Modernist Crafts... What's out there?

Forgive me if I'm posting this in the wrong area but I'm on the hunt for some info regarding artisan crafts. I am extremely interested in locating sources of modernists crafts in particular, especially in the areas of textile/fiber design and metalsmithing/jewelry making. If you have any links or contact info for modernist artisans, please pass them along.

Thanks,

Jonii

Is anyone who posts on this forum a crafter? Is anyone quilting, sewing, making jewelry or actively creating some kind of useable or wearable art? Is it modernist in nature?

Is this an aspect of the modernist community we downplay because we don't consider crafts to be a modern art form? Is forwarding modernism an architecture and interiors only agenda?

Hey Jonii,

I'm a mosaicist, but I usually stick to fine art - nothing used or worn.

Jen

I read both of the articles that your links go to... I really loved the picture of Identity from just above the piece so that you can see the difference in texture between the background and the fingerprint. Very cool! I'm interested in seeing some more of your work. I also liked the Untitled piece shown on the Earth Wind Tiles article.

Funny thing, I've been living in Georgia for the last two years. I wish I'd posted this a little while back, we could have had coffee or something. My Mom lives down there still as do some of my really close friends...maybe on one my next visits.

Jonii

yes, yes and yes, however, my current useable art project is a whole house, so I've been a little distracted

Are you familar with [url href=http://www.dsquilts.com/home.html]Denyse Schmidt Quilts[/url]?


Also, check out this blog [url href=http://www.designsponge.blogspot.com/]Design Sponge[/url]although not local to you, she posts regularly about cool modern crafty stuff.

[url href=http://www.renatom.com/]Rena Tom jewelry[/url]

[url href=http://www.konzuk.com/]Konzuk Metalwear[/url]

I have seen Denyse Schmidt's website and I own her book. Have you tried [url href=http://www.funquilts.com/]Funquilts[/url]? The owners Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr also have two books [url href=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1564969193/ref=wl_it_dp/104-9117074-8643947?%5Fencoding=UTF8colid=1R1STJC9G93XTcoliid=I3RZ3BT8MIJ37Hv=glancen=283155]Color Harmony for Quilts[/url] and[url href=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592531520/ref=pd_bxgy_text_b/104-9117074-8643947?%5Fencoding=UTF8]The Modern Quilt Workshop[/url]. Some of my favorites from their website.




I liked the stuff on Rena Tom and Konzuk, I think the latter is definitely more on the modernist side. I don't mind a little rustic quality about jewelry though (as the following links will prove). A couple of jewelry designers I like [url href=http://www.sundancecatalog.com/sdx/H24850.jsp]Nava Zahavi[/url] and [url href=http://www.sundancecatalog.com/sdx/H24844.jsp]Dana Kellin[/url]. I also really like Beth Orduna.

Check out these two books as well [url href=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1550379100/ref=wl_it_dp/104-9117074-8643947?%5Fencoding=UTF8colid=1R1STJC9G93XTcoliid=I14I2FU4W6ZVTTv=glancen=283155]Second Time Cool[/url] and [url href=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157990680X/ref=wl_it_dp/104-9117074-8643947?%5Fencoding=UTF8colid=1R1STJC9G93XTcoliid=IX87650YYPLDIv=glancen=283155]The New Crewel[/url].

I'm still on the hunt, I'll find more modernist craftwork and share it with you all. As for actually making things, I've been neglecting my jewelry making for some time now but my aim is to branch into metalsmithing at Pratt Fine Arts Center. I'll keep you posted!

Jonii

http://www.renegadecraft.com/index.php
The Renegade Craft Fair isn't Modernist particularly. It's a contemporary DIY fair. Lots of hipster artisans creating some very cool crafts. It's once a year in Chicago and Brooklyn, but I think they are trying to grow it to more cities.

A google search brought up these participants. Starting with these as a map you should be able to compile quite a list of crafty types.

http://www.supernaturale.com/articles.html?id=143

Majland, Los Angeles, Cal.
Mix-and-match leather (and pleather) watchbands in a wide array of colors.

Edge of Urge, Wilmington, N.C.
Handmade clothing that's won a fan in “One Tree Hill” star Hilarie Burton.

Qylaar, Chicago, Ill.
Cuter-than-cute bags and accessories by a local design duo.

Ex Libris Anonymous, Olympia, Wash.
Handmade journals made out of old book covers. Nancy Drew, anyone?

Supermaggie, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Long, skinny scarves knitted with soft merino wool.

Tennis, Anyone?, Chicago, Ill.
Silk screened greeting cards lovingly made in Pilsen.

Mike Mary Jewelry
Tough-n-pretty sterling silver jewelry.

Shawnimals, Chicago, Ill.
Quirky plush animals in simple shapes and vibrant colors.

Quackrel, thanks for the links... I spent 3 or 4 hours last night following a ton of links from renegade craft fair. There is a fair amount of the retro40's/50's/punk/riot grrl aesthetic out there that took some weeding through but I found some nice stuff as well.

I wanted to post this site [url href=http://www.branchhome.com/]Branch Home[/url], all the merchandise has recycled content and it's nice to look at too!

Jonii

Here are some of the sites I discovered (thanks Quackrel!) from following the maze of links I got off of The Renegade Craft Fair site... Hope you all enjoy!

Jewelry:
[url href=http://www.101jewelrydesign.com/ ]101 Jewelry[/url]
[url href=http://www.angelatong.com/]Angela Tong[/url]
[url href=http://www.urbanconceptjewelry.com/]Urban Concept Jewelry by Nancy Rybczynski[/url]
[url href=http://www.tamaura.com/]Tam Aura[/url]
[url href=http://www.lukadesigns.com/ ]Luka Designs[/url]
[url href=http://www.mary-hampton.com/]Mary Hampton[/url]
[url href=http://www.pioplayground.com/ ]Pio Handmade Jewelry by Rachel Lavin[/url]
[url href=http://www.kiku-co.com/]Kiku[/url]
[url href=http://www.blendcreations.com/ ]Blend Creations[/url]

T-shirts:
[url href=http://www.imperfectarticles.com/]Imperfect Articles[/url]
[url href=http://www.alisonrose.com/ ]Alison Rose[/url]
[url href=http://www.jordankraft.com/main.htm]Jordan kraft[/url]
[url href=http://www.turtlepapers.com/ ]Turtle Papers[/url]

Accessories:
[url href=http://anneguay.com/]Anne Guay[/url]
[url href=http://www.feltcafe.net/]Felt Cafe[/url]
[url href=http://www.etui-etui.com/]etui - as small as a cigarette case![/url]
[url href=http://www.giantdwarfdesign.com/index.shtml ]Giant Dwarf - one of a kind designs[/url]
[url href=http://www.kiku-co.com/]Kiku[/url]
[url href=http://www.missalison.com/]Miss Alison[/url]

Paper Goods:
[url href=http://www.handcarvedgraphics.com/]Handcarved Graphics[/url]
[url href=http://www.etui-etui.com/]etui [/url]
[url href=http://www.momomoogie.com/ ]momomoogie[/url]
[url href=http://www.16sparrows.com/ ]16 Sparrows - sarcasm folded in half[/url]
[url href=http://www.ifnbooks.com/ ]If'n Books Marks[/url]
[url href=http://www.turtlepapers.com/ ]Turtle Papers[/url]
[url href=http://www.birdinaskirt.com/ ]bird in a skirt[/url]
[url href=http://www.blendcreations.com/ ]Blend Creations[/url]
[url href=http://www.lovelydesign.com/mailorder/ ]lovely design[/url]

Shows, Organizations, Etc.:
[url href=http://www.cutxpaste.com/]Cut + Paste - online craft collective[/url]
[url href=http://www.urbancraftuprising.com/vendorlinks.htm ]Urban Craft Uprising - a list of links to Seattle crafters[/url]
[url href=http://www.bazaarbizarre.org/ ]Bazaar Bizarre - not your granny's craft fair [/url]
[url href=http://www.littlepaperplanes.com/ ]little paper airplanes [/url]
[url href=http://www.diytrunkshow.com/]diy Trunk Show[/url]
[url href=http://www.thisisswigg.com/ ]This Is Swigg[/url]
[url href=http://www.motelgallery.com/]Motel Gallery[/url]
[url href=http://www.getamenity.com/]aMENity[/url]

The above listing is just my first run at this. I'm going to keep looking for more links. Be sure to give me some feedback on what you find as well! One thing: I'm having a really hard time finding modernist quilts, so any help in that direction would be greatly appreciated.

Jonii

I've always admired Libby Lehman's quilts:

http://www.libbylehman.us/

Thanks for the heads up on Libby Lehman...her quilts are really beautiful. I found this [url href=http://www.sushmaquilts.com/]Sushma Quilts[/url]. A little more utilitarian perhaps but for those who really like it clean it's a nice option...

Jonii

So...a post-post internet search turned up the following:

[url href=http://www.lorimasondesign.com/index.htm]Lori Mason Design[/url]
[url href=http://www.lisacall.com/index.html]Lisa Call[/url]
[url href=http://www.jennybowker.com/tactile/helengray.htm]Helen Gray at Jenny Bowker[/url]
[url href=http://www.jennybowker.com/tactile/bethtrevorreid.htm]Beth Trevor Ried at Jenny Bowker[/url]
[url href=http://www.jennybowker.com/tactile/diannefirth.htm]Dianne Firth at Jenny Bowker[/url]

I think these are all mostly art quilts. Denyse Schmidt, Sushma and Funquilts are the only places I've found that seem to have quilts that are for use on beds. Still it's cool seeing modernist aesthetics at work in such a tradition oriented medium.

Jonii

I just want to apologize to anyone who may have tried to use the links above... I don't know what happened! I put every link on a separate line so something like this wouldn't happen. I'm going to try to put the links up on my blog. It's gonna take a little bit so I won't post the blog address yet. If you are really interested in following some of the links try typing the artist and company names into a search engine...

Jonii

[url href=http://360.yahoo.com/callabriel]Handmade Modern[/url]
This is my blog. See ya there!

A friend, contemporary furniture maker Peter Harrison www.lavassa.com told me about this thread.

At the risk of seeming too self-serving, I am a modernist quiltmaker who actually makes functional quilts. In fact, I am a new advertiser at Dwell's Modern Market. www.pamelahillquilts.com

There are not a lot of quiltmakers who are making their own functional bed quilts. In the past I have shown primarily at Fine Craft Shows like:

www.smithsoniancraftshow.com/
www.pffshow.com/
www.pmacraftshow.org/
www.craftcouncil.org/

These juried national shows make it possible for quiltmakers doing one of a kind or very limited edition work to show their work with other makers of Fine Craft, including Furniture Makers, Glass and ceramic artists as well as artists working in other media. If you have never attended a Craft Show of this calibre, I strongly recommend the Smithsonian Craft Show in April as a good first start!

Warmest regards,
Pamela Hill

hello
i make modern window coverings. originally we started out making very traditional drapery etc but have since moved more towards a modern aesthetic. it is difficult, most modernists despse crtains, ususally because they have no idea how modern they can be, and the other side of that is that traditionalsts love crtains and we have to eat... it is a dificult call. we would love to do only modern but it s extremely difficult when less than 1% of people actually live modern.
any modernists out there looking for some wndow covering advice, feel free to email me.


Ravi!
[url href=http://www.ravidesign.ca]http://www.ravidesign.ca[/url]

I create decorative arts that are compatible with modern style homes and offices

http://www.artformodernhomes.com