Strawberryluna

Monthly Archives: September 2009

Lovely new Jason Lytle live NPR set

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Let’s get this truth out of the way first: I love Jason Lytle. Unabashedly and completely. What’s not to adore? His songwriting is orignal and fantastic, he’s a funny assed dude, and a sweetpea. He is just super dupes.

We got to see Jason Lytle play a live set as the opening act for Neko Case while touring in support of his first and incredibly good solo record (Yours Truly, The Commuter) this summer at possibly the weirdest venue that Pittsburgh has yet managed to pull out of thin air: a swampy downslope on the Monongahela River next to a water slide park. It was a warm and muggy night full of folding chairs, teenaged ushers with no real idea where one’s seat were, and the slow roll of Jason Lytle‘s music weaving magic. I can’t say it was ideal, but it was perfect, if you get me. Thanks for being so nice too after the show sir, I love my poster and doodley postcards.

With all of the work and travel that I’ve done in September this year, I’m a little behind on some things, and this NPR’s excellent All Songs Considered recorded show of Mr. Lytle’s at The Bowery Ballroom in NYC this past July, but posted by All Songs Considered on 7/11/09 is one of them. Just listen and fall in love.

You can listen and stream or download his set here or click on the photo below.

Jason Lytle, live in concert at The Bowery Ballroom in NYC on 7/11/09. (Photo courtesy of All Songs Considered.)

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New Interview, by El Jefe for The Vinyl District, Screening Process

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Well, color me blushing.

The super talented and extremely cool Jeffery Everett of El Jefe Design, in Washington DC asked me to do an interview for his series called The Screening Process on a blog that he regularly contributes to called The Vinyl District. (Please check out TVD it’s amazing! For instance, I just found a great post with some old David Sylvan / Japan mp3s. And here, I thought that I was the only one who liked Japan then, let alone now.)

Jefferey’s questions were really great, and my responses were kinda…well, me. Ha! Anyway, if you are interested in the behind the scenes sort of process, thought, and mindsweat that goes into design and hand screenprinting posters and prints, SHA-BAM! This interview will wet your whistle, cowboy.

The interview is posted here for you and definitely check out El Jefe Design’s work, he’s quite the fella. And, he will also be appearing at the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair on October 3rd, 2009. Can’t wait to hang out and look at his work in person.

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Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair in DC this weekend, come say hi!

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Picture 3

Hooorraaay!! I am SO excited about this craft show, Crafty Bastards, happening on October 3rd, this coming Saturday. I’ve always heard great things about it, so I finally got up the gumption to apply for it this year, and lo! I made the cut. Since this is my first time, I don’t have a lot of firsthand info or chat, so I will let the spectacular crew of Crafty Bastards do the talking. From the Crafty Bastards website, all of the information you will ever need. Mention that you saw this post on my blog, and receive a free bookmark & sticker pack OR $5 off of my newest art print, Fall 2009, your choice friend.

Hope to see you there! Here is a great list of the participating vendors for 2009, searchable by name, alphabetical order, or craft type, how helpful and rad!

All about the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair:

What is it?
Now in its 6th year, Crafty Bastards(sm) Arts & Crafts Fair is an exhibition and sale of handmade alternative arts and crafts from independent artists presented by the Washington City Paper. The fair is all-day, outdoors, free to attend, and will offer goods for sale, food, entertainment, prizes, and more! Crafty Bastards will take place Saturday, October 3, 2009 in Washington, DC.

Why are we doing it?
As DC’s premier alternative newsweekly, City Paper promotes underground art and strives to connect the voice and vision of the indie craft community with our readers. In our Classifieds section, in print and online, we have a special Crafty Bastards advertising section through which craftspeople can sell their wares and throughout the year we post craft related info on the Crafty Bastards blog, Cut the Craft, where we invite talented crafters to share their knowledge and expertise with the public. Every fall we hold the fair which creates an experience where the urban consumer can discover unconventional, hard-to-find arts and crafts, meet the artists, as well as enjoy an outdoor event with fun and entertainment! In 2008 we hosted a spring show that focused on learning, workshops, up-and-coming artists, and those newer to the indie craft scene.

When is this event and how do I find it?

Saturday, October 3, 2009, 10am-5pm at the Marie Reed Learning Center at 18th & Wyoming (Google Maps) in the hip Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC.

Read the FAQ for more information.

What kinds of crafts will I find?
You won’t find mass produced or imported goods here. You will find talented vendors handpicked by a select jury for their DIY chops and singular vision selling things you never knew existed and that you may never see again! There’ll be surprises at every booth including reconstructed clothing, punk rock baby clothes, handcrafted jewelry, whimsical and demented plush toys, handspun yarn, screen-printing, avant-garde art and much more!

Event History
In 2004, City Paper held the first Crafty Bastards(sm) Arts & Crafts Fair at the Columbia Heights Community Marketplace. We featured 150 vendors, food, and bands. In 2005, Crafty Bastards moved to the Marie Reed Learning Center in Adams Morgan, and has since featured more than 100 indie craft vendors, over 20,000 attendees, food, sponsors, prizes, a b-boy battle, workshops, and entertainment that’s included a fire-eater, kid-friendly rock shows, a fashion show, belly dancers and more! Our sixth year running, we expect another exciting display of creative talent, entertainment and fun for all!

Still have questions?
See our Frequently Asked Questions.

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500 Colored Pencils

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pencils

Oooooohhhh..

How cool is this? 500 beautifully colored pencils look absolutely lovely all together. Presented by the folks at Social Designer as a set and a subscription, this is one of those  _______-of-the-month-club deals that I actually think is really rad. Obviously, I am a fan of color, the more the better usually, so these collections and rad little display vignettes just charm the hell out me.

Watch it sheep!

Watch it polar bear!

25 pencils per month for 2o months gets you quite literally all the colors of the rainbow. Or, as Social Designer puts it: “500 Colored Pencils: the only set in the world that matches the span and wonder of human creativity.” At $33 a month, it’s like a sweet 70’s car payment.

I'm into it.

I'm into it, all nice and flat on the wall.

PS – All of these photos are examples of the ways that you can store and / or display the wonderland of color that is this 500 Colored Pencil collection, all available at Social Designer as well as a few other neato ideas, beyond the trusty and iconic old coffee can.

Hold 'em tight...

Hold 'em tight...

Though I use mostly plain old graphite pencils or scratchy old ink pens to sketch, this collection is tempting, I just love the idea of a fresh set of color like a bouquet (sans mort et bees) arriving to brighten up every month for almost 2 years. And yes, I am a design nerd.

Click on any of the images for more information or this link to visit Social Designer.

Color & light.

Color & light.

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Some new strawberryluna releases!…?…!

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Ok, I won’t lie. This summer and well, now early fall have been breakneck speed work, travel to several shows all over the country (Chicago Flatstock, Seattle Flatstock & Chicago Renegade, to name a few), packing orders (with many prints and posters now sold out) and more work for me here at strawberryluna World Wide HQ. So much so that I seem to have forgotten to update my ol’  bloggery here with a few “new” prints and posters. Whoopsie daisy Maisy!

So, without further chit chat, I bring you some “new” releases! Ooooohhhhh…

First up, POSTERS:

Hey, remember Joe Cocker? The man was and IS a rock’n’roll animal to the core. And, he’s been touring pretty much non-stop since the John Belushi SNL skit days, (too young to know what I’m talking about? Weren’t watching SNL as a little kid like I was? Learn here whippersnapper.) Anyway, I had the supreme honor of doing a poster for his show at the Delta Classic Chastain Park Ampitheater in Atlanta, GA.

Offset printed, 4-color, CMYK poster for the incomparable Joe Cocker.

Offset printed, 4-color, CMYK poster for the incomparable Joe Cocker. Click to purchase or for more info!

Next up, is my rainy day homage to one of my favorite US cities: Seattle! For one of the premier rock poster shows, Flatstock, designers & poster artists have free range to produce a poster for each Flatstock and it’s super fun to do. This year for Seattle’s Flatstock, which happens during the Bumbershoot Music Festival, I made a little play on Seattle & Pittsburgh’s similarity – rain. This poster is based on an illustration that I’ve had floating around for about a year and that I really wanted to use, so I added some musical notes and textures and a lil mod-city in the background to finish the layout. Hope that you dig.

Hand screenprinted, 3-color poster for Flatstock Seattle, 2009 & Bumbershoot Music Festival. Click to purchase or for more information!

Hand screenprinted, 3-color poster for Flatstock Seattle, 2009 & Bumbershoot Music Festival. Click to purchase or for more information!

And next, let’s get caught up with strawberryluna Art Prints:

And, just in time for autumn, I’d like to premier my Summer 2009 art print, the next new print in my Seasons series. Oh yeah! On time like a bus on a sleeting Christmas Sunday. And not a hair too soon before my Fall 2009 print is done and ready. Ho, ho ho. Loads of overprints dominate this hand screenprinted breezy summer lovin’ expression.

Hand screenprinted, 7-color art print, Summer 2009. Available at my website now. Click to purchase or for more information.

And lo & behold,  last but not least, my most recent art print, the newest colorway of my super popular Going To See My Baby print, this time is fall-ready orange.  Hence the name, Going To See My Baby Orange. Tricky! I know. Who doesn’t love love?

New colorway of my 5-color, hand screenprinted art print, Going To See My Baby Orange. Available on my website now. Click to purchase or for more information!

New colorway of my 5-color, hand screenprinted art print, Going To See My Baby Orange. Available on my website now. Click to purchase or for more information!

Ok then, I think that we’re all caught up. Bye summer!

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Flintstock! Art & Rock show in Flint, MI

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Click for more information about Flintstock

Click for more information about Flintstock

You probably think of lots of things when you hear the name “Flint, Michigan” right? Rock’n’Roll and an amazing past & contemporary poster show should now be among them. Flintstock is a new music and poster show happening in Flint, MI at the Flint Institute of the Arts (FIA) on Saturday September 26, 2009 and you should totally GO check it out. Flintstock comprises of 7 legendary bands and TWO poster art shows, so it’s kind of a blowout. In fact, Paste Magazine wrote a nice little piece about the show here!

I will have 10 posters in the “Graphic Beauty: Contemporary Rock and Roll Posters” show during Flintstock, as well as posters by a rad array of contemporary working poster artists from around the US, and there is also a super retrospective on display called “Flashback: Posters from the Golden Age of Rock and Roll”, all on view at the Flint Institute of the Arts. And, to make things even crazier, Mike Budai will be on hand in person at Flintstock to sell and chat posters. Yes way! The 2 concurrent poster shows will be up for viewing from September 26th through November 8th.

More Information is below, from the Flint Institute of the Arts:

Ten hours of Art, Love and Rock & Roll: from NOON to 10 p.m. Saturday September 26, 2009. Located on the FIA grounds.

The FIA will host a celebration of Rock and Roll, featuring 7 live, legendary bands throughout the day. Meet contemporary poster artists featured in the exhibition, who will have their original artworks available for purchase. Enjoy food and refreshments from one of our many food vendors or our beer tent. Shop the wares of local handmade artists and visit the museum shop for authentic Rock and Roll memorabilia. Admission for this event is $5 per person.

Band Lineup:

  • Question Mark and the Mysterians
  • The Larry McCray Band
  • Frijid Pink
  • Sprout
  • Kinetic Stereokids
  • South Bay Bessie
  • Morseville Bridge For more information visit the FIA website or the Flintstock MySpace site.
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    Thank you Chicago & Renegade!

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    Just wanted to give a bustass shout out to everyone in Chicago who came out and made this year’s Chicago Renegade Craft Fair so fun and so amazing. It’s always so great doing a busy show and getting to meet so many awesome people. I was a little overwhelmed with the idea of working this 2-day, outdoor festival solo, but man oh man, things could not have gone more smoothly. Perfect weather, lovely neighbors, and awesome shoppers. The crowd was really big, and everyone was super friendly and nice. What else could a craft show boother ask for?

    I got a quick chance to step out into the crowds on Saturday & take this one. Busy all of the time!

    I got a quick chance to step out into the crowds on Saturday & take this one. Busy all of the time!

    A typical view of the weekend from booth #135, strawberrylunaville.

    A typical view of the weekend from booth #135, strawberrylunaville.

    A special thanks to Sue Daly & everyone else of Renegade for all of your hard work, I can’t imagine the monumental kitten herding feat it must be to bring this fair to order. You guys did a phenomenal job! And a double extra special thanks to my homies in Pittsburghtown, the little area of Renegade where fellow Pittsburgh Craft Collective crafters Rag Trader, garbella and Cosy Knits and myself were. Thanks for looking out for me, and most huge thanks to Rag Trader Beth &  her brother Joel, I could not have done it without you cats.

    This trip was super special as it was the 2nd part of a 2 week show tour that I did with friends and fellow print and poster artists Hero Design & Delicious Design League too. Thanks for your hospitality Delicious! We love hanging around Chicago, as the photos while working and playing below can attest to. And there are more boring photos on my Flickr page here!

    Lamps

    Lamps by neighbors Bright Lights Little City made from vintage ribbon. Click for more info!

    And below, some photos from our day off in Chicago on Monday. It’s always so nice when we can build in a little time to walk around and do quintessential things in other cities.

    A bag by Pink Corporation that I wish I'd bought. Can't find it anywhere online now, Darn!

    A bag by Pink Corporation that I wish I'd bought. Can't find it anywhere online now, Darn!

    Heading into Wrigley Field, go Cubs!

    Heading into Wrigley Field, go Cubs!

    The awesomely pretty field before the game got started.

    The awesomely pretty field before the game got started. PS-those are bleachers on the buildings across the street...yowza!

    Instant Cubs fan. The whole field smells like popcorn, cotton candy happiness.

    Instant Cubs fan. The whole field smells like popcorn, cotton candy happiness.

    Wizard Car!!!! Found in Indiana, with Mark Hero feelin' the magic.

    Wizard Car!!!! Found in Sandusky County, Ohio on the way home, with Mark Hero feelin' the magic.

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    We love and miss you Jettson.

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    Well, here we go with a sad dog tale.

    A print we did of Jettson, being hungry.

    A print we did of Jettson, from the photo below, being hungry.

    We came home from the redeye flight back from Seattle Flatstock, picked up our old man and best friend Jettson, from my in-laws who have always graciously watched him,  and we soon realized it was “The Time We Are Never Allowed To Speak Of”.

    We called a home visit vet from the amazingly wonderful and supportive Gentle Journey Vet (whom I cannot recommend enough) to come see him, and after spending the whole day and part of the night in our arms, being petted, loved on, cooed at, and eating a final meal of 2 cheeseburgers and a 4 pack of chicken nuggets, we had to say the hardest goodbye to our best friend Jettson. He came into our lives as the most starved and frightened dog that I have ever seen, with burned ears and a trust hidden so deeply far away I wondered if we would ever be able to unlock his love. Jettson definitely did learn to trust and let us baby and care for him for 12+ years. He was not only our best friend but also my co-worker for the past 3.5 years since I quit my last day job in March of 2006. He never complained or once called in sick. He even came into the office here before me on many mornings.

    I feel terribly today because we had to make the humane decision for him. But, being that he was going blind, had doggie Alzheimer’s, bad teeth and neurological problems that were both making it very difficult for him to eat and drink, as well as making him fall down a lot on walks or in the house, which in turn also made him using the stairs alone super treacherous, we knew that he was having a lot of trouble with every day life. And, given that he was a high-risk cancer survivor for the past few years, it’s very likely that the neurological issues he’s had for the past 9-12 months were a brain tumor or a mini-stroke. Though I wanted him to be with me here forever, it was time to let him go and not suffer anymore.

    Anyway, jettjett I love you. We’ll miss your crazy ass forever.

    Our formerly abused and starved hungry little hippo in better days, going for the gusto:

    Starring role in a commercial (first pooper):

    And some shots yesterday, while we both cried our dumb eyes out all afternoon and evening saying goodbye:


    We love you Jettson, forever. Please come visit our dreams.

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    Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago!

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    strawberryluna (that’s me!)  will be participating in the 7th Annual Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago will be September 12 + 13 from 11am – 7pm on Division St. between Damen Ave. and Paulina St. in Wicker Park! click here for directions

    Over 300 artists are traveling from all over the country to participate and sell their handmade goods: from clothing and accessories, to stationery and concert posters, with everything from bath-products, ceramics and housewares in between! This FREE TO ATTEND DIY craft, art and design extravaganza occurs in one of Chicago’s liveliest neighborhoods, on its busiest block!

    So make sure you come by my booth at #135 and check out all of our goodies, including a fresh new colorway of my popular Going To See My Baby print. Come say hi!

    Read more about Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago here.

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    Some of my posters featured in the wild on Apartment Therapy!

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    The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart & Bishop Allen posters, hangin in Sarah & Hilarys awesome pad

    The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart & Bishop Allen posters, hangin in Sarah & Hilary's awesome pad

    And here comes the case for “maximalist” living. What’s that? Why, the very opposite of minimalist, silly.

    This study of maximalism comes from the fantastic design & lifestyle blog Apartment Therapy, when two roomates from Pawtucket, Rhode Island opened their home to Apartment Therapy. How could they refuse? Their home is absolutely beautiful, cool, chic, warm and anything but the austere minimalist vibe that’s been overwhelming in vogue for quite some time.

    I just want to sit here all day.

    I just want to sit here all day.

    What I love best about their style, is that they use and clearly love the mid-century look and design, but refuse to let the more recent empty aesthetic run roughshod over their personal tastes and attractions.

    For the full tour of Srah & Hilary’s place, click here. Thanks so much for showing off some of my work in your super bitchin’ pad too ladies!

    Such a fun and organized space!

    Such a fun and organized space!

    Posted in News & Events, Stuff I Like | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Replies