emiko-o reware

(we interrupt the Top 5 Niche Marketing Tips for this special announcement)

This weekend is my biggest craft show of the year and my debut on the main floor of the American Craft Council Show at SF Fort Mason Festival Pavilion! Starting Friday, Aug 12 through Sunday, Aug 14, it’s THE CRAFT EVENT to see; this year it is only one pavilion and so the creme of the crop craftspeople have been juried in (I’m honored to be among them!). I’ve been busy making new work and setting up my magical lego “tea party” themed booth (special thanks to my professional artist friend, Aimee Golant for her expertise in booth setup).

It’s going to be AMAZING, plus there is a full line-up of artisan live demos all weekend, and a Hot Glass and Beer event on Friday. TODAY ONLY you can get 50% discount off the admission ticket (normally $12) by purchasing online through EventBrite using discount code: SF2011GUEST. Click HERE to get discount tickets.
Come by and say hi, get a home-baked treat and see what I’ve been up to these last few months at the bench! Note: parking is tricky up there at Fort Mason on the weekend, so consider public transit, carpooling, or parking in the outlying neighborhoods.

DETAILS:  American Craft Council Show
Where: Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion, SF
Booth: 630, East Wall, mid-back
When: Friday, Aug 12, 10am-8pm  ($5 happy hour discounted tix after 5pm!)
Saturday, Aug 13, 10am-6pm
Sunday, Aug 14, 10am-5pm
Admission: $12 regular (discounted tix online through Aug 11)
url: http://shows.craftcouncil.org/sf

new work by emiko-o. model photo by Aryn Shelander

Encrypted

So much to report on what’s going on with my work this fall/winter! Can barely keep up on the exhibitions and holiday events, but I will do my best to get it all down here. First, and foremost, I made a brand new recycled art piece, non-LEGO for a change of pace. Encrypted is a set of 3 brooches in a wall environment that was made specifically for the National Ornamental Metal Museum‘s exhibition “Remake/Remodel” Nov 13, 2009- Jan 31, 2010 (see image, left). An invitational show, artists were asked to select a piece from NOMM’s Permanent Collection and then reinterpret the work into new pieces. I choose an iron coffer from Germany, 1650 as I found the locking mechanism on the inside of the lid very ornate with beautiful shapes (see image below).

German coffer, 1650

Here is my artist statement for Encrypted:

“Computers are the “coffers” of the 21st century. They hold everything personal such as family photos, finances, and work projects stored for prosperity inside a hard drive. They serve as our portal to the outside world where we conduct “secure” business with others via encrypted systems and passwords. Private data can shared securely with others electronically via “keys” which lock (encrypt) and unlock data. While someone can physically steal a computer, they cannot gain access to the treasures within as long as the system has been Encrypted.

The computer components and circuitry in Encrypted were compiled from abandoned and damaged computers found in the street or donated by friends. Created as a companion piece to an iron German Coffer (1650) from the National Ornamental Metal Museum’s Permanent Collection. The decorative quality of the iron coffer’s internal lid locking mechanisms informed the design of the three brooches; the coffer’s wood base inspired the layered wall environment for the brooches to rest.” * * * * * *

It was quite amazing that while I was thinking about this piece before I started designing it, I would step out of my apartment and spot random computers and circuit boards laying on the street! Waiting for me just like that! The power of visualization at its best, I tell ya. Thanks to Aimee Golant for donating her evil Dell tower, which provided me with some of the loveliest mechanisms that I used in the brooches.

The wall environment is made up of recycled circuit boards and sterling silver. Measures 17 5/8″L x 7.25″W x 3″D. The Key brooches are made of recycled circuit boards/computer parts/Plexiglass; sterling & fine silver, brass, gold, aluminum, steel. Key 1 measures 11″L x 4.75″W x 7/8″D. Key 2 measures 5 1/8″L x 2 .25″W x 1 .5″D. Key 3 measures 3.75″L x 2″W x 1″D.

Here are close up images of the individual Key brooches. Next post I’ll share with you images of the custom box made for Encrypted and some tips for professional art packing…

Encrypted Key 3

Encrypted Key 2

Encrypted Key 1

Mark your calendars for this Sunday, Nov 9 from 1-3pm when I and fellow Critique Collective members are hosting a Meet the Artists Open House at the San Francisco Museum of Craft+Design. Artist walkthrough/tour begins at 1:30. I’ll be giving a tour of My First Royal Jewels Jewellery Collection LEGO necklaces, and the Collective will be talking about the Jewelry_cycle exhibition.

Jewelry_cycle:Artists Discover Hidden Sparkle in the Discarded is an educational showcase of wearable treasures made from re-purposed and re-cycled materials. With the idea of an exhibition in mind, co-curators Christine Dhein and Christoph Koch asked the Critique Collective to create wearable art from a variety of small, discarded circuit boards. Circuit boards are commonly made from fiberglass, epoxy resin, and a variety of metals, which is likely to be one third of the material. These metals include copper, silver and gold, which add a precious element to what would otherwise be considered e-waste. These artists discovered the hidden potential, and transformed these materials to create brilliant, sparkling jewels.

Participating artists are: Shana Astrachan, David Casella, Christine Dhein, Reed Easely, Aimee Golant, Christoph Koch, Kelly Nedderman, and myself. Shout out to Christine for working extra hard to have the exhibit be super clean and pro looking! Check out Julian on the job!

Come join us and learn some facts about environmental waste and how you can do your part to lesson your carbon footprint while being creative!  Plus sit down and make your own jewelry from recycled toy parts at the MakeArt:Jewelry + Objects self-serve table that I developed.

Shout out to SCRAP and UGlu for being awesome sponsors of my MakeArt table and workshop!