See below for links to individual events.

June 9

June 10

June 16

June 22

June 24

We are excited to once again POP into the Carnegie Library’s Summer Reading Extravaganza. Taking place on the lawn of the main branch in Oakland from 12 – 5 pm on  Sunday, June 10th. A portion of each artists’ sales will benefit the Carnegie Library!

Meet our Artists

Join us on Friday, June 22nd as we POP into the WYEP’s 15th Annual Summer Music Festival – for our third year.

We LOVE LOVE LOVE this event each year, watching the lawn fill up with friends of WYEP and enjoying an evening of FREE incredible entertainment brought to the city by the fact that we have such an active public music station fueled by listeners like our artists and you – our fans!

Friday, June 22
Schenley Plaza, Oakland
Kids activities and IMI begin at 4 pm, music at 6 pm.
Meet our Artists

A portion of each artist’s sales for the evening will be donated to WYEP, where the music matters!

Find more information on their website.

This year’s lineup includes:

Donora
Great Lake Swimmers
Sharon Van Etten
Dr. Dog

We <3 our sponsors, The Cotton Factory. They are always up to so much good each and every first Friday for Penn Avenue’s Unblurred. Check out the awesomeness that they are offering a week from Friday at Teerex Headquarters: 5440 Penn Ave, 6-10 PM.

Direct From Cotton Factory Headquarters:
Our June Unblurred is sure to have something to please all of our guests. Our best-friend vendors will be here with their complementary items of handmade house wares and gourmet cupcakes–a house maker’s dream! For the animal lover’s out there, we will be displaying, selling and taking orders for our newest fundraiser tee design featuring Megan’s darling bunny Mochi, benefiting Rabbit Wranglers (http://www.rabbitwranglers.com/). As if that wasn’t enough do-gooding, our nightly non-profit Frack Pittsburgh will have a table of their own as well. All 2011 tees, hoodies, dresses and kids items marked down to a mere $10! Need I mention the ever-growing bins of $5 tees?

Featured guests for this event include:

-Bitchin’ handmade wares from one of TeeRex’s own, seamstress Megan of That’s What She Thread. Aprons that look like sweet summer dresses, utility belt types, embroidered fabric napkins, baby items and accessories in an impressive array of new and repurposed vintage fabrics!
www.ThatsWhatSheThread.net/
https://www.facebook.com/ThatsWhatSheThread

-Back by popular demand is Jess Wagner of Cake Eaters Sweet Shoppe! She’ll be switching things up, as she always does, featuring perfectly paired summer ingredients in her cupcakes along with everyone’s favorite fruity-themed boozy treats for purchase. And you can always anticipate a delectable vegan choice or two for her egg and dairy-free fans. Ooh la la!
http://www.facebook.com/CakeEatersPgh

10% of our sales this night will be donated to our featured non-profit this month:

-Frack Pittsburgh fights Big Oil and Gas and their take-over of our state and local governments via campaign contributions, by educating the public and holding our officials accountable. In the upcoming months their main focus will be on turning seats in the PA state Legislature and educating the Public and their officials about why Pennsylvania must have a moratorium on drilling.
http://the-league-of-activists.com/

And of course:

-Gourmet Hot Dogs to satisfy your savory cravings for purchase from our friends at Franktuary (Veggie options also available)
http://franktuary.com/

-Who could forget the yummy East End Brewery beer??
http://www.eastendbrewing.com/

-The Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project is is always in need of new or gently used totes. Please also think about bringing a donation of canned foods, hygiene products or pet goodies with you to help those and their furry friends in need. Any donation enters you for a chance to win a free tee from our shop!
http://tote4pgh.blogspot.com/

This is pretty exciting news for us! We are announcing a new venture! The Rust Belt Artisan Market.

I Made It! Market’s mission is to:

• Provide opportunities for artists to sell their wares and expand their markets
• Partner with non-profit, community and arts organizations to build community (raise awareness + funds)

That spirit of boosting business for artisans & building community is now taken a step further to expand regionally offering even more opportunity for sales, market expansion, skill building, and resource sharing.

The Rust Belt Artisan Market’s mission is to connect creative small businesses to one another to ignite the spark that occurs when you have what you need to be successful. Together, we will forge the path to crafting a new economy by offering tools and resources for collaboration.

Learn more on our information page for vendors or visit the Rust Belt Artisan Market directly!

Assemble announces the first MakerDate fundraising event

This spring, Assemble is having its first official fundraising event on Friday, May 18 at East Liberty’s Shadow Lounge and will feature an evening full of events intended to further Assemble’s mission to engage the community in active learning.

The event will feature 14 Makers for the live auction and a number of local artisans, creators, and businesses who have donated items for a raffle.

Live Performance by: Mrs. Paintbrush (Grand Buffet)
Deejay: Jay Malls (I Dig PGH, Title Town)
Emcee: Davon Magwood

Assemble founder (and I Made It! Market co-founder) Nina Marie Barbuto says, “The MakerDate Auction is a place where people can share their passions and skills through hands-on interactions. It’s similar to a “playdate” for adults! We hope to be strengthening the making community with this event, exposing makers to enthusiasts and vice versa.”

Participating Makers include:
Bill Moore—filmmaking
Ben Saks (floatpictures.com)—indoor rubber powered airplane building
Sam Thorp (graphicanatomy.com)—figure drawing
Erika Johnson (erikajohnsonstudio.com)—microscopic media
Bek Winters—local food sourcing and preservation
Casey Droege (caseywhat.com)—strategic intuitive life-planning
Beano Gee (beanogee.com)—watercolor and digital art
Diane Meyer—Shibori cloth dying
Brandon Barber of Laser Lab Studio (laserlabstudio.com)—3D modeling and sculpture
Cotton Factory (cottonfactory.com)—t-shirt printing
Carl Bajandas—Arduino
Encyclopedia Destructica (encyclopediadestructica.com)—zine making
Blaine Siegel (blainesiegel.com)—guerrilla art installation
Deanna Mance (deannamance.com)—kitchen printmaking

]]> http://imadeitmarket.com/2012/05/assemble-fundraiser-makerdate/feed/ 0 http://imadeitmarket.com/2012/05/assemble-fundraiser-makerdate/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IMadeItMarket/~3/sQCPG2tf1-A/ http://imadeitmarket.com/2012/05/carolskinger/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 14:08:45 +0000 Carrie http://imadeitmarket.com/?p=11566 Tweet

Meet: Carol Skinger

Artist Carol Skinger from Pittsburgh is one of our occasional IMI vendors. She has always told us she doesn’t sew or make jewelry orprint t-shirts (yet!) but likes the spirit of our indie maker events where sells her original art, prints, and greeting cards. She will be joining us as a vendor at the IMI event Carnegie Library Summer Reading Extravaganza :: Sunday, June 10 ::Carnegie Library Main Branch, Oakland.

Before that however, one of her original art pieces was juried into the Pittsburgh Society of Artists exhibit titled “Tone it UP!”

This exhibit is one of four guild exhibits opening at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts this Friday May 11, 2012  5:30- 9PM. Awards at 8PM. This is an invitation to IMI friends and vendors to attend the opening OR see the show before July 22 when it ends.

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (Map to PCA) : 6300 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232

Skinger’s piece titled “Pile it on. We VOTE!” is a watercolor and collage using a graded wash background with birch tree wallpaper decals and a print of Venus de Milo. It was created as a response to the concept that Pittsburgh Society of Artists (PSA) came up with as a theme for Tone it UP! “In this election year, where billions are being spent on spin, brand and point of view- this image is my artistic contribution,” says Carol.

PSA invited its members and members of other local guilds to “pump up the volume” about something they were passionate about, whether political, environmental, cultural, etc. This theme is in response to officials suggesting the public should “tone down” their rhetoric. Artists were encouraged to tell compelling stories with their work. This exhibit, which features a variety of media: installation, film and video, includes more than 40 pieces. Three juror awards will be given. Juror Greg Harrison is currently Chair of the Department of Art & Design at California University of PA. He earned his MFA from Edinboro University.

She had this to say about her piece “Pile it on. We VOTE!”. “I wanted to make an image that spoke for itself. No mystery! In the past few months we have been treated to seeing committee chairman, Rep. Darrel Issa (r California) and the news photo of him and all those male politicians in suits at a Capitol Hill hearing deciding on women’s health issues. And he was fighting off an attempt to have a woman’s voice even heard!  Then we had various states trying to legislate that when facing an abortion a woman must have a trans-vaginal ultrasound probe. Even the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure became a divisive issue due to reproductive politics.  This war on women is what motivated my artwork. “

Her image is even available at the Shop at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts as a greeting card for the duration of the show. It could be a Mother’s Day card for the right person! YIKES Mothers day is Sunday May 13. Or buy it in packs of 4 at Carol’s shop. http://carolskinger.com/store/products/pile-it-on-we-vote-cards/.

Meet Amber Coppings

We were really excited to spend some time with local fiber superstar, Amber Coppings, who has had her ‘hand’ in a lot of fiber work all over Pittsburgh and beyond. An educator and artist, Amber is releasing a new line of gorgeous hand-dyed clothing just in time for the Spring/Summer months. Amber is the force behind Xmittens, keeping Pittsburghers (and beyond) warm since 2006.

In fact, you can be among the first to grab your own wearable art from Amber at a trunk show on Thursday, May 10th starting at 5pm. Visit the Facebook Event page for all of the details and to RSVP.

We grilled Amber to get to know how she finds her creative inspiration and to learn how she got a start as an artist and maker.

Tell us about your love for fiber and how you got started in fiberarts.

I started creating with fiberart/textiles when I was young.  My mom introduced crocheting into my life when I was about 8 years old.  I got away from art in high school, but took a fiberarts class in college and it just clicked.
I love the tactile participation of constructing using yarns and fabrics…it’s a process I understand on a very deep level.  Some people really understand how to use paint to communicate their inner worlds, or use wood, or gemstones.  For me, it’s color and texture and textiles all the way.

Describe your style.

Definitely eclectic!   I used to roam secondhand stores, but they get picked over so much more than they used to.  Instead, I roam the internet and find other independent designers and mix and match my clothing and accessories and theirs to make my style.
In general, I love the unusual small details that got a lot of attention by the designer.  Anything that has a sense of command and place in the world, but may not exist everywhere.
Could you share a little bit with us about how Xmittens wearables are unique.

I think there are several things that make Xmittens stand out:
they are handmade with recycled fabrics (new to my customers, but the fabric was constructed out of recycled materials saved from landfills)
the modern design and practical uses are appealing to men, women and teens with a wide variety of lifestyles and aesthetics.  I’ve had 65 year old male golfers love their Xmittens, drag queens add them to their outfits, yoga instructors wear them to class, moms wear the jackets to drop their kids off at school…you name them, they probably would wear Xmittens.
Also, Xmittens items are really durable.  Even with daily wear the fingerless gloves can last many years.  That’s hard to find in a mass market glove!

What is the inspiration behind your new designs?

My love of fabric dyeing started because a friend of mine moved to Japan, so I learned about shibori (the Japanese fabric dyeing methods) to feel like I understood his life a bit more.  So, there has always been a very personal element to my love of fabric dyeing.
This new collection has its catalyst in the unexpected death of my father in January.  He would be very proud of me and the vibrant collection I am putting out into the world.
How can shoppers get their hands on the new Spring/Summer Line?

Come to my Trunk Show on Thursday, May 10 5pm-9pm in Point Breeze!  All the details arehere: http://xmittens.net/2012/04/amber-coppings-designs-trunk-show-may-10-2012/
You can also buy online at shop.xmittens.net and, soon, you will find the new collection at shops who carry my line.  Take a look at the list here: http://xmittens.net/stockists/

You have been an art instructor to so many in the fiberarts. What about the arts community in Pittsburgh gives you the “warm fuzzies”?

It’s unbelievable how supportive the community of Pittsburgh can be for artists, crafters and designers.  There’s always room to grow, but, honestly, there are so few places where an artist can own their own home, house their studio in it, incubate and try out ideas on a receptive hometown audience and then get cheered along the way to national attention.  There are numerous opportunities to give back, too, as a teacher, or to donate to a great cause, etc…  It’s amazing.

Connect with Amber

MAIN Shop:  http://shop.xmittens.net

From I Made It! Market sponsors: Cotton Factory

PITTSBURGH LOVES PIT BULLS: A CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT HELLO BULLY

Limited edition PITSburgh tees and aprons available through May 31, 2012

The Cotton Factory and Hello Bully are pairing up once again to bring back the incredibly successful limited edition PITSburgh t-shirts and aprons for the month of May. Designed as a fund and awareness raising campaign for Hello Bully, portions of each sale donated to the local pit bull rescue group.

This time around the PITSburgh pride design is available on both t-shirts and aprons with your choice of gold or pink ink. $5 from each t-shirt and $3 from each apron sold will be donated directly to Hello Bully. The shirts are available for sale online at www.thecottonfactory.com now through May 31, 2012. The promotion ends May 31, after which the shirts and aprons will no longer be available.

On Friday, May 4 the Cotton Factory and TeeRex Syndicate will open for Unblurred along Penn Ave between 6:00 and 10:00 pm. 10% of all t-shirt sales that evening will be donated to Hello Bully, who will be on hand to provide information about the benefits of pit bull rescue and it’s positive effects on the community.

About Hello Bully:

Hello Bully is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation focused on the rescue and rehabilitation of the American Pit Bull Terrier. Hello Bully’s all-volunteer staff and supporters are driven by their hearts and passion to help pit bulls. http://hellobully.org

About The Cotton Factory:

The Cotton Factory produces quality apparel with original designs created by a devoted staff of local designers. Based in Pittsburgh, PA the Cotton Factory often partners with local groups such as the Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project, Bike Pittsburgh, and more. http://www.cottonfactory.com