Etsy comes to Boston

From the Team Etsy blog at http://www.Team.Etsy.com

Boston street team members have had enough of the winter doldrums and are breaking out for the spring crafting season.

The team met up and brainstormed ideas for collectively promoting Boston craft. ReclaimedToYou, who is helping to organize the team, says, “We had a great Etsy Boston meeting on a Saturday and came up with 2 shows to do as a group in the next few months.” They’re taking it to the next level and bringing it to the streets.

May 4th, Etsy Boston Show & Sale in the South End
Six Etsy Boston sellers will be showing their work in Boston’s South End neighborhood during the May First Friday gallery openings. Location: 35 Wareham Street, 2nd Floor, between Harrison and Albany. Time: 5-8pm. Etsy sellers showing at this event: amyolsonjewelry, ElizabethBrennick, mck254, ReclaimedToYou, StonehouseStudio, ZestyB. For more information please convo ReclaimedToYou.

June 7th, Etsy Boston Show & Sale in Jamaica Plain
Nine Etsy Boston sellers will be showing their work during the JP First Thursdays Art Stroll. Location: South Street Mall, on the corner of South Street and Carolina Avenue. Time: 6-8pm. Etsy sellers showing at this event: amyolsonjewelry, ElizabethBrennick, mck254, ReclaimedToYou, StonehouseStudio, ZestyB, JhillDesign, muchachak, creativelyanew. For more information please convo ReclaimedToYou.

CraftBoston Report

I'm lucky to live in a great city like Boston that hosts all sorts of fabulous art and craft shows. CraftBoston is one of the premier fine craft shows of the country - right up there with Philadelphia, the Smithsonian and Baltimore. I was particularly eager to check it out this year because of the presence of several top polymer artists.

My friend and fellow polymer artist, Melanie West came to visit and we spent a whole day at the show.

Best of Show, in my opinion, was Ford/Forlano .
This teams continues to amaze me with their vision and their ability to re-invent themselves. It's interesting that when you break down their work by components, there is nothing very special about the polymer work or metalsmithing. But the sum supersedes the parts. Their organic, assymetrical designs are breathtaking.


I was also happy to finally see JM Syron and Bonnie Bishoff's marriage of polymer and wood furniture.
It's a beautiful combination and I'm surprised that more folks haven't tried it.















Elise Winter's jewelry, as expected, was very elegant and chic. She has a distinctive, immediately recognizable style and her booth was mobbed!















New faces, to me at least, were Karin Noyes with her incredibly intricate cane work (I really admire good cane work since I'm so lousy at it myself). .









Another up and coming polymer artist is Judy Dunn . She studied with Kathleen Dustin, and the techniques of translucent layering are hallmarks of her work.










I'm always humbled by the outstanding work at these shows - in all mediums. But it's also energizing and give me the motivation to keep plugging away!