Toms Shoes Summer inspiration

Toms Shoes summer collection 2013

I'm not a shoe person. I pretty go barefoot unless I'm forced into flip flops all summer, and the same pair of boots all winter. Aside from that, I have one pair of sneakers, and another pair of running shoes. that's 4 pairs of shoes, which makes me feel really extravagant, really. I know most people must have more than this, but plenty have less. Everyone knows about the fantastic company Toms Shoes (if you don't here's the gist: Toms makes shoes, you buy ANY pair for yourself, and the cost pays for an additional pair, which Tom's sends to kids in financially struggling countries who didn't have ANY pairs of shoes. Everyone has shoes, everyone feels good. We all win. I wish I'd thought of this company myself.) but have you seen their new summer line? These crocheted lace versions of the classic Tom's shape make me think of those weird rubber "jellies" we all use to wear, except that these look like they'd give you less blisters.
You can buy me a pair and read more about Tom's awesomeness HERE.

inspiration(?) monday

Happy Monday! I'm finishing up a painting for a new show in NYC in June (group show) Hard to believe this is the result of a google image search I did this morning for inspiration, but there you are. We're listening to the new St. Vincent & David Byrne collaboration album while doing this search... trying to decide if the two have anything in common. Maybe only that both plaid and music make me want to go outside and have a picnic instead of being in a dark office? hmm.

Goodness all around

my friend Vanessa helping sell tshirts. 

Spent last week in a flurry of activity that I've come to recognize as my annual May/June rebirth into the world of the working. Because the first quarter of the year is painfully slow and dragging for those of us in retail, I get awfully excited to get ready for craft fair season. Last week was Printing-packing-shipping-folding-mailing-reprinting mayhem, concluding with a trip up to Philly for Art Star (after sneaking in a few choice films from my favorite Baltimore event: The MD Film Festival, most of which I missed due to the craft fair). I had a great time in Philly, which has now become a place where people recognize us, and tell us they buy from us every year. This makes me incredibly happy, and even forgiving of the last few months of dullness in my job. Luckier than that even, is that I have two very lovely and generous girlfriends living near Philly who helped me out quite a bit this year. I'm so glad to have had my pal Nogeeshik there Saturday to laugh with when we thought we might wash away in a thunder storm (luckily, it barely rained) and I'm not sure what I would have done on Sunday - when winds picked up so much our racks fell over - if I hadn't had Vanessa to run to the car and grab rope (also to be congratulated: ME, for buying rope the other day and leaving it in the car! whew). It was a great weekend, and we are so lucky to be able to come to Philly for this amazing event every year. Thanks should go more than anything to the two tireless little ladies who run the fair - Megan & Erin - who have kept it going for 10 years now! So glad to be a part of it, and to be back in traveling mode!
Our next 2 fairs are in June and both are in Baltimore. More info soon on these. Hope you're having a lovely week.

Red Prairie Press at Art Star Craft Bazaar! May 11+12

Spring 2013 Art Star Craft Bazaar

May 11th & 12th, 2013 from 11am - 6pm

The Great Plaza at Penns Landing

Columbus Boulevard between Market and Walnut 

Philadelphia PA 19106 

Red Prairie Press will be rolling into the fine city of Philadelphia this weekend for Art Star Craft Bazaar - one of my favorite craft fairs! Run by the shop of the same name, Art Star features hundreds of hand made goods from all over the country with a bonus of live music, tasty (and relatively healthy) food choices, a view of the water and a distinct feeling of brotherly love. It's really a can't lose weekend activity. Bonus points if you remember it's mother's day and you pick your mom up on the way down to shop. If you really loved her, you'd buy matching RPP eco-pullovers with her and be twinsies.

A visit to Brussels

My lovely cousin Sara is registrar at a gallery called Almine Rech, and I have recently vowed that I'll visit her there more often. My main obstacle is that the gallery happens to be in Belgium (along with Sara, her brother Eric & my aunt Elizabeth). So it happens that I see some of my favorite people less than once a year and I see Brussels once a decade if I'm lucky (so far, I am). Until last week, I hadn't seen the gallery even once.
Seeing as how all of Europe is connected by beautiful, clean, fast moving train (ahem, US government. can we get on this public transportation thing?) and very easy to navigate, I couldn't resist sneaking away on a 4 hour trainride to see my family while Phil and I were in Stuttgart, Germany for an animation festival last week. In a tragically short weekend, I got my family fix wandering Brussels via flea markets, cafe's and cheese counters and finally got to visit the gallery- at which hangs a show by German artist Katja Strunz. Strunz's work seems to be both an ode to fabrication and construction AND to the art of the handmade and crafted. I love the combination of the two. Her paintings/collages could be there equally just to be pretty compositions, or as little maps of her larger, more ambitious sculptures. I adore work like this (a category which might possibly contain MOST abstract art, really) because it speaks to a more diverse crowd: One that would like to see deep meaning and intention (and thus feel engaged and worldly amongst paintings and white walls and peers who might afford such things) and one that would simply like to see nice things, occupying space in an interesting and head turning way. A wink toward the act of making, time spending, and space filling in general... as though they are meaningful and meaningless all at once.
After contemplating this for what was admittedly less than a few minutes in person, and touring the offices of Almine Rech, we went home to catch up on the last year of lives spent thousands of miles apart... And being from the section of gallery-goers more inclined to make the art than purchase it - we did this catching up cross legged on a living room rug with little cups of wine and toothpicks for cheese. Our own gala of sorts, full of eagerness to gossip, 30-somethings with important things to say and all in a place ripening with more personal value and meaning each time you visit.

New Studio + Studio Mates!

 Max + Ru peeking at our space

Tiny Inventions

If someone in 2003 had told 21 year old Rachel Bone that in ten years, she would be sharing an art studio with animator Max Porter, her chubby little freckle-face might have exploded right off her head. 

Phil and I first discovered Max's work while on a college adventure with friends to Ottawa Animation Festival where Max's senior project (Red Things) was playing. We were obsessed and intimidated, and avoided eye contact. We have followed his work ever since, and when Phil contacted Max and his talented wife (and long-time collaborator) Ru Kuwahata through their company Tiny Inventions last year to take part in an animation show, we were over the moon to find out that Max had just accepted a job at MICA and he and Ru needed a place to live & work in Baltimore. Months later, they lived across the street from us, and a year later, I consider them close and inspiring friends, with whom I'm so pleased to have just signed a lease on an art studio nearby. 

Funny how approachable people turn out to be when you least expect it, and how simple decisions can be when you are 31, instead of 21. I cannot wait to start working in the company of these two brilliant minds, and to move at least one small part of my art making outside the house again (Red Prairie Press will stay put for now). New and exciting things are happening! Life is happening! Baltimore is happening!

We move in June. Until then, I'll see you at the craft fairs as usual.

Craft Fair in Richmond, VA Saturday

This Saturday - one day only - we will be selling the full line of Red Prairie Press wares at Spring Bada-Bing Craft Fair in Richmond, Va- one of my favorite cities to visit! Come on out from 11am-5pm to say hello and browse our spring line (and infamous discount bin) along with the beautiful work of about 50 other vendors. We'll be outside in our good old pop-up apparel bungalow, just waiting for you to come give us your best spring smile. Also, it's at a brewery, so you can drink beer if you feel inclined, and really enhance that smile.
Spring Bada-Bing Hardywood Park Craft Brewery 2408 Ownby Ln Richmond, VA 23220 11am-5pm FREE to all!