meredith cutler :: arts marketing :: artist

While I don't go much for the smoke and mirror froofery of the leading political party conventions, I admit that I have been tuning in here and there to the DNC (until the excess of barfy inspirational classic rock forces me to change the channel to good old fashioned baseball). Regardless, I'm trying to put on a brave face for the election this November, and give my fellow Americans the benefit of the doubt that they won't persist in supporting the ongoing error of the current Republican party.

Speaking of brave face, check out these extraordinary Presidential Facial Hair Hall of Fame gocco stickers from jelloh on Etsy. While our current candidates are silky smooth, and suspiciously not sporting anything as rockin' as mutton chops, why not celebrate the presidential facial hair legacy of our forefathers Lincoln, Roosevelt, Taft (and Van Buren)! Printed on "fancy printmaking paper", these large handprinted gocco stickers are the original designs of Philadelphia based artist El Lohse. Pick up a mixed pack of 10 baffi (mustaches) sporting presidents for only $12 shining American dollars!

Yesterday did not turn out as planned; which, in my newfound "on my way to becoming an Italian passport holder" relaxed attitude should have rolled right off of my back. Unfortunately, it was only after I was forced from my studio by an ungodly decibal level of compressor/power tool noise taking place in the workshop next door that my beloved, sneaker-shaped Subaru decided to explode (in solidarity for my state of mind, I suppose).

Okay, I'm exaggerating, but there was a good deal of black, acrid smoke pouring out of the right wheel well. I had the fire extinguisher in hand. Luckily, my husband and bro'-in-law were kind enough to shuttle me to the Design*Sponge "Boston Biz-Ladies" night at West Elm. The girl power networking event was a good remedy to my general state of frazz, (although the table of sugary treats blew my head off!) I recommend checking out Grace's page of Biz-Ladies notes on the Design*Sponge website to anyone (girl or guy) starting up their own indie business.

Meanwhile, as I await the fate of my Subaru and muse on the extremes I'm willing to endure to retain my Hyde Park studio, I leave you with this lovely "Subway Stories - St. Mary's" collage by Leah Piken Kolidas, a fellow Boston-based artist who also muses while riding the MBTA. Her work can be found on Etsy and her own site, Blue Tree Art Gallery.

I'm in the studio today, and using my costly time well with stitch, canvas and scissor. Nevertheless, I deserve a coffee break as well as the next laborer, and my hot-plate espresso tastes best while surfing Etsy for my virtual wedding gift registry (the one in my mind, since I typically forget to bookmark things I want in favor of things I want to buy for others!)

The below selection, a set of "Old School" Magnetic Chalkboard Coasters by purposedesign, happily fits both criteria! I love that you can stick them to your fridge to keep them handy and visible, yet off of the table when not in use. Plus, in today's slick, whiteboard and powerpoint world, the soft scrawl and irregularities of chalkboard markings hit a nostalgic note. I love home goods that encourage creativity.

Purposedesign, out of Montreal, offers these coasters in sets of six (including chalk), for $22 plus shipping.

I have always had a love for paper that goes beyond the expected excitement of a blank, white sheet ready for the artist’s first mark. As a small child, I spent hours poring over the decorator’s hefty wallpaper sample books, left over from our 1977 home renovations: the mirrored backgrounds…the bold florals or geometric patterns rendered in one exciting colorway after another. In my early days, these enormous, psychedelic volumes rivaled even Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle for my affections.

Many years later, I helped fund my way through art school by working in the cataloging department of my college library. My love for found papers, combined with my passion for words inspired me to stash away hundreds of colorful book jackets, typically discarded during the cataloging process. Fast-forward another decade or so, and here I am in my studio, surrounded by several Tupperware storage bins full of vintage paper ephemera that desperately needs purging!

Unlike my vintage giftwrap and wallpaper collections, these heavyweight, coated book jackets don’t offer enough regular patterning or figuration to make them appropriate for the mixed-media art collages that I often create. They are text heavy, and extremely varied in coloration. With some creative experimentation, and using some tools I had available, I created this unique DIY project for my sturdy and colorful paper source. Click here for my full, illustrated tutorial:

If you happen to be in the Boston area today, take a drive up to the harbor near the new Convention Center, and stop by the Boston Design Center. There, until 4pm today, the Boston Sample Drop/Shop event is open to the public. This event is a fantastic way for design firms to recycle their unwanted sample library materials; from fabrics to papers to 3-ring binders. Visitors are welcome to take any of the pre-sorted materials for use in their own creative projects.

"Keep perfectly usable building and finish materials out of the dumpster and give them a good home!"

The event takes place at the Boston Design Center on Drydock Ave. Post "shop", they will be having a barbeque to celebrate their creative and eco-friendly community-mindedness. Cheers!

Also of note in the creative supply realm, I am offering great discounts and special bonus offers in my crostini*VS Vintage & Supply shop. In honor of my upcoming honeymoon, all items will be on sale for the entire month running May 10th-June 10th. Many items are unique and will run out, so get a head start on your creative summer projects with my unique vintage & supply materials before I close shop and head to Italy!