Thursday, March 29, 2007

Meet Faythe Levine

1. Name/Location/Company or craft represented at the Congress: Faythe Levine, Art vs. Craft/Paper Boat Boutique & Gallery/Handmade Nation Milwaukee
2. How long have you been crafting?: My entire life!
3. How did you hear about Craft Congress?: Email invatation
4. What are you hoping you’ll take away after the sessions?: Feeling like I connected with people in person!
5. Have you been to Pittsburgh before? How are you getting to Pennsylvania?: Never been for more than a night. Airplane.
6. What songs are you planning on listening to during the trip?: The new Ponys' album, Pink Mountain Tops, what ever is crammed into my iPod!

Meet Gloria Forouzan

1. Name/Location/Company or craft represented at the Congress: Gloria Forouzan, Fevered Mind Productions, Pittsburgh.
2. How long have you been crafting?: For as long as I can remember & I am old, so that is a very, very long time.
3. How did you hear about Craft Congress?: I am one of the people that imagined it & organized it.
4. What are you hoping you'll take away after the sessions?: New friendships with like-minded people from around the world, information on how to do what we do better, the sass & brass to make it happen again next year.
5. Have you been to Pittsburgh before? How are you getting to Pennsylvania?: I've lived in Pittsburgh, since 1979, (except for a six-year-long 'Lost Weekend' in New Orleans).
6. What songs are you planning on listening to during the trip?: Lots of songs by Talking Heads, Chaka Khan, Neil Young, Chrissy Hynde, (told you I'm old).

Meet Jennifer Baron

1. Name/Location/Company or craft represented at the Congress: Jennifer Baron, Fresh Popcorn Productions, www.freshpopcorn.etsy.com.
2. How long have you been crafting?: Was born into the crafting life making collages and books as a child and watching my mom sew everything from curtains to bathing suits for our family. I co-hatched The Polka-Dot Life online craft collective when I lived in Brooklyn in 2000.
3. How did you hear about Craft Congress?: I am one of the organizers of Pittsburgh's Handmade Arcade. We are thrilled to host this first-ever Craft Congress, in the city where creative forces such as Mary Cassatt, Gertrude Stein, Rachel Carson, Nellie Bly, Norma-Jean Wofford (aka "The Duchess," Bo Diddley's 60s-era guitar player) hail from!
4. What are you hoping you'll take away after the sessions?: I hope to take away personal and professional camaraderie, inspiration and connectivity, as well as many unexpected possibilities for the craft movement.
5. Have you been to Pittsburgh before? How are you getting to Pennsylvania?: After living in New York City for 10 years, I relocated - boxes of Pyrex cookware, records, paper products and all - to my hometown of Pittsburgh.
6. What songs are you planning on listening to during the trip?: As always, I'll be singing along to Lee Hazlewood, John Phillips, Gene Clark, The Small Faces, The Zombies, Jackie DeShannon...

Meet Jen Anisef

1. Name/Location/Company or craft represented at the Congress: Jen Anisef/Toronto/Toronto Craft Alert

2. How long have you been crafting?: I tried my hand at a Fimo brooch & hair clip business as a child, but really started identifying as "crafty" in 1999ish.


3. How did you hear about Craft Congress?: Got an invite to the Yahoo group from a mysterious source…

4. What are you hoping you'll take away after the sessions?: Different & deeper perspectives on the evolution of the craft movement/subculture. Inspiration for new projects & alliances on existing ones. New pals & fond memories…


5. Have you been to Pittsburgh before? How are you getting to Pennsylvania?: I am new to Pittsburgh. Road tripping it with Leah (Toronto Church of Craft/Coldsnap) & Becky (Good Catch Craft Fairs/The Sweetie Pie Press).

6. What songs are you planning on listening to during the trip?: Whatever Becky plays in her station wagon - I am a bit of Luddite and lack a personal listening device.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Pittsburgh Info

All you'll need to know about getting around this crafty city:

Bus Info: 412-442-2000
Local library
Pittsburgh City Paper

Check back, there's still lots more to come!

Facilitator: Tamara Dourney

1. Name/Location/Company or craft represented at the Congress: Tamara Dourney, Florida, Craft Revolution/ Independent Design & Craft Association / Fort Pierce Craft Mafia.
2. How long have you been crafting?: All my life - my mom is the true queen of craft and I just try to keep up.
3. How did you hear about Craft Congress?: We were emailed by Gloria (I think!)
4. What are you hoping you'll take away after the sessions?: A better understanding of the community we operate in, knowledge that we can pass on to others through Craft Revolution.
5. Have you been to Pittsburgh before? How are you getting to Pennsylvania?: Nope! I'm flying in and I *hate* flying- I'm dreading it!
6. What songs are you planning on listening to during the trip?: I'm a sucker for 'Cracker' music, so I'll probably load up on Jerry Mincey and go! How can you beat songs with lyrics like, "A mangrove moon on a starry night is freedom enough for me!". Of course, it could be a "Florida" thing!

Facilitator: Marie Kare

1. Name/Location/Company or craft represented at the Congress: Marie Kare, Sacramento, CA - Go Sampler.
2. How long have you been crafting?: Since childhood. Professionally for six years.
3. How did you hear about Craft Congress?: Jessica Manack
4. Have you been to Pittsburgh before? How are you getting to Pennsylvania?: Yes - by plane.
5. What songs are you planning on listening to during the trip?: Hopefully the sound of my own snoring on the plane.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Meet Sweetie Pie Press

Name/Location/Company or craft represented at the Congress: Becky Johnson, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the Sweetie Pie Press
How long have you been crafting?: I've had my little business for going on four years now, but I'm sure I made something with my hands before that.
How did you hear about Craft Congress? Are you facilitating a session at all?: I don't know how the Craft Congress heard about me, but I was invited to join the Yahoo Group in the fall. And the entire Toronto contingent will be facilitating the end-of-congress feedback session (don't believe that Leah isn't facilitating just because she doesn't seem to be; she just opted What are you hoping you'll take away after the sessions?: I think I'm most interested in meeting the people involved in this "movement" and, in so doing, getting a sense of the mindset behind the various facets of this things we've all become wrapped up in.
Have you been to Pittsburgh before? How are you getting to Pennsylvania?: I was in Pittsburgh once this past fall on my craft tour of America. That visit mostly consisted of holing up in a motel by the airport and making buttons while watching Law and Order. I hope to see more of the city this time. All of us Torontonians are driving down in my station wagon ("Boris").
What songs are you planning on listening to during the trip?: Oldies on A.M. radio! The only way to drive!

As we approach the first Craft Congress...

... Get to know some of the faciliatators:

Name/Location/Company or craft represented at the Congress: Kpoene' Kofi-Bruce, Brooklyn/Ladies Independent Design League
How long have you been crafting?: 5 years
How did you hear about Craft Congress? Are you facilitating a session at all?: From a friend; I am facilitating "How to Help Your Vendors to Sell"
What are you hoping you'll take away after the sessions?: Meeting other crafters and getting advice!
Have you been to Pittsburgh before? How are you getting to Pennsylvania?: No, My girlfriend is driving us down
What songs are you planning on listening to during the trip?: Lots of Belle and Sebastian, Camera Obscura, and the Ditty Bops

Make sure to check back to this blog for more updates on the participants and what happened at the first-ever Craft Congress!