Handmade Nation

I've already ordered Handmade Nation [www.amazon.com/Handmade-Nation-Rise-Craft-Design/dp/1568987870] for our collection in Cook Library but you might want to check this out on a shelf somewhere. I think all of you would really enjoy and find this book encouraging and informative. My favorite profile is from a woman was a graduate student at Stanford studying sweatshop labor, consumerism and the industrialized process of how objects are made when she decided to make her own clothing which led to a career change. And coming soon a documentary [indiecraftdocumentary.blogspot.com/] on the indie craft movement.

Be in the know.

Great Employment Opportunity!

The following is from a dear colleague of mine.....let ME know if you are interested.

Would you have a student that might be interested in summer employment in the woods of Maine? Minimally they would need to be able to teach basic jewelry skills (sawing/filing/piercing/soldering) but I'd love to have someone who can teach beginning enameling as well. Salary range depends on experience but is in the $1800. - $2300. range for about 9 weeks. Counselors live in bunks with campers and get room and board and a travel allowance to/from camp. We also send the girls out on many canoeing and hiking trips accompanied by our activity counselors so there's the possibility of getting out of camp for a change of pace.

They can also check out our website at www.campwalden.com<http://www.campwalden.com>.

The Flower of Oblivion

This might be of interest to some of you, it is to me. The Tunisian film The Flower of Oblivion is being shown at Goucher College on Thursday, February 5th at 7pm. It is free. For more info click here. Salut!

Shepard Fairey

Shepard Fairey designer of the Obama campaign materials.
An article from London's The Telegraph.

Elizabeth Alexander, inaugural poet

Inaugural Poem

Praise song for the day.

Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each others' eyes or not, about to speak or speaking. All about us is noise. All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din, each one of our ancestors on our tongues. Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair.

Someone is trying to make music somewhere with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.

A woman and her son wait for the bus.

A farmer considers the changing sky; A teacher says, "Take out your pencils. Begin."

We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; words to consider, reconsider.

We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of someone and then others who said, "I need to see what's on the other side; I know there's something better down the road."

We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we cannot yet see.

Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of.

Praise song for struggle; praise song for the day. Praise song for every hand-lettered sign; The figuring it out at kitchen tables.

Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."

Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.

What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national. Love that casts a widening pool of light. Love with no need to preempt grievance.

In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light.

Obama's Inagural Speech

Obama's Inaugural speech, video footage, slide show, et al.

Follow Taylor!

Follow Taylor while he is in Scotland....

Good Idea! The Long Tail

For those of you with commutes, some long, to school, I share my latest re-discovery which has turned into a small obsession...books on CD! In true fashion I am currently listening to 4 or 5. On the way to the gym today I started The Long Tail by Chris Anderson, editor of Wired. This is a link to the original article he wrote for Wired. I recommend it to all object makers but especially those who just completed the Designing For Production course. Drawback to books on CD: you aren't hands free to make notes.

Thea Tolsma

Know about Charon Kransen Arts [pronounced sha-rone]. Charon represents some of the best art jewelery on the market today. Be in the know. Check out Thea Tolsma's work at Charon's site.

Objectified, coming soon

I love FB and digital technology. There. I said it. And I am not ashamed or embarrassed. Last night while sending the last few emails [2am] my friend Doug was also online [he's hosting a huge conference in May which explains why he was up working at 2am] so we started IM-ing...and he gave me the heads up on a new documentary film coming out in March 2009 on objects and object making, Objectfied. Check it out. Thank you FB, I heart you.

Ana Cardim

Poaching Amy's research, here is an interesting art jeweler: Ana Cardim.

Design Loves a Depression

This past Sunday the Ideas & Trends was titled, Design Loves a Depression. As I read, I wondered are my students reading this? When the author mentions Rem, Zaha and Philippe, do they know who the author is referencing? When the author sites Julie Laskey and Reed Kroloff, do they know who these experts are? What about design pillars Charles and Ray Eames? In recent years I liken being a design educator to an athlete on a bosu ball, which way do I need to move now in order to stay upright in the field. I have brought them Cradle-toCradle ideas and open source design. I try to instill in my students the need to read reputable news media like The Times in order to keep their fingers on the pulse of the world in order to make what they design and make relevant. History is a great teacher. We need to know what has come before in order to be relevant and make relevant decisions. Let's hope our elected leaders believe this as well. Read On!

The Business of Craft @ Creative Alliance

TU alumni and successful small business owner, Juliet Ames, is organizing a Business of Craft workshop at the Creative Alliance on January 25th. It looks great. I encourage all of you to attend....you can't get this information too soon. Go!

Hooray Towson Metals + Jewelry Alumni!

Today I received hand delivered bottle of wine today. Well, that is enough to make it a good day. What made this bottle special is that the label features the work of Leyla Tas, an MFA alumni from the Metals + Jewelry program at Towson University. Leyla came to Towson as a study abroad student. Leyla and I hit it off immediately and she took to metals like ferric nitrate to silver. She returned to Tasmania [look it up!] finishing her undergraduate degree, sold her house, and moved stateside to earn her MFA degree. Leyla's MFA exhibition [solo] was the first in the new MFA gallery in the Center for the Arts and filled the gallery. She entered her MFA thesis workin the City of Hobart Art Prize, Hobart, Australia which was funded by the Moorilla winery. Violá!

Study Abroad.
Enter your work in shows!
Be successful.

Call to Entry- Book

Especially for all the upcycled projects from Social Design- check out this call to entry for creative reuse projects!
The Info

Having your work published is great! (Also great for the resume- it shows you're actively involved in the field.)

ganked from Make's blog

Want A Feel Good?

Check out what I believe is the first episode of The Entrepreneurs on cnbc hosted by Donny Deutsch. So inspiring!