It's been super exciting these last two days up in 416 - the studio classroom where Textiles happens.  There was a movement afoot a few years ago to start calling 416 "Cellblock No. 9" because me and a few of the advanced students all went crazy over rockabilly royalty, Wanda Jackson, and a song of hers about a riot in a women's prison that goes, "There's a party goin' on... up in cellblock #9."  Well, the Textiles studio does sometimes feel a little like the laundry at a women's prison, or so I imagine.  (My poor assistant Allison has been washing "free" theatre drapes up there every spare moment.  We got them from surplus through a big comedy of errors - we'll use them to do discharge projects, and hey, it's free fabric. I did have a drapes-shop flashback when she opened the giant box they came in.  One's past never leaves!) 

Anyway, we had a visit yesterday afternoon from Faythe Levine, who directed the documentary film, Handmade Nation, and who is on our campus because she curated a show for our gallery called "Craftivism."  She has sharp eyes, she noticed a St. Vinnie's treasure that hangs over our chalkboard right off the bat.  It's a tiny embroidery that says "Plan Ahead" but of course, the funny part is, that the stitcher had to put the last a and the d on their sides to fit it on the cloth (or so it seems.) I had to fight Jaana for it in the store when we came across it.  Anyway, I was impressed that Faythe noticed it because it's one of those things I've been looking at for so long I can't see it.  Faythe seemed very cool, and we're all looking forward to seeing the show when it opens on Wednesday.

This morning my advanced students were super rowdy and came up with a ton of interesting ideas.  Then because I was impressed with Drew's handmade message shirt, I got the idea that I'd post their handwork here.  Stay tuned for Drew's rebus shirt.  The other plan we've put into action is that the Stitch Gallery (in locker 527) would issue a challenge every month. October's is the "First Annual Puff Paint Challenge" and they're all out there buying that awful stuff right now, I would bet, for their 6"x6" works of puff paintery.  I'll post the winner here.  

The Stitch is getting a remodel over the next couple weeks, so it'll have lights and a floor. It was closed all last year due to well, basically, management's involvement in Women's Studies. With the big conference last year there was no time for the Stitch, even though as a gallery it's only the size of a locker and has no regular hours.  I will be sure to post a picture of the place here - we do have a velvet rope, and have been working on marble flooring, but that's not going too well so far.  We may have to switch to wall to wall carpet, or handwoven rugs.  Now that they've loosened up the locker policy, there may be a chance to take over locker 525, below the Stitch and put in a coffee house, so it'll be sort of like the old O.K. Hotel in Seattle.  

The other big exciting thing is that Spring brings Mindy Sue Meyers back to us!  Mindy just had a super great show for her MFA and got reviewed in the legitimate press, and also on All Things Cupcake.  Take a look, unless you're hungry. Then, you want to wait until you get back from your favorite bakery.