We are pleased as punch to announce that March’s Artist of the Month is Emily Small, better known as Beetle Ink Co.!  

We challenge you to find work more charming than these nature-inspired, hand-drawn paper goods and stickers, rubber stamps and more.  For the cat-lovers in your life, look no further than these witchy animal-familiar designs on cards, prints or even framed original paintings!  

Help us usher in Spring with work by this wonderful artist!  Now that it’s finally time to dig your jean jackets out of the depths of your closet behind all those waterproofs and woolens, you can up your lapel pin game with a Beetle Ink Co. cactus pin (or 2)!

Originally from New Hampshire’s coast, Emily made her way to the Pacific Northwest (via Emerson College in Boston, where she earned her BFA in animation) and now calls Oregon home.  Portland is lucky to have snagged her as part of its maker community! Read on below to see what Emily had to say about her process and the local art scene:

Do you prefer to work collectively or alone?
To be honest, I find myself creating my favorite work alone. But don’t get me wrong, I love to collaborate! I often work with other local artists to make fun limited edition products and for local businesses to create custom designs and branding.

Do you like to participate in group art/craft events?  What do you like to do?
Whenever I have free time between my custom design jobs, personal artwork, and full-time job, I apply to vend at local craft fairs! When I’m not vending, you can find me perusing the booths at Crafty Wonderland fairs, Renegade craft fairs, Sundaze Collective events, Sunday Flea, Portland Night Market, or doodling away at Nucleus Gallery drink ‘n draw nights. I also work full time for the local record label/handmade goods store, Tender Loving Empire, which allows me to attend so many magical art and music events around Portland on the reg.

If you could influence a change in the art/craft world, what would it be?
Support local art! I hope to be an advocate for more community and less competition. I work with local artists and small businesses for all of my outsourced production needs and hope to inspire other makers to do the same. The more money and energy you put into your local community, the more it will flourish.

What is your favorite piece of public art in Portland and why?
I drive down MLK nearly every day and always notice the Fresh Paint murals! Fresh Paint is a collaborative project between Open Signal and the RACC which allows local artists to expand into new medias and grow their skills in a large scale and public space. Every few months, a new artist will paint over the existing mural and create something of their own!

Do you read the Mercury or the Willamette Week, the Skanner, the Oregonian?  Do you have a favorite column?
I follow WW on Facebook for local news and articles. And I always snag a Mercury for the things to do Music section! If you haven’t already listened to local songwriting angel, Haley Heynderickx, you totally should.

What app are you addicted to, happily or otherwise?
*sigh* Instagram, and who isn’t!? It’s such a time sucker, but the amazing artists I follow give me endless inspiration.

Any messages for the next generation of Portland DIY artists coming into their own?  
Slow down. Us makers aren’t machines made to pump out products left and right, we’re humans who can only do so much.  We have limitations and that’s okay! The art & maker world can be so competitive, fast-paced, and stressful. But you don’t have to be! Do you at your own speed.

Wise words and brilliant tips from a great local artist!  Come check out Emily’s work at the Crafty Wonderland shop or at her website, https://www.beetleinkco.com/ for some inspired and adorable work!  Or follow her on the addictive Instagram at @beetleinkco!

By Joanna Kurimsky

It is with happy hearts that we announce February’s Artist of the Month, Emily Martin of The Black Apple!  We don’t doubt that you have seen her work around Portland. You may have been lucky enough to lay eyes on her gorgeous originals at a local gallery, or fallen in love with her drawings in the pages of her many mesmerizing books, prints, and cards.

Emily Martin is a painter and illustrator, a collector and writer of books, and a creator of magical worlds. She works in a tiny nook of a studio filled with treasures & old wind-up toys. Her art is inspired by fairy tales, music, myths, illustration from the late 19th through mid 20th century, her favorite films, and the natural world.

Emily’s work often conveys an aura of cozy solitude, curling up with a pet in an overstuffed armchair with a book of fairy tales and a cup of tea, your head filling with dreams and stories. Mysterious forests filled with mist and greenery that resemble the giant shadowy trees of our own backyard, and creatures, both human and otherwise, that are sweet and enchanting.

Swing by our retail shop to view Emily’s art prints, greeting cards, magnets, & pins. We also have an array of her lovely books, including her children's novel, Oddfellow's Orphanage, which she wrote & illustrated! Also, should you need a gift to welcome a new baby, her companion children’s picture books Dream Animals and Day Dreamers make the perfect presents for little ones’ dreamy bedtimes.

Go to https://www.emilywinfieldmartin.com/ to see more of her work!

By Joanna Kurimsky

Applications are OPEN!

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Follow the link below to the apply page on our website. PLEASE READ THROUGH THE APPLICATION FAQs to answer any and all questions regarding the sale and the application process. You will find a link to the application at the bottom of the "apply" page. 

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Applications are due February 15!

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2018’s first Artist of the Month is the lovely as ever dream team, Jenn Hill + Jenny Tiffany of Robot Candy!!! They were actually our first ever featured artists to grace this blog as Artist of the Month and the featured space on our shop wall back in the days of yore.  We are so thrilled they are still a part of our happy little family!!!

For over a decade Robot Candy has been responsible for helping to make Portland a cuter, craftier city with their awesome work inspired by all things mid-century.  Most recognizable are Robot Candy’s famous tile coasters featuring fun, retro imagery.  There are literally hundreds of designs to choose from - Portland bridges and other landmarks, crafty cats, vintage ads, sweet floral patterns, and their own unique take on the RESIST logo. 

Besides the abundance of Robot Candy coasters to choose from, you can also check out Jenn and Jenny’s other lines, Chet & Dot and Automatte, which all have a warm and fuzzy vibe: needle felted fuzzy kitty necklaces and other irresistible critters, hand-sewn travel tissue pouches (great for sneeze season!), adorable knit baby sweaters, plush softies, tote bags, art prints, and more!!!

Come visit our shop to see their work in person or check out http://www.robotcandy.com/ for more info.  And read on to see what Jenn Hill had to say about future projects for Robot Candy and what podcast you should be lending an ear to in the new year!

What do you predict for Robot Candy in the coming year?
We will branch out with a new product line this year - we are super excited about that!

What do you predict for the maker/art world in general?
I think the maker world is going to continue to grow and evolve. It’s been so amazing to see how it’s changed and become more mainstream over the last decade. I love to see so many people be able to do what they love for a career.

Current celebrity crush?
I don’t really have celebrity crushes, but right now I’m watching the Lucy Show from the early 1960s and so I’m rather smitten with Lucille Ball.

Current political crush?
I think I love Joe Kennedy, but ask me again in a year.

What shows are you looking forward to the coming year?
We are planning to do some out of town shows this year, perhaps Renegade, but we really love doing local shows the most. The public school sales are always lots of fun and it’s nice to be able to support them.

What are you reading/what podcast are your listening to?
I’m currently reading about natural dyes and I’m listening to an assortment of True Crime podcasts. I just finished Dirty John which was really good - surprise ending!

Favorite beverage?
Homemade eggnog is a current favorite around here.

Do you carry an umbrella?  What do you think about umbrellas in Portland?
I keep an umbrella in my car and I use it because I don’t like being wet. Staying dry is nice and I have never really understood the whole “real Portlanders don’t need umbrellas” thing.

By Joanna Kurimsky

It’s officially the holiday season here in Portland and we’re celebrating with Beth Kerschen as December’s Artist of the Month!!! We are thrilled to have her beautiful work on feature at the Crafty Wonderland shop during this busy, high foot-traffic time and encourage you to come check it out in person!  Her prints, postcards and bookmarks make perfect gifts for Portlanders and Portland-admirers in your life.

Beth is a multi-disciplinary artist who uses photography and printmaking to create her unique cards, prints and original work exhibiting the famous signs, bridges and buildings that make Portland so distinctive.  She uses a blend of photography and printmaking to create her images, combining images of well-known structures, skylines and signs around town to create layered, collage-like composite scenes.

Subtle and unpretentious, yet super imaginative with fine art appeal, Beth’s bridge series woodblock prints are often purchased as a full set to bring a Portland vibe to a particular room or location. For example, the famous Jupiter Hotel will be featuring Beth’s work next year, as well as using it to decorate the walls of their brand new guest rooms!  Read on to see what Beth had to say about that, and also her responses to a few other questions!

What are you excited about in the coming year?
I am really looking forward to doing a solo show at the Jupiter Hotel Gallery starting March 1st through May, 2018. This show is in conjunction with the grand opening of Jupiter Hotel’s new expansion called Jupiter NEXT (which is adjacent to the original hotel). My artwork will used as part of the guest bedrooms in this new, gorgeous hotel that will have amazing views of Portland. You can see the preview announcement of the new building and the guest rooms here: https://jupiterhotel.com/jupiter-next/

What books are you reading/podcasts are you listening to?
I just finished listening to the S-Town podcast and I am reading the Ender’s Game Series (called Endersverse) by Orson Scott Card. I love all sorts shows and movies, but I do love to escape into some science fiction. I might have answered this same question with a similar answer last time I was artist of the month! It is a big series to cover! :)

What is your favorite word or swear word?
My favorite word is “Dude”, as it can be used for any situation: to address someone, to swear, to show exasperation, to show excitement, to show seriousness, to show concern…it is all just a matter of tone. (Usually used more heavily around good friends.)

Do you carry an umbrella?  What are your thoughts on the whole umbrella thing in Portland?
I don’t carry an umbrella! I have always thought umbrellas were cumbersome (even before moving to Portland) and I always lose them by leaving them at my destination. Portland’s rain is usually fairly mild, so a good raincoat with a hoodie works perfect for me. I love wearing hats too, then my glasses don’t get dripped on. When I shop for a overcoat for dressy events, I really try to find a nice one with a hood…which is key even for dressier occasions. I don’t begrudge people that use umbrellas, but I find it funny that umbrella users in Portland are do defensive about using one because so many people in Portland are anti-umbrella…but I actually never, never see anyone using an umbrella!

Visit Beth Kerschen at her website, http://bethkerschen.com/ and come see what she’s got at the shop!