bird pattern for you to take home and sew for yourself!

The ones on the left are sample birdies I made, as well as the plaid one on the right.  Rob being the talented, generous guy he is volunteered to test run the demonstration with me and made the flowery bird in the picture on the right.  Pretty good, eh?

I just hung up a bunch of little PlaiderPillar guys (some you haven’t seen yet) upstairs near the fitting rooms, so stop by this month and check it out.  The demonstration for sewing this guy will be at 5pm this Friday (Nov. 5) at Urban Outfitters.  It should take about an hour, supplies will be provided, and I’ll print off lots of copies so you can take it pattern home.  Hope you can come sew with me and the PlaiderPillars!

Rob Quinn and I have joined forces and revamped the studio once again!  (In case you didn’t know, the PlaiderPillar works out of a studio at Hot Shops, #222.)  Come visit us, and all the artists at Hot Shops.  It’s this upcoming weekend.  My dad will be blacksmithin’ like a madman down in the forge, too!  Oh, and I’m making carmel corn for this thing.  Yeah, that’s right.  Carmel corn.  All the cool kids eat carmel corn.

Hours / Location:

Saturday, May 2nd, noon - 8 pm

Sunday, May 3rd, noon - 5 pm

13th and Nicholas, Downtown Omaha

It’s time for Spring Loaded!  What is Spring Loaded?  Why, it’s the Omaha Craft Mafia’s spring trunk show, of course!  Myself, the other OCM members, and our awe-inspiring guest crafters will be selling our crafty wares at Mosaic on 13th and William in downtown Omaha.  Check out the member’s merch here, but come to the show to see the wares of Aorta, Korey Anderson, and Kholrabi.

I’ve cranked out clotheslines full of PlaiderPillar undies, created a couple pieces almost too big for studio, and there’s talk of PlaiderPillar toadstools!  But just wait till you see the new things cooked up by our members and guest crafters!  Upcycled garments, hair dryer lamps, vintage baubles . . . you name it!

Hope you can make it.  The show is Saturday, March 28, from 12:00 until 6:00 pm.  But, LUCKY YOU!  You found the PlaiderPillar’s site, which makes you a fan, and therefore invited to our super swanky Friday night pre-show March 27 from 8:00 until 11:00 pm.  There will be snacks, wine, and a DJ for your enjoyment while you check out the new merch.

UNWASHED opens February 7, and is curated by Joel Damon.  There will be an open forum networking event later in the month, as well.  There are skivvies in the window, flying PlaiderPillars, and Rob and I have made a huge umbrella!