GIVEAWAY WITH CLEANLINE STUDIO

For those of you in the Philadelphia area who have your hand and heart on the pulse of all things design-oriented, you're probably already a fan of the Cleanline Studio Blog.  If not, you should be.  Run by Sarah Stone, her blog and studio are spot-on in terms of refreshing color palettes, graphic design finds, and so much more.

She and I have partnered together for a fun, little (BIG) giveaway of some of my Bonnie Kaye Studio textiles.  Head over to her blog to enter to win two of my linen pillows - 1 lumbar pillow + 1 square throw pillow.  And the best part, you get to pick the designs if you win!

This isn't Publisher's Clearing House or the state lottery, folks.  Your odds are pretty darn good.  Good luck!  You have until 4/18 to enter.

Image via Cleanline Studio Blog

BUYING LOCAL, GIVING HANDMADE

I love the holidays.  I love the gatherings with friends and family, full of overflowing tables and bars.  I love the traditions, consisting of Bing Crosby or Sufjan Stevens playing endlessly on our record player and getting inky at my annual holiday wrapping paper printing party. 

 Our annual Christmas "tree"

What I don't love, however, is the push for mass consumption.  As a maker, relying on a lot of sales during the holidays to keep myself and family afloat through slower months, this puts me in a great quandary.  While most of this purchasing is for gift-giving, which I love to do, it is still a mass about of money being exchanged throughout the world.  So how do you not feed into the over-consumption, supporting big business craze?  

I like to think the solution(s) can be simple.  Buy gifts within your local economy and support the businesses that you call neighbors.  Give something made by hands, preferably hands that you have seen and shook or better yet, your hands.  Donate gifts and money to people in need or folks across the globe that struggle endlessly through war, poverty, and illness.  

It requires us all to think about the power of money and who's hands we want to place it in.  It's the same ole song and dance that a lot of folks have been saying for some years now, but I thought that I would give an account of how purchases from my shop help me personally.

Here's just a sample of what purchases from my shop allow me to do:
- Pay rent, so that I can support my husband through the long road of med school.
- Take my dog to the vet, so that when that little jerk eats another piece of corn cob, he can be well taken care of.
- Yoga classes at my local studio, Amrita Yoga & Wellness, so that I can de-stress and stay healthy.
-  Buy more art supplies, so that I can continue making things with my hands.
- Gather starters and seeds from Greensgrow Farms, so that I can have a full and prosperous garden each year.
- Occasionally eat, drink, + shop at my favorite local spots, such as Modo Mio, Pizza Brain, and Art Star, so that I can continue to feed money into my local Philadelphia economy.

With all this said, over the next couple of weeks, I plan to highlight my favorite local makers + businesses - ones that would make fabulous gifts for friends and family.  I encourage us all (cause heaven knows I need the reminder too) to think about where each dollar goes as we stock up on gifts.  And to those friends, family members, and strangers that have already made it clear to me this holiday season who they choose to support, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

 A sampling of goods that I design, print, & sew by hand.

Available here.  Enjoy 30% entire orders until midnight est 12/1 with the code: HOLIDAY30

 

INTRODUCING BONNIE KAYE STUDIO

I can't believe that we are already knee deep into September.  How on earth did that happen?!  I'm sure you are like me - still in the glow of the craziness and laziness of summertime, and not quite ready to pull out sweaters and boots (ok, maybe a little ready!).

Looking back, I feel pretty pleased to have accomplished so much this summer here in Philly, including painting a mural on a shipping container at the Spruce Street Harbor Park and working with Mural Arts youth to design and paint neighborhood-based patterned murals along Pearl Street in Callowhill.  Most of all, I was thrilled to get my act together in my studio and release a small, limited-edition batch of screen-printed textiles under the label, Bonnie Kaye Studio.  These linen products, mainly housewares and totes, were inspired by my love of gardening, patterns, and dinner-parties.  And all designs are named after some of my closest girlfriends - those that helped to fuel the fire for my studio endeavors.  I invite you to check out some of my favorites below, including cocktail napkins, placemat/napkins combos, and throw pillows, or go straight to my online shop to view the whole collection.

More designs and color-combos will be released each season.  It's a simple start in the direction of my love of printmaking and textiles, and I'm really excited to see where it takes me. 

If you are local, look for me at Clover Market this Sunday in Chestnut Hill 10am-5pm, where I will be selling my textiles alongside the talent paper artist, Made by Liddy.      

A FULL PLATE AT SPRUCE STREET HARBOR PARK

To say the least, I have had a full plate the last two months.  Full of teaching and student exhibitions, full of gardening duties, full of personal studio goals.  Full of rich, good stuff.  I'm so tempted to let the word "busy" slip out of my mouth, but after some long talks with two of my closest girlfriends this past week, we decided to ban it as another 4-letter word.  We are all busy, right?  So being busy is not unique.  The word also implies that we have too much to do to enjoy life.  I want to work hard so that I have time to, say, drink too many margaritas on a friend's front lawn (which I did last weekend) or call my brother (which I need to do more often).  And frankly, simply saying the word "busy" makes me feel stressed.    

On that note, I'm happy to share a project that has been keeping my week, um, full.  Sometimes I get easily panicked when I take on a last minute gig, but I really can't complain about getting paid to paint on the side of a shipping container.  I'm working as one of several artists, curated by the shop Art Star, to create a mural for containers at the upcoming Spruce Street Harbor Park here in Philly.

The park opens this Friday and is going to be pretty freakin' wonderful.  The city is doing more and more to utilize the Delaware waterfront in fun, inviting ways.  Spruce Street Harbor Park will full of hammocks, animal shaped paddle boats, floating gardens, food & drink, and yes, murals on and in shipping containers.

Here are some in-progress shots of my piece.  20 x 8 ft. in 4 days is no easy feat, but it's been super fun.  A big thanks to the Streets Dept blog for the shout out earlier this week, just as I was getting started.  Other artists who will have murals on display include Adam Smith and Michael Konrad.

Come to the park (#sshp) this weekend to see the finished piece!  And get some waterfront r&r while you're at it.  You'll find me in a hammock.

SARAH SZE AT THE FABRIC WORKSHOP

Sarah Sze is one smart artist.  I was delighted to get to hear her talk last night at The Fabric Workshop and Museum here in Philadelphia (in a packed house!), alongside Professor Hal Foster and Curator Carlos Basualdo.  The conversation was rich, hovering around ideas of the diagram (along with its successes and failures), boundaries of where art begins and ends, and the highlighting and transformation of the mundane.  Not to mention the question, what does Sculpture look like today? 

If you are in the Philadelphia area, I highly recommend checking out the show, which ends this Sunday the 6th. 

Images via The Fabric Workshop and Museum

WALLS THAT SPEAK

This summer, I'll be working on my first large-scale mural project here in Philly.  Yikes.  I gotta start thinking big, really big.  As a way to prepare, I've had a lot of fun recently collecting some awesome wall inspiration.  I mean, these are walls that speak - full of pattern + color + magical scale.  From block-printing or writing directly on the wall to creative cut-outs, these walls make bold statements.  And if I don't end up incorporating these ideas into this project, you better believe I'll use them in my apartment.

Sources, top to bottom, left to right: Printed Anchors, Colorful Triangles, Handwriting, Cut Wallpaper, Printed Embroidery, Watercolor, Folklore Flowers, Chevron Stripes, B+W Flowers

WAITING OUT WINTER

WAITING OUT WINTER by Andrew David Watson 

Yes, sir.  We are waiting out winter over here in Philadelphia.  Our friends at the Fishtown vintage moto repair shop, Cast & Salvage (where my husband spends most of his non-med school hours) released this video last winter.  Given that last winter was a cake-walk compared to this year, I find that this video speaks to me more now.  While I don't drive a motorcycle of my own, I'm happy to hop on on the back and I sure do spend a lot of time on my bicycle.  

Also, check out these great Cast & Salvage graphics by artist Jessie Jay of True Hand Society. 

Images via True Hand Society

BACK IN THE GAME

It's good to be back.  Besides accidentally reposting a couple of posts over the weekend during my blog face-lift efforts, it's been a while.  I've been super busy, and most recently, super cold.  (When will winter end!?)  I've missed collecting and documenting my printed obsessions, as well as sharing my creative process.  Thanks to some re-designing efforts over these past few snow days, I'm back.  

So here's what I've been up to these last few months: 

In September, I started teaching an after school high school class for The Mural Arts Program called "Artrepreneurs."  Get it?  I've been teaching them printmaking, product and brand development and how to network.  Their creations are awesome, and you can see some of their products on their new Etsy shop - or read about them in this super recent Philadelphia City Paper write-up.

Later in the Fall, I was tapped by The Mural Arts Program to design the graphics for a new card game that was to be released in conjunction to their big 30-year retrospective show, Beyond the Paint, at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art.  I don't get the opportunity to do a ton of graphic design work, so this project was a real treat.  The game, Mural Mash-Up!, teaches players the dynamic elements of building a mural, all within a set budget.

While working as an Artist-in-Resident for The Philadelphia Museum of Art in the Fall, I taught block printing to students at Amy at James Martin Middle School.  Together, we created four works of art inspired by the French painter Fernand Leger.  The collaborative prints, shown above, are displayed on an accordion fold.  From the left, you see their observations of the city, and as you move towards the right, you see another print, reflecting their dreams for the city.

Over the holidays, I hosted my third (!) annual handmade holiday wrapping paper print party.  About a dozen girls gathered in our apartment to chat, print patterns, and most importantly chill out together during a hectic holiday season.  I'm always amazed at the wrapping paper created, and it's so fun to share my love of printmaking with my closest gals. 

Other than getting stopped and snapped for my stylish street sense in January at Clover Market, that's the update on my end.

~ Bonnie

KAY HEALY'S PRINTED HOME

I remember distinctly the first time I came across the work of Philadelphia-based artist Kay Healy.  I was rushing to a Delta gate last year when her 350 ft installation in Philadelphia Airport's Terminal E stopped me immediately.  The installation of a house interior captures the memories of home of four Philadelphians through objects, furniture, and rooms made out of hand drawn, screenprinted fabric.  The entire installation hangs in low relief, with pieces just barely stuffed with filling, like a massive quilt.  The craftsmanship and attention to detail is simply stunning.

It is always a delight to stumble upon someone's work that not only inspires me in the studio but also opens my mind to ponder issues close to my heart.  When my parents sold and moved from my childhood home in Atlanta last year, I lost the place that I had called home for over 20 years.  The rooms and objects in that place are etched deep in my mind.  While my husband and I work hard to design our home together, I am thankful for work that recreates the comfort of home from days gone by.

Images via Kay Healy's website

~ Bonnie

summer is the best

I'm still trying to get over the fact that September has arrived & warm weather is beginning to make its exit.  I've had a fantastic summer - clearly, since I've checked out from blogging for the past month.  My days have been spent with friends and family, my dog and my plants, full of dining al fresco, exploring new cities, and experimenting in the studio.  I can't wait to share the highlights of my summer months . . .

Image taken by myself while enjoying an adult beverage or two at Silk City's outdoor patio. 

~ Bonnie

FILM STRIP QUILTS BY SABRINA GSCHWANDTNER

Yesterday, I was completely mesmerized by Sabrina Gschwandtner's film strip quilts, currently on display in her show, Sunshine and Shadow, at the Philadelphia Art Alliance.  I had been meaning to check out their other exhibitions, including “LTextile”: Contemporary Textiles from Lithuania & Emily Spivack: Sentimental Value, in addition to Sabrina's work, all on display until the 18th of this month.  And I was so glad I went.

I already can't wait to go back to one more time to view the quilts, each consisting of hundreds of tiny de-accessioned 16 mm film strips acquired from New York's Fashion Institute of Technology.  Sabrina has taken these films, all documenting craft and technique processes, and sew them together in typical Pennsylvania quilt patterns.  In addition to sewing the strips, Sabrina alters them through beaching, painting, and scratching - adding her own sense of labor to the pieces.  On the walls, the works are displayed in framed light boxes, providing illumination to each and every frame and stitch.  The quilts evoke a monumental sense of the labor of craft, as well as layers of a rich history of textile production here in Philadelphia and the quilt-making tradition of the Amish & Mennonite further outside the city. 

 

If you are in Philly between now and August 18th, I highly recommend a visit to this show.

Images ~ Top collage images via Sabrina Gschwandtner's website, Bottom 3 close-ups were taken by myself

~ Bonnie

summer sickness slow down

It's never fun getting sick, but a nasty cold in the summertime really stinks.  Especially when the weather is great, all your friends are inviting you to the beach, you have baskets of produce to harvest from your garden, and tons of Kaye Rachelle orders to ship out.  But somehow it's the days that you are not feeling 100% that you are reminded just how awesome feeling awesome feels.

And for me, it was a time to think about all the fun, summertime goodness left.  It is, after all, only still July.

Here's my list of top ten things left to do this summer:

1/ Chin on the Tank's annual Babe on the Back Beach Ride (with my man, naturally)
2/ Catching another outdoor movie with friends during The Awesome Fest film series
3/ Going to the Philadelphia Museum of Art for their pay-what-you-wish Wednesday evenings & catching the end of their Photogravure: Master Prints from the Collection exhibition (ends August 11th!)
4/ More adult swim evenings at my local public pool, followed by beers at The Abbaye
5/ Picnic at Race Street Pier
6/ A pedicure, for crying out loud
7/ Ordering more seeds and planting my Fall garden
8/ Building myself a screen-printing exposure unit
9/ Getting up-to-date with my handmade annual photo albums 
10/ A Brooklyn friends reunion in Northern California and Oregon at the end of August . . . the perfect way to end summer

This list is making me feel better already.

~ Bonnie


  

saying goodbye to kaye rachelle designs

Sometimes, it's really hard to walk away.  Especially when you walk away from something that is pretty amazing.  That's how I have felt the past few months, and particularly today, as my design partner & I announce the ceasing of our collaboration, Kaye Rachelle.

We've been co-designing and co-creating textiles & housewares under our label for 3 years now.  It has been an incredible journey of learning, discovery, trial & error, extremely hard work, and friendship.  I have learned so much about business, product production, marketing, and commitment.  I developed a love of working with retailers, such as Art Star here in Philly & Homebody Boutique in Brooklyn, with their constant encouragement and feedback.
And I met so many fellow artisans along the way, who provided much insight on selling handmade work and how they live off of creating what they love.

While I will look back on my experience with Kaye Rachelle so fondly, it was time for a personal change.  A chance to work independently and to start fresh with new ideas.  I am scared of the unknown, but just as excited about it, too.

I can't thank all of my friends, family, supporters, & customers enough.  And on that note, please enjoy massive discounts at our online shop as we clear out inventory and get ready for exciting new work ahead.

Photos by Courtney Apple / Styled by Hannah Lowman

~ Bonnie

back to work

I'll be honest. I've actually been back from my vacation for well over a week.  Fortunately or unfortunately, I returned to Philadelphia only to be inundated with work, both planned and unplanned.  I am always grateful for work, as I know so many people who are struggling to find satisfying work in their field, or simply any work at all.  Still, it was a challenge to go from strolling the perfectly manicured cobblestone streets of Charleston to hustling to teach early art morning classes in the grimy city heat.  The abrupt transition has left me exhausted.  (I'll be sharing more pictures from our Southern adventures shortly!)

Most of my work this summer, however, is through The Mural Arts Program, where I teach art and mural-making skills to high school youth.  Right before I left on my trip, our Art Education department was featured on the Today Show on NBC!  It's an inspiring watch, especially since art is quickly disappearing from the public school system at a detrimental speed. So while I may be sleepy on my way to work in the morning, it's a pretty powerful gig that I love.

Image taken by myself, at our beach house rental.

 ~ Bonnie

weekending // adventures in . . . CELEBRATING!

This weekend, it was time to throw on a party dress and do some celebrating.  As of Friday, my husband completed his first year of med school, and since we knew this would be "the last summer of his life," it was time to party with our nearest & dearest Philly friends.  We even had some Brooklyn friends travel down for the celebration.

Here's how the celebrating played out . . .

1/  I love DIY party garland, and this is some of my favorite to make.  I simply used a 2" hole punch and went to town on some thick double-sided colored cardstock.  Then, I ran them through the sewing machine.  In about 15 minutes, I had several long strands of colorful garland to use for decorating.
2/  Our kitchen chalkboard is one of the first things guests see when they walk up the stairs into our apartment, so I wanted to take advantage of such easy visibility to set the mood.  I had fun quickly doing this before guests arrived, but if I had any early arrivers, it would have been a cool task for one of them. 
3/  This has got to be one of my favorite photos from the evening, snapped by my dear friend Nicole.  I always forget to have someone take a photo of me & Ben during parties, and this one is so candid and sweet.   
4/  You can't have a cocktail party without cocktail stirrers.  Well, ok, maybe you can, but I wasn't going to, so I made these DIY stirrers thanks to a great recent post on A Beautiful Mess.
5/  It was a fabulous evening if I can say so myself, and it was the perfect way to ring in summer with friends and to celebrate my husband's first year down.

~ Bonnie

weekending // adventures in . . . 3 YEARS in PHILLY

It wasn't until I was out running Saturday morning in the sweltering heat, glimpsing at poor souls haul their
worldly possessions out of trucks and into their new abode, that I realized that this weekend marked our 3 year Philadelphia anniversary.  Or as folks here would say, our "Philaversary."  (Adding "Phila" to the beginning of any word is oh too common here.  A minor pet peeve, but I can get over it.)

We moved here from Brooklyn for my husband to begin his medical path, and for the first year, I ached for New York City.  We both did.  We missed our close friends, ones that we dined and drank with almost every evening.  We missed the energy, the outpouring a creativity, and the ease as to which we could buy a 6-pack or a falafel sandwich at 2 a.m.

But slowly, we created a new home in Philly.  I began to meet a world of creative folks, thanks to my printed housewares collaboration, Kaye Rachelle Designs, and my job teaching art through The Mural Arts Program.  My husband found his fellow vintage motorcycle enthusiasts, Chin on the Tank, for weekly rides & gatherings.  I developed a love for gardening & bicycling, two things I had neither the space or courage to pick up in NYC.  And before we knew it, we suddenly had the head space, time, and a much lower cost of city living to be able to breathe and explore life.  

The 6 years we spent in New York will certainly go down as some of the best years of my life, where I learned so much about myself and the world.  But I'm happy that we took the plunge to add a new chapter to our adventure together, to explore a whole new city, and to see life through yet another lens.

Image taken on my iphone at The Roots mural dedication on Friday.

~ Bonnie

weekending // adventures on . . . MEMORIAL DAY

This year for Memorial Day weekend, my husband & I decided to ring in summer with an all-American weekend full of friends, fireworks, and oh yes, monster trucks.

Here's how the weekend played out . . .

1/  On Saturday, we gathered up friends at El Camino Real - primarily those that we know through fellow vintage bike lovers Chin on the Tank - and rode motorcycles out of the city to Plymouth Meeting where we indulged in an evening of monster trucks.
2/  Yes, that's right.  Nothing screams America like this.  The event, put on by KSR Motorsports, was much smaller than we anticipated, but super fun nonetheless.  Everyone had a smile plastered to their face. . .
3/  Especially when this happened.  This guy, this dare devil, blew my mind.
4/  After an evening a monster trucks, we needed a lazy Sunday at home.  (I spy a dog soaking up sunlight.)
5/  On Monday, we ventured across the Delaware River to watch the Camden Riversharks play baseball against the York Revolution.  We had been meaning to check out this minor league team for a while, especially since the stadium is right across the Ben Franklin Bridge from Philly.  And our tickets were just $5 each.
(Check out their complete summer schedule)
6/  I recommend getting seats behind 1st base for the best view of Philadelphia.  And who doesn't like that view, especially with a hotdog in front of it.
7/  Peanut shells.  The only time in life where it is acceptable to liter.
8/  And the highlight to the evening . . . we won the game!  And there were fireworks!!  It was the perfect ending to our 'merica weekend.

Cheers to the weekend,

~ Bonnie

weekending // adventures in ... SOCIETY HILL + OLD CITY

It's always a delight to play tourist in my own city.  Unfortunately, it's so easy to take those everyday surroundings for granted.  Luckily, I had a dear, childhood friend from Georgia in town for 24hrs and despite the gloomy mist that hovered over Philadelphia all weekend long, we went adventuring in my own backyard.

Here's how our Sunday played out . . .

1 /  We started our adventures in Society Hill, which is full of magical alleys, lined with cobblestone and homes that were built in the 17th & 18th century.  You can't help but feel like you have wandered back in time.   
2 /  I love that original cobblestone is found throughout the neighborhood.  This patch exists just outside The Second National Bank.  It's not very fun to walk on, but it sure is pretty. 
3 /  We strolled through Washington Square Park and had the place almost all to ourselves.  Typically, I'm running through this historical park, and I don't get to take in all the greenery, the large central fountain, and the gorgeous homes that line the park. 
4 /  I laughed out loud as we came upon this carriage house detail, an iron horse hoof.  The devil is in the details, no?

5 /  We kept walking north and found ourselves in Old City, ready for a little boutiquing and galleries.  At this point, we needed a little fuel to keep going, so we stepped inside (and back in time) Shane Confectionery.  This revived historical candy shop is owned by the masterminds behind the icecream parlour next door, Franklin Fountain.  I recommend either location for a mid-afternoon sweet treat, just get ready for summertime long lines.   
6 /  I can't walk up 3rd Street without sticking my head in my favorite clothing and accessory boutique, Vagabond.  They carry some of the best designer finds, including tops by Uzi, shoes by Miista Ondria, and Baggu totes.
7 /  The relatively still new Race Street Pier is the perfect respite after a day of exploring.  We sat on the jumbo wooden steps in front of the Delaware River and pondered the engineering of the stunning Ben Franklin Bridge. 
8 /  We ended our Old City tour with a quick walk down Elfreth's Alley, our country's oldest residential street, which dates back to 1702.  I first stumbled upon the street when out for a run soon after moving to Philly; I looked down the alley and thought, that place can't be real.  Oh, but it is. 

Cheers to the weekend,

Bonnie

life as a teaching artist + student exhibition

As some people know, my main "day job" is working as a Teaching Artist.  It's a pretty fun yet powerful gig to be able to education and inspire youth through art-making.  Here are some of the fantastic highlights from this year.

1 /  In the fall, my students designed, cut stencils, and installed haiku along the sidewalks on Broad St. using spray chalk.  We were promoting a more peaceful city alongside the Peace is a Haiku Song project with poet Sonia Sanchez. 

2 /  I invited pop-up book artist Colette Fu to teach a workshop to our students.  She introduced the magic and wonder of pop-up to our class (and now, I'm addicted).

3 /  High school students created accordion books that depict the ways they see art in their everyday lives.  The books are absolutely fabulous.

4 /  This is what happens when 10-year-olds are given a bunch of sidewalk chalk on a beautiful spring day and asked to create images that reflect their love for the earth.  In case you are wondering, the arrows are pointing to all the other artwork on the sidewalk.

As the culmination to the end of a succesful art-fill year, I am excited to invite local Philadelphians to the Mural Arts Program Art Education annual exhibition, We Are All.  This show, which highlights student work from over 16 sites around the city, opens this Friday (tomorrow!) at the Asian Arts Initiative in Chinatown.  Stop by if you find yourself out for First Friday, and know that all artwork is for sale, with 100% of proceeds going to the artist.

weekending // adventures at . . . PHILLY'S 3RD WARD

This past Saturday evening was an exciting one for us residents & artists in the neighborhoods of South Kensington, Northern Liberties, & Fishtown.  The doors of 3rd Ward were finally open to the public, and we finally got to check out the space that's been in progress for nearly two years.

With local Spodee Wine punch or beer in hand, folks got a chance to explore all three floors of the co-working, classroom, & workshop spaces.  While the rooms still remain completely bare for the most part, the co-working room & roof deck certainly stole the show.  And the lack of furniture and equipment allowed one to focus on the gorgeous exposed brick and details from this old, historical church turned factory.

For those unfamiliar with 3rd Ward, it's a collaborative/co-working/arts education space that's orginially based in Brooklyn and a haven for interesting classes, workshops, and networking opportunities.  The Brooklyn 3rd Ward holds a very special place in my heart - I learned Photoshop & Dreamweaver there in 2006 when we lived in Bushwick!  Considering it's a block away from where I currently live now in Philly, I hope to use it to its full potential.

Wanna check it out?  You can use their co-working space for free starting tomorrow through May 3rd.  RSVP here.