Hello Craft will be showing the highly anticipated, indie craft documentary film, Handmade Nation! To celebrate, they are giving away a pair of tickets to the Friday, May 1 showing at 8:30 p.m. To enter the contest, simply email hellocraftcontests@gmail.com by 5pm Wednesday 4/29 and tell them why you love handmade. The words Crafty Contest should be in the subject line. The winner will be notified via email on Thursday 4/30. Tickets can be claimed at the box office Friday evening.

Screening Location & Time
Theater J at the Washington DC Jewish Community Center
1529 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
Friday, May 1, 8:30 p.m. – Tickets can be purchased for $10 online now!

What is Handmade Nation?
In 2006, first-time filmmaker Faythe Levine traveled 19,000 miles to document what has emerged as a marriage between historical technique, punk culture, and the D.I.Y. ethos. Handmade Nation gives viewers an inside glimpse into the fascinating world of the indie craft community through interviews and footage of crafters in their natural habitats – work studios and craft fairs. Featured crafters include Jenny Hart, Nikki McClure, Knitta’ and Deb Dormody, just to name a few.

This post originally ran on the Etsy Storque.

Five years ago I totally didn’t have any crafty friends. I toiled away in my living room each night, making stuff without any clue what I would do with it. And when I finished something, I stored it in our extra bedroom until the spare bed became this weird pile of strange stuff. I felt like my making had no purpose and I had absolutely no one to talk to about this. There were no support groups for the likes of me: people who were addicted to making with no real end game for the products. I remember being obsessed with picking up trash to make into collage art, stealing rubber fishing lures from my dad to make into necklaces, looking at a seat belt from a junked car as if it were a prize. I was upcycling before I had a word for it, and to my non-crafty friends, I was just a little wonky.

I had no idea then that my life would totally change, and that not only would I meet someone like me, but that my life would end up full of friends like me. These are not just acquaintances, but real, amazing friends: collaborators and co-conspirators and comrades and colleagues. The importance of these friends to my craft is one thing. I love that I know who to ask when I can’t find Gocco supplies or where to go if I need advice on a craft show application. I love that my friend Beth knows just want to do with an old sweater and that my friend Sara knits me the best scarves with bumpy yarn every year.

But it is the importance of these friends to my actual life that has taken me so by surprise. When my family recently went through a tough medical diagnosis, my crafty friends were delivering groceries and stopping by to teach my twins to sew and sending me encouraging text messages. I never imagined it, but I have found myself surrounded by community, and that is the most fabulous part of the handmade revolution for me. I’m not just a weirdo making things while I watch TV anymore. I’m one of many weirdos making things while we watch TV.

And this is why I am so excited about the Summit of Awesome, my latest project with Hello Craft. After years selling at and organizing craft shows, I wanted to help create an event that is about more than just gathering to sell our wares. It seemed to me that selling at craft shows leaves little time to actually socialize, forge friendships and learn from each other. And my attempts at gathering crafty friends to just “hang out” always seemed to be foiled by the business of real life. I am so excited that I get to help provide other people with the venue to infuse their lives with new crafty friends; to hang out with neat people, while learning from some of the most inspiring speakers in the crafting community.

The Craftnotes with Sublime Stitching’s Jenny Hart and Etsy’s CEO Maria Thomas are in themselves exciting, but we also have 30 more speakers lined up for seminars, workshops and demos. And if you can’t make the event, the Etsy Virtual Labs will be covering several of our seminars. We’ve also just added single day passes if you cannot make the whole weekend of awesome.

Here are the details:
Hello Craft’s Summit of Awesome will take place in Washington, D.C., May 1-3. The Summit is designed for artists and crafters, from dabblers to business owners, and includes the D.C. premiere of the Indie Craft Documentary, Handmade Nation. We also have fun social “making areas” planned, as well as the first ever Handmade White Elephant Gift Exchange and Swap! You can check out the complete line-up of speakers and register online at hellocraft.com.

I can’t stress enough the importance of gathering together to learn and share in the same space; how I think these types of events will help deepen the bond of the crafting community and spark new and innovative ideas on the direction of the handmade movement. And dude, you need more cool friends, right?

Hinckley Pottery, which as been making fine pottery for the Washington area for more than 40 years, will be holding its 18th annual student show at its studio in Adams Morgan on Sunday, April 26, 2009.

More than two dozen experienced students will display a years’ worth of artistic labor for sale to the public. Their pots make wonderful gifts for Mother’s Day or any other occasion. Come meet the potters, enjoy a delicious spread of food, and find the perfect presents for housewarmings, Mom, graduations, weddings or yourself.

All of the pots are meant to be used and enjoyed. They are lead-free and almost all are dishwasher, microwave and oven safe.

What: Hinckley Pottery Student Show
Date: Sunday, April 26
Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: 1707 Kalorama Road NW, Washington DC
Web link: http://www.hinckleypottery.com/events.htm

The first annual CraftWeek DC takes place April 22 – 26, 2009. A citywide celebration of crafts in our Nation’s capital, each day offers activities focused on every craft medium from ceramics, fiber, glass, metal to wood, and includes exhibits, artist demonstrations, gallery receptions, lectures, plus other activities. Two nationally recognized studio craft events will also take place – the prestigious juried Smithsonian Craft Show and the James Renwick Alliance Spring Craft Weekend, including the Masters of the Medium symposium featuring the five master artists.

CraftWeek DC is a unique opportunity to see studio crafts at their best and meet the makers, from internationally recognized artists to up-and-coming artists exhibiting for the first time at the Smithsonian Craft Show. Events celebrate as well, the growing community of artists and galleries in the Washington, DC area involved in creating and showing sculptural and functional objects.

Many events are free and open to the public, including:

Demonstrations of technique and work by DC area art jewelry, ceramics and glass artists at Red Dirt Studios, Flux Studios, Blue Fire Studios, DC Glassworks and Sculpture Studios, and Washington Glass School, Gateway Arts Community, Mt Rainier, MD. Work by the ceramics and jewelry faculty at Corcoran College of Art + Design and Studio 4903 will also be on display at Blue Fire Studios and Flux Studios.

In Georgetown, Maurine Littleton Gallery is showing work by noted glass artists Richard Marquis, a Master of the Medium, and Dante Marioni. Jewelry by metalsmith/jeweler Mielle Harvey is at Jewelers’werk Galerie. A ceramic cup invitational showing the work of many artists is a fun event at Cross MacKenzie Gallery. In Potomac, Artists Circle Fine Arts is showing work by John Garrett, an experimental artist who applies textile technologies and imagery to various materials.

Near Dupont Circle, Foundry Gallery will show kiln cast and lampworked glass by instructors and students from the Washington Glass School. On Capital Hill, five Washington-based artists will show work in ceramic, glass, metal and mixed media at Capital Hill Art & Frame. Shows at the Target, Scope and Enamelist galleries at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, will feature local artists working with reclaimed material, ceramics and enameled metal.

At KORUS House, Embassy of Korea, a special event highlights the artistry of contemporary Korean and Korean-American metalsmiths and makers of art jewelry.

On Saturday morning, April 25, the James Renwick Alliance and the Smithsonian American Art Museum host a symposium at which artists honored by the Alliance’s Master of the Medium award will speak on their life in craft. The panel is moderated by Michael Monroe, Director of Curatorial Affairs, Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue, Washington, and former curator-in-charge, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum. The honorees are: Warren Mackenzie, an influential ceramics educator from Minneapolis, Minnesota; Richard Marquis, a pioneer in the American studio glass movement and one of the first to incorporate Venetian glass techniques into contemporary studio glass; Norma Minkowitz, a fiber artist and pioneer in turning the feminine art of crochet into a medium for sculpture; June Schwarcz, noted for her exquisite skill with enamel and metalwork; and David Ellsworth, a leading figure in the American turned wood movement.

For event dates, times and locations, and events requiring admission fees, see http://craftweekdc.com

Excited about the Summit of Awesome, but can’t get away from work and life to attend the whole weekend of seminars, workshops and fun? Day passes are now available. The Summit is a great opportunity to learn from some of the best names in craft, including many many Crafty Bastards veterans.

One Day Summit of Awesome Pass – FRIDAY
Friday, May 1
MidCity, Washington, D.C.
Get all of the Summit activities for Friday May 1, 2009 – Washington, D.C. Seminars, workshops, demos and a Friday night showing of Handmade Nation. Check out the complete schedule for Friday.

One Day Summit of Awesome Pass – SATURDAY
Saturday, May 2
MidCity, Washington, D.C.
Get all of the Summit activities for Saturday, May 2, 2009 – Washington, D.C. Seminars, workshops, demos and a Saturday night Show of Awesome. Check out the complete schedule for Saturday.

One Day Summit of Awesome Pass – SUNDAY
Sunday, May 3
MidCity, Washington, D.C.
Get all of the Summit activities for Sunday, May 3, 2009 – Washington, D.C. Seminars, workshops, demos and a Crafty White Elephant handmade gift swap. Check out the complete schedule for Sunday.

On Wednesday, April 22, 2009, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., join Washington Project for the Arts (2023 Massachusetts Ave NW) for Art vs. Craft Tug of War.

Curator and art critic, Jeffry Cudlin, will moderate a panel discussion between members of both the art and craft communities in DC – revealing their thoughts on what differentiates the two ’sides’.

When all is said and done, panelists and audience members will be invited to participate in our very first Art vs. Craft tug-of-war on a nearby grassy knoll (rain or shine).

The tug, a metaphor for the discussion, is a fun way to illustrate the way many artists dance between both realms while others live on one side or the other.

THE LINEUP:

Moderator:

Jeffry Cudlin – artist, established art critic, and Director of Exhibitions at the Arlington Arts Center

Panelists:

Rebecca Cross – Artist and owner of Cross Mackenzie Ceramic Arts in Georgetown’s Canal Square

Steven Frost – WPA member artist working in textiles and mixed media.

Kelly Rand – arts contributor for DCist, lead writer for the blog, Crafting A Green World, crafter and craft event organizer.

Anne Surak – independent curator and director of Project 4 gallery

This event is free and open to the public but space is limited. For more information, visit: http://www.wpadc.org. This event is in conjunction with the Smithsonian’s Craftweek DC.

Hello Craft will be showing the highly anticipated, indie craft documentary film, Handmade Nation! Tickets to the Friday, May 1 show at 8:30 p.m. are now available.

Screening Location & Time
Theater J at the Washington DC Jewish Community Center
1529 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036

Buy Tickets

Screening #2: Friday, May 1, 8:30 p.m. – Tickets to the 8:30 p.m. screening can be purchased for $10 online now!

What is Handmade Nation?
In 2006, first-time filmmaker Faythe Levine traveled 19,000 miles to document what has emerged as a marriage between historical technique, punk culture, and the D.I.Y. ethos. Handmade Nation gives viewers an inside glimpse into the fascinating world of the indie craft community through interviews and footage of crafters in their natural habitats – work studios and craft fairs. Featured crafters include Jenny Hart, Nikki McClure, Knitta’ and Deb Dormody, just to name a few

Levine lets the individual crafters shine as they talk openly about being part of an ever-growing DIY community. While each crafters’ individual work is highlighted in the interviews, it’s their expressed dedication to the larger indie craft movement that comes off as nothing less than amazing. The indie craft community, as highlighted in Handmade Nation is one of the only economic rays of light in this troubled economy – and this film is a testament to that success.

More about the film can be found: handmadenationmovie.com. Find out more about the Summit of Awesome.

Have you heard about the Hello Craft Summit of Awesome? Have you seen the line-up? Keep reading and prepare to be wowed!

Hello Craft’s Summit of Awesome is 3-days (May 1-3) filled with business seminars for artists and crafters, hands-on workshops, the D.C. premiere of the Indie Craft Documentary, Handmade Nation, and a Saturday night party. Through a partnership with the MidCity Business Association, all Summit seminars and workshops will take place in the wondrous and vibrant independent businesses in MidCity (14th and U Streets NW).

The Summit is a great mix of learning and crafting from discussions to hands on workshops, with a little something for everyone.
Special Craftnote Speakers:

• Maria Thomas, Etsy.com CEO
• Jenny Hart – Sublime Stitching

Demos/Workshops:  Learn a new technique or make something awesome with guidance from our amazing speakers.

• Fun with Duct Tape with Kristina Bilonick
• Simple Mold Making with Adam Maron – Pearson Maron
• Fiber Demo with Jamie Chan and Blas Herrera – Urban Fauna Studio
• Embroidery Demo with Jenny Hart – Sublime Stitching
• How to Photograph your Work with Sherry – Dandelion Blu
• Sew a Felt Broach with Beth Baldwin – Tiger Flight
• Make a Snow Globe with Esti Gerson
• Plate Breaking Demo with Juliet Ames – The Broken Plate
• Sewing Demo with DC Threads
• Make a Small Book with Esti Gerson
• Screen Printing Demo with Christy Petterson

Learning Sessions:  The main part of the weekend is to learn and grow your crafty endeavors. Visit Hello Craft for a full list of speakers.  Session topics include:

• Am I a Business? How and when to form a business for your crafty endeavors
• Tax Implications of Starting a Business
• Developing a Product Line. Deciding what to make and sell
• Branding and Identity
• Copyright and Tradmarks, How to protect yourself and your work
• Customer Service. Crafting with a Smile
• Selling Successfully Online 
• Craft Fair Booth Set up and Displays
• Selling in a Brick and Mortar
• The Ins and Outs of Trade Shows
• What’s a Social Network and How to use it for Good
• Street Teams. Why you should connect and collaborate
• Crafting a Green Craft
• Consumption and Sustainability. How DIY will Save the World
• Navagating the Art world with Craft
• Going out on a Limb
• Organizing a Craft Fair
• Event Sponsorship

Also in store for the weekend, you’ll have access to a screening of the D.C. premier of Handmade Nation, a make something awesome crafting area and the first even Handmade White Elephant gift exchange and swap!

Register by this Friday to get the discounted price of $150. After Friday, the cost will be $180. Discounts available for groups and craft collectives. Email hellocraftinfo@gmail.com for group rates.

The Crafty Bastards 2009 application is coming soon! Just keep an eye here and I swear I will tell you the minute it is available. Until then, apply to some spring shows!

BUST is accepting vendor applications for their Spring Fling Craftacular. Apply online by April 11th. If accepted, a vendor table costs $250. From the BUST Craftacular site:

BUST Magazine’s Spring Fling Craftacular is a lovely Garden Party themed shopping affair running from 12pm until 7pm at The Warsaw in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, featuring over 50 crafters, DJs, drinks, and dancing. Shoppers can sip on springy cocktails and nosh on pierogies, learn about guerilla gardening, how to grow their own food and supporting local farms. BUST Magazine will be hand-picking over 50 of the most unique and talented crafters from across the country to participate.

The Indie Craft Experience in Atlanta is accepting applications through April 17th. From the I.C.E. site:

All items sold at the Indie Craft Experience must be handmade. This is a juried event with a limited number of slots. We receive many applications and cannot accept everyone. The application deadline is April 17, 2009. We will send out notifications by April 22, 2009. We will not consider your application if it is not complete or if we receive it after the deadline.

Fee:
The fee to participate is $225 (this amount does not include parking – parking fees are the responsibility of each vendor). This amount is due with your application. Once accepted, you will be given the option to rent a tent ($100), tables ($10 each) and chairs ($5 each) from us to use during the event. This is optional, you can bring your own.

If you are not accepted $215 will be promptly returned to you after April 22, 2009. There is a $10 processing fee.

Renegade Craft Fair is accepting applications for their show in multiple cities.

First is Renegade Los Angeles, with applications due May 1. From the Renegade site:

• The Los Angeles event will take place July 11 + 12 from 11am – 7pm at the California Market Center.
• You must submit your application, photos + payment by May 1 in order to be considered for a spot in the fair.
• You’ll be notified by email on May 11 whether or not you’ve been accepted into the fair. If you are not accepted, $300 of your $310 fee will be refunded by May 15.
• Booth spaces are 10ft. x 10ft., and will be supplied with 2 tables + 2 chairs. The fair is indoors, so no need for a canopy!
• Your fee covers booth space for both days, and your logo + link on our website throughout the year!

Renegade San Francisco applications are also due May 1. From the Renegade site:

• San Francisco’s event will take place July 18 + 19 from 11am – 7pm in Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion.
• You must submit your application, photos + payment by May 1 in order to be considered for a spot in the fair.
• You’ll be notified by email on May 11 whether or not you’ve been accepted into the fair. If you are not accepted, $300 of your $310 fee will be refunded by May 15.
• Booth spaces are 10ft. x 10ft., and vendors are responsible for supplying their own display items. Tables + chairs will be available to rent thru us once accepted. The fair is indoors, so no need for a canopy!
• Your fee covers booth space for both days and your logo + link on our website throughout the year!