Inspiring Spaces: Alabama Chanin

With our recent Tour of the South, I spent an afternoon in AL receiving hospitality, inspiration, and appreciation from another creative spirit whose work I am in awe.

it is not the length of life, but the depth of life.

These words are carved into this old chair at the Alabama Chanin @ The Factory, in Florence, AL. Natalie Chanin, author and designer, impresses me so much with the details that go into her work. In the chair above, she has woven men's ties, leaving the ends to hang underneath the chair. I love her quote as seen above, which is likely to inspire a new block print or drawing in my upcoming quotes/mantras series. So lovely.

A glimpse of one of the table spaces in The Factory. So much of what we vintage-loving gals enjoy: silver, glass jars, milk glass, wooden spools of thread, scissors, and worn wood. The assortment carries me to the windows in my grandmother's home, with the glass elements catching the light.

A wedding dress with so much detail. Really lovely.

A headscarf, as seen in Natalie's book Alabama Chanin. You can attend workshops in The Factory where you can make one of these great pieces.
the simple beauty of strips of cloth hanging near the cutting tables.

A burst of rainbow colors from the stores of t-shirts. The cotton jersey fabrics are so soft. You just want to run your hands over them or possibly curl up in one!
Inspiration. I love to see so many good books lining these shelves. Some of these are on my wish list and I was so pleased to preview them. STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books are just so good. (All that I have & have previewed have been good. Really good.) What makes me happy is to see that our library system carries many of them, and if they don't you can request a library purchase, just as I did for Natalie's book: Alabama Stitch Book: Projects and Stories Celebrating Hand-Sewing, Quilting, and Embroidery for Contemporary Sustainable Style.

My favorite finds: vintage quilts reclaimed, repaired, and loved. Natalie has written in script on the quilt and then it's hand embroidered. I love that these quilts are tended so well and cared for through repair. They are given a new spirit, transformed through the details & work going into them. Such artistry inspired me to transform my women's retreat with a quilting projects The Work of Our Hands to include an existing quilt in need of love as a part of the project. Inspiring spaces. Inspiring women. And don't you love that a quilt says buttermilk?

Inspiration flows from hands a century ago to hands today. I love the work of many hands that touch these pieces of art.

Like the art and the space the folks at Alabama Chanin are a treat. Hospitality was shared. I was attended to effortlessly as the work day continued for these folks. Busy, busy bees. I found inspiration and learned a great deal through Natalie's success and style. Natalie is as gracious as her team. I appreciated the moments meeting her. My time there was well spent and continues to inspire me. I'm sure that as I continue to make way re-creating my studio upstairs, I will be inspired by my visit to Natalie's wonderful space. Thanks, Alabama Chanin!

question of the day: a new blog roll

my current *short* list of blogs i follow isn't up to date.  not remotely.  while i will to take a few hours to really create a good list sometime before fall rolls in, i wanted to offer the chance to receive your suggestions for review.  if you want to suggest your own blog(s)/website(s) or blog(s) you read, i'll take time to review them and consider their space here.   [for the purposes of silver tree art, a blog roll will be the links in list form of happy places + unique spaces online to find inspiration to create + live creatively.]

what do you spend those precious moments online?  who do you read?  what is your visual stimulation?  who inspires you to create, to inhale, or to ponder?

the rough sketch of the upcoming blog roll includes:  food + eats, art + craft, fiber arts, paper love, creativity, spirituality, young clergy women, creative process (tutorials/how-to), etc.  these are just the general areas that i spend my time and energy in.  

as i attempt to share with others how i live creatively, i will be exploring more avenues for sharing: blogs, artists, books, recipes, etc.  more of the same basically.  i've been so happy with the new look of my website that i'll add this list through the website, with a more condensed list here + link to the long list.  

this summer has been full and promises no less in its remainder.  while i've been able to spend time checking off the to-do list, there are items still waiting.  i'm happy to engage you in the blog roll process.  if you want to submit your short or long list, email me at slsvinson [at] me [dot] com.  

cheers. 

glimpses of art in the everyday

Visit this article in the New York Times regarding Broadway producer Rocco Landesman who the new chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.  Among his comments, this one stood out:

“When you bring artists into a town, it changes the character, attracts economic development, makes it more attractive to live in and renews the economics of that town,” he said. “There are ways to draw artists into the center of things that will attract other people.”

We happily live within the city of Richmond and drive through downtown regularly, well, to get everywhere we go.  Often the destination involves dinner downtown or uptown.  I love the spaces where art is a part of our city's life:  galleries, statues, murals to name a few.  Sometimes it's the rust on the train tracks or the bricks on our buildings that catches my attention.  There are so many spaces that have been claimed by artists & artsy groups.  The old school down the street with studio spaces, renovated warehouses and storefronts, the old post office now a community center a couple blocks down.  

As we prepare to travel, I look at my city with affection.i will miss you while i'm away richmond, but i will also come with fresh eyes hoping to see something new.  cheers.

life stories: friendship

titled: susansunmoon

an image of friendship for a friend that is for you as well.  i'll be figuring out a way to use this in pdf form for you to download.  a summer night's gift.

Called To Create

communion by mary allison cates, 2009.

A fellow YCW friend shares her call to create on Fidelia's Sisters.  Her beautiful words and stories inspire.  She shared her block print image with us (as seen above) for the Feast Festival Art Gallery back in May.  What giftedness! 

blogging words

Nancy E. Schindler of Round Rabbit gave the Richmond Etsy Street Team a little Shout Out on her blog.  The Rabbit Muse  Thanks, Nancy!  So nice meeting you this weekend!

Skylark Studio has a mention about the REST team as well on her blog.  

a weekend away: buyer's market

silver tree art has successfully completed it's first trade show. from start to finish, three other members of the Richmond Etsy Street Team and myself gathered, prepared, and worked at the Philadelphia Buyer's Market of American Craft. what an amazing weekend. while the weekend at a buyer's market has a very different feel of retail shows/indie craft shows, it was still filled with good people, amazing art, and some really good food.

enjoy these shots of the show. there will be more added to my flickr group. kudos to kelly & tasha who were amazing with their handy camera shots as seen above. See their work + susannah's here:

Modern June, Tasha McKelvey Pottery, and Zou Zou's Basement.

my artistry through Silver Tree Art will be in more stores, which will continually be added to my newly recrafted website. If you or a someone you know is interested in carrying my wears + artistry, contact me for a buyer's packet of information, which I can send electronically.

Many thanks to the cheers, good energy, and support from you over these years. I love knowing that this movement forward goes with many others.

ART MARKET THIS WEEK: Silver Tree Art & Zou Zou's Basement will be at First Friday at the Market Umbrella at Quirk from 6 - 10 p.m. Come by!

Susannah will be at St. Stephen's Market this Saturday, August 8th from 8 - Noon with our wears.

I'll likely be at the Bizarre Market for the 2nd Annual Johnny Z Fest which offers support to Art 180 in honor of Jonny Z. The Bizarre Market is this Saturday, August 8th from 12 - 5 on the 200 North block of Shields Avenue (right in front of Joe's Inn).

Good Press: Richmond Magazine (dot) com

Check out Richmond Magazine's Shopping Blog, featuring the 10 Friend's Art Exhibit tonight where you can find a variety of my work along with other great artists including:

• Paintings and prints by Susannah-Raine Haddad of Zou Zou’s Basement, Skye Hallman of Little Snail Designs, Suzie Weaver, Sandra Kienast, Elizabeth Clark, Michele Young-Stone, Suzanne L. Vinson, Linda Kendall, Nathan Ezzell and Robin Baxter.

• Encaustic work by Whitney Bennett Hales

• Photography by John Haddad and Melissa Powell

• Jewelry by Karen Karwowski, Katie Best and Gillian Aikin

• Kids' clothing by Juli Schatz and Skye Hallman of Little Snail Designs

Along with fun art to peruse, there’ll be live music by Amy Henderson and Dirty Blonde, along with beverage sales (including wine and beer). Tips will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. So make a night of it, shop, have a drink and boogie down. Don’t forget a few extra dollars to donate!