PILE OF CRAFT 2010- FRIDAY DEADLINE FOR APPLICANTS!!!!!

Only a few more days to apply to Pile Of Craft.

Pile Of Craft is our annual juried Spring craft fair, featuring handmade and original items from 40+ talented artists from all over the country. Apparel, ceramics, handbags, jewelry, fine art, scuplture, homegoods and more - made by hand, sold by the artists themselves!
Want to be a vendor? You can APPLY HERE. Applications to Pile Of Craft 2010 are open until April 2 at midnight, and we will be announcing the accepted vendors by April 9th. The application is straightforward, and if you already have images, or a website, shouldn't take you more than a few minutes. It's just $10 to apply, and then $75 to be a vendor if accepted to the fair.

Good luck and thank you so much to everyone who's already applied! We're so excited for this year's fair!!

Having an NPR Moment

I look forward to listening to This American Life in my studio every week. There's nothing like doing three things that I love to do (sew, drink coffee and listen to good stories) all at the same time. I don't know if you can call this sort of thing multitasking, but I tell you, it feels good.

The first time I heard this story I was quite pregnant. I don't remember what I loved the most... that a young girl from Michigan found such a good pen pal in Manuel Noriega, or that her parents supported and encouraged the correspondence. I had so many expectations of myself, of what kind of parent I'd be. And I liked to imagine that if my daughter decided to begin writing foreign leaders of dubious political intentions, that I, too, could be this supportive.


My Pen Pal

Act One. Who Put the "Pistol" in "Epistolary?"
The story of a ten-year-old girl from small town Michigan named Sarah York, and how she became pen pals with a man who was considered an enemy of the United States, a dictator, a drug trafficker, and a murderer: Manuel Noriega. (41 minutes)

So to hear this story again this week, and not pregnant, was such a treat. And I realized that, maybe, what I liked so much was the fact that the young girl's mother not only made her a new outfit to wear when she'd meet the Panamanian leader, she made one for General Noriega, too. That mom is awesome.

Film Screening at the Windup Space TONIGHT!

Tiny poster, but this film sounds big... and interesting... and is playing at the Windup Space tonight -

Lemonade
A Free Film Screening ($8 suggested donation)
Windup Space - 12 W. North Avenue
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

The Contemporary Museum and Slant Six Creative will launch the Second Shore film series with the screening of Lemonade on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. The film will be shown at the Windup Space in Baltimore’s Station North Arts and Entertainment District.

Lemonade is a 2009 documentary about 16 advertising professionals who found true passion in the face of economic adversity. After being fired from their previous positions, they established themselves in such diverse careers as master coffee roaster, Tour de France cyclist, yoga instructor, professional blogger, and established painter.

Printmaking in Philadelphia THIS MONTH!

A whole lot of Printmaking is happening this month in our close neighbor - Philadelphia!!
Southern Graphics Conference 2010 is being held this month in Philly, as well as a city-wide festival called Philagraphika.
Some Baltimore artists will be showing work in galleries around the city as part of one or both of these events- and here's one that looks SUPER exciting!

In addition to being a gallery show,"COPY JAM!" will be an interactive print event. During the party, fifty works by fifty artists will be displayed in a grid on the wall. Upon arrival, each guest will be handed a complimentary ticket that can be exchanged for one black & white photocopy of any work the guest chooses. There will be no sales; one ticket equals one copy. Copies will be made LIVE in the gallery for one night only! more info HERE from the folks at Baltimore's own Printeresting - the organizers of the event.

Copy Jam
at - Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction
116 North Third Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Thursday
March 25, 2010
6-9 PM

Letter from Maryland Citizens for The Arts

Earlier this week, the Senate subcommittee on Health, Education, and Human Resources.. recommended that no cuts be made to the 2011 budget for the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) or the Special Fund for the Preservation of Cultural Arts!

This is a huge accomplishment, but we are not yet finished with the struggle. The House subcommittee on Education and Economic Development will be making its own recommendation on the MSAC budget by Monday. The Arts still need you to contact your legislators: http://capwiz.com/artsusa/md/issues/alert/?alertid=14816066

If you live in the following districts or you know people that do, it is especially critical that you reach out at this time! Please urge those you know who live in these places to take one minute and send an email to their Delegates:

Wicomico & Worcester County - district of Appropriations Committee Chair, Delegate Norm Conway
St. Mary's County - district of Subcommittee Chair, Delegate John Bohanan
Montgomery County - district of Subcommittee Vice-Chair, Delegate Hank Heller
Prince George's County - district of Subcommittee member, Delegate Melony Griffith
Howard County- district of Subcommittee member, Delegate Guy Guzzone
Baltimore County - district of Subcommittee member, Delegate Adrienne Jones
Carroll County - district of Subcommittee member, Delegate Nancy Sticksdale

Please take action in support of public funding for the arts in Maryland! Please then continue your support by encouraging your contacts to do the same via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and other venues!!

Sincerely,
Rachel Ciprotti
Advocacy Coordinator
MCA (Maryland Citizens for the Arts)
www.mdarts.org

Happy Birthday Pink Kiss Pottery!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Mafiosa Shawna Pincus - queen of the kiln, master of cooking and the loveliest of ladies.
Wanna see more of Shawna's pottery and clay work?
visit pinkkiss.etsy.com and read her blog right HERE.

APPLY NOW- PILE OF CRAFT 2010!

Applications are open for Charm City Craft Mafia's Pile of Craft 2010!!!
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Pile Of Craft is our annual juried Spring craft fair, featuring handmade and original items from 40+ talented artists from all over the country. Apparel, ceramics, handbags, jewelry, fine art, scuplture, homegoods and more - made by hand, sold by the artists themselves!
Want to be a vendor? You can APPLY HERE. Applications to Pile Of Craft 2010 are open until April 2 at midnight, and we will be announcing the accepted vendors by April 9th.

Good luck!!

Cotton Monster Featured On Etsy.com

Our very own Jenny Strunge of CottonMonster is the featured seller on Etsy.com this week! Check out an interview with Baltimore's loveliest plushie seamstress, recycler and monster maker extraordinaire RIGHT HERE!!! And then browse her monster shop, and grab one quick before they all disappear to new homes.

Congratulations to Miss Jenny - on what JUST SO HAPPENS to also be her Birthday!

BMA Print Fair, March 27 & 28

The Baltimore Museum of Art will hold its biennial fair this month, March 27 and 28. The Baltimore Fair for Contemporary Prints and New Editions will showcase new works and print editions from a huge variety of artists and printmakers. Students and alumni from the Maryland Institute College of Art will also be exhibiting- they stole the show last year with an impressive showing of incredible prints!

CCCM member Val Lucas of Bowerbox Press will be showing with the MICA table- come see her alphabet bird prints, woodcuts, and The Raven!

Not sure where to start? Enjoy an informative tour of dealers, presses, and galleries with Associate Curator of Prints, Drawings & Photographs Rena Hoisington. Saturday, March 27, Noon & 3 p.m, FREE with admission to the Print Fair.

For more information see the BMA's website.

written by Val of Bowerbox Press

Pile of Craft is June 26th!

Did you notice the sun shining and the snow melting today? That means Pile of Craft is just around the corner! Mark your calendars for June 26th! The annual juried event brings together artists and crafters from Baltimore and beyond to sell their wares in a marketplace setting.


Applications will be up soon, so be on the look out. In the meantime, be sure to save the date!