While the Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival has great fabric and pattern vendors (some of which we featured in Part 1 of this post), that’s not all that’s there.
Quilt shop cuckoo clock from Cheryl Ann’s Design Walls booth
You can find booths for guilds and organizations devoted to keeping handmade traditions alive. There also are lots of vendors selling tools, embellishments, and materials that go along with quilting and other types of crafting. It’s impressive how many of them have invented, made, or designed the products they’re selling!
Pauline’s Quilters World – Pauline Rogers invented the Sasher, a small plastic tool, shaped to make it quicker to fold and press strips of fabric. She also created the Quilt As You Go technique and wrote The Quilt As You Go Handbook (QAYG).
Tailor Made Tables, LLC – Sewing machine repair and sewing extension tables custom-made to fit your machine by Dean the Table Guy.
Made in San Tan Valley, AZ.
Thread Cutterz – Invention featured on Shark Tank to easily cut thread or fishing line. You can wear it on a ring, or it can mount flat to the side of your sewing machine.
Lakeside Scissors Sales – Specializing in hard to find small tools, they have bins and bins of scissors, pliers, magnifying glasses, and other gadgets.
Cheryl Ann’s Design Walls – These are portable, freestanding fabric surfaces for laying out quilt squares. Instructors can use them for demonstrations. They’re also helpful at quilter get-togethers where design wall space is limited – like quilting classes, retreats, and guild meetings.
Uniquely Crafts, LLC – Family-owned business specializing in 5D Diamond Art Kits, a craft project where you create a picture using a special tool and a type of beads (“diamonds”) with a flat, sticky back. It’s kind of like paint-by-number with rhinestones.
We met both Stan and Amy Regal at their booth.
Amy designs their kits.
They offer a selection of 5D diamond kits for kids.
Custom Keepsakes – Heirloom sewing and machine embroidery in the style of vintage handiwork. They had lots of adorable little dresses on display to showcase their Heirloom Collection.
African Everything / Maendeleo Imports – I met Rashawnda Ogwel, who was standing in for her mother-in-law, the entrepreneur and importer known as “Basket Mary.” They continue to offer gorgeous handcrafted products from across Africa, like Ghanaian baskets and batik wall hangings from Tanzania.
Wooly Felted Wonders – A reusable alternative to dryer sheets or fabric softener, Wooly Felted Wonders are dryer balls made from 100% New Zealand wool and ethically handcrafted in Nepal. The company also sells other felted wool accessories, like bags, hot pads, and cat caves.
Chenille-It – This bias tape comes in a rainbow of colors and provides a shortcut for getting the frayed-edge look of of chenille in quilting and sewing projects.
Sew Many Creations specializes in natural cork fabric, which is a renewable material that’s sturdy enough to use as a leather alternative for bags and wallets, yet thin enough to stitch with a regular sewing machine. They sell different colors and sizes of cork fabric, as well as patterns and hardware kits for bags. Owner Jessica VanDenburgh has also designed fabric lines for Windham fabrics and leads workshops and weekend bag-making retreats.
These organizations are devoted to a particular type of craft. They are usually open to anyone interested in it, regardless of skill level. While they may have annual dues or membership fees, you can almost always attend a meeting or two for free to see if you’d like to get more involved.
Phoenix Area Quilters Association (PAQA) – Organization with quilt programs, speakers, quilt challenges, blocks of the month, quilts for charity, prizes, and these adorable little cactus pincushions!
Lacey Ladies of Arizona – Gathering of women who craft with or make lace. They host an annual Lace Day celebration in the Phoenix area in November.
Chapter of the International Organization of Lace, Inc. (IOLI).
Hosting the 2020 IOLI National Convention in Mesa in July.
Arizona Desert Weavers and Spinners Guild (ADWSG) – Friendly fiber arts group that sponsors informational activities and demonstrates weaving and spinning skills at schools, craft fairs, and other community events.
Phoenix meetings on the first Saturday of month (October through May).
The world feels different than it did two weeks ago. It seems like a different place than it was when I published this list of Happenings we assumed would actually… happen.
Even in the few days since I started this update, things have changed rapidly. COVID-19 is on the rise, and things are being shut down left and right to prevent its spread. We’ve learned terms like “community transmission” and “social distancing.”
While we can’t physically gather, we can still be there for each other. We need the artists and shop owners who have poured their hearts into work that is now on hold indefinitely, and they could certainly use our support.
So here is what’s happening with the Happenings, along with ways YOU CAN still connect with events that have been canceled and support the people behind them.
The status updates are under each event title, followed by slashes (///) and original descriptions.
As far as I know, the information here was accurate as of 9am March 18 but, of course, could continue to change.
—S
Maybe it’s because of Earth Day. Or springtime. Whatever the reason, there seems to be some common threads running through the upcoming Happenings.
First, there is gardening: seed saving (see #12), vegetable growing (#11), and a garden with an environmentally-focused art installation woven throughout (#7). In fact, preservation of the planet is recurring theme in this spring’s art exhibitions from San Francisco (#6) to Scandinavia (#17).
So here is my list of 22 upcoming Happenings, ordered by date. There are also some free or discounted “goodies,” which I’ve asterisked (*) for you. Enjoy!
STATUS: Ongoing. You can keep supporting local art by sharing photos with the hashtag #localartloves! Originally, this was only for February, but indie artists could use the boost even more now!
///
Now – ? / wherever you are / free
Monthlong celebration of local art around the world. Join in by posting photos of your favorite murals and other art from your community on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #localartloves!
YOU CAN continue supporting local food and farming! CWFM has a list of vendors you can buy from directly or find elsewhere.
///
Now – Apr 4, Saturdays 10 am – 2 pm / Cambridge Community Center gymnasium, Cambridge, MA
The Cambridge Winter Farmers Market is a program of the Cambridge Community Center, a nonprofit that has been serving the Coast community for over 89 years. The Market strives to promote vibrant local economy, create access to fresh, healthy food, and provide a gathering space for community throughout the winter months with local food, craftspeople, and live music.
*Different weeks include different goodies, like free tote bags, coloring pages and activities for kids.
Now – Apr 23, 6 – 8 pm, Thursdays / Yuma Palms Regional Center, Yuma, AZ / free
Outdoor jazz concert series hosted by Yuma Jazz Company Quartet, featuring local performers, as well as student ensembles and bands traveling in from Los Angeles, San Diego, and Phoenix.
Now – May 3 / Museum of Craft and Design, San Francisco, CA
An exhibition exploring housing that is adaptable and sustainable to withstand climate change. It showcases architects and artists who have created artistically interpretive solutions and prototypes for emergency shelters.
*Admission is free on the first Tuesday of every month.
Now – May 10 / Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ / Included with admission.
Installation of hundreds of brightly colored animal sculptures along desert garden paths by Italian artist group Cracking Art. Their work is meant to bring attention to environmental sustainability, the problem of plastic in oceans, and the importance of recycling.
*DBG admission: Free on monthly Community Days (second Tuesday) / Discounted during Garden Happy Hour evenings.
SN: I’ve been following Cracking Art’s worldwide installations ever since I spotted their striking red penguins at the 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky several years ago. So I was really excited to hear that their day-glo art has arrived in Arizona!
Now – May 31 / Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN / admission $12
California-based artist Heather Day makes uses scraped, smeared, and flooded pools of pigment to create work that is more about sensory experience than the literal represensation of a scene.
The exhibition will be closed to the public March 4-6.
STATUS: Complete. However, two Arizona Opera fundraisers have been postponed. The Bravo Vino Arizona Wine Festival has been rescheduled for November and the Gala Luncheon for a date TBD.
See artist’s spaces in “A View From the Easel” articles on Hyperallergic (an independent, member-supported contemporary art site). In recent editions, the artists also discuss ways being quarantined has changed their work and lives.
Visit the West 25th Street location by appointment. Email info@hollistaggart.com to schedule.
///
Mar 5 – Apr 11 / Taggart Contemporary Gallery at 514 West 25th Street, New York, NY
Two-person exhibition of work by interdisciplinary contemporary artists Suchitra Mattai and Adrienne Elise Tarver, featuring painting and embroidery as well as a large-scale, site-specific installation by Mattai. Both artists use intricate formal approaches to reveal the voices of individuals who have been obscured through oppression and deep rooted stereotypes, engaging with narratives of subjugation that remain relevant today.
Representatives from The University of Arizona Pima County Cooperative Extension present an overview of warm-season vegetable gardening with topics like what vegetables to plant, how to plant them and protect them from the sun and critters, and how to feed and water them.
Murphy-Wilmot Library: Mar 21, 10am. CANCELED.
Kirk-Bear Canyon Library: Mar 22, 1:30pm. CANCELED.
Plan to go to the July 9th workshop at the Miller-Golf Links Branch.
///
Mar 26, 2:00 pm / Joyner-Green Valley Branch, Green Valley, AZ
Native Seeds/SEARCH’s introduction on how and why to save seeds from your garden, basic botany for gardeners, tool and equipment recommendations, and tips for getting the most out of the seeds you save.
Mark your calendar for the fall edition of the Fair September 24 – 27.
Pre-register to be notified of ticket releases and other announcements.
///
Mar 26-29 / Metropolitan Pavilion, New York City, NY / Tickets $20-70
The spring edition of the New York Affordable Art Fair will showcase thousands of original contemporary artworks priced between $100 – 10,000 from over 70 local, national and international galleries. Besides shopping a curated selection of paintings, prints, photographs and sculptures, you can enjoy hands-on workshops, live performances, guided tours, talks, kids’ activities, and a café.
Fiber arts community event taking place throughout Los Angeles County at 18 local, women-owned yarn shops. Each one is committed to education, meeting customers face-to-face, teaching yarn crafts, and inspiring creativity.
*Shops will offer discounts, commemorative totes and pins for purchase, free patterns, and prizes.
Exhibition bringing together seventeen Nordic artists and artist groups, who use their craft, tools, and deep material knowledge to address environmental issues and confront a longing for a deeper connection to the earth. Their work encompasses biology, geology, and cosmology, and challenges our perception of materials, of the natural world, and of ourselves.
Film festival held alongside ClexaCon, a multi-fandom event celebrating positive representation of LGBTQ+ women in the media. The festival will include short films, features, episodics, animation, and music videos.
SN: The film festival is organized by my friend Stacy Calvert, who I met through BlogHer.
Stacy will be screening her new short The Bra Mitzvah during a panel on The Ins and Outs of Making a Short Film, as well as moderating a filmmaker forum.
YOU CAN register online for your tour of choice! The Irish Tourism Group has amended their policies to be more flexible if you decide to postpone a recently-booked tour, but you still need to make changes at least 4 weeks in advance.
///
Apr 22 / Southern Ireland / €2,999
Tour of Ireland that combines seeing the countryside with knitting workshops and meeting local craftspeople. Includes knitting workshops (with yarn and patterns), accommodations, Irish breakfast daily, sightseeing (accredited guide, transportation, and entrance fees included), and activities like a traditional music show and whisky and chocolate tasting.
The Happenings List is made up of a seasonal events I’ve found for lovers of art, craft, and culture. I typically edit organizers’ event descriptions for length and clarity.
I try to make sure everything is accurate at the time I put the list together, but, of course, changes or errors are always possible.
Use this as your starting point, and then tell me about the Happenings you go to!
Don’t let the fact that Paul Blake is a sweet and thoughtful 71-year-old Englishman fool you. He is enmeshed in one of the biggest cover ups in sci-fi film history: the question of just who shot first, Han or Greedo.
Paul Blake (right) with moderator Patty Hawkins at Tucson Comic-Con.
You may remember that in George Lucas’s original 1977 Star Wars film, outlaw Han Solo shoots the bounty hunter Greedo to escape capture. When Lucas decided to alter a later release of the film to show Greedo firing his weapon first, fans protested the edit with an outcry of “Han shot first!” and it has been a point of contention ever since.
The alien Greedo via StarWars.com
Paul Blake saw it all firsthand from inside his green Greedo mask.
We got to hear Blake’s side of the story during his panel at Tucson Comic-Con 2019.
Paul Blake’s panel at Tucson Comic-Con.
An Actor’s Life
While portraying an alien from the planet Rodia named “Greedo” may be Blake’s claim to fame, he had a long career as a working actor, which he defines as being skilled enough to get steady work in theater and film, but without “the hassle of being a superstar.”
Let’s step back, for a moment, to 1970s England. At the time, Star Wars was in pre-production. Blake worked with future fellow Star Wars actor Anthony Daniels on the BBC children’s show Jackanory. Daniels was the one who gave him the tip to audition for Star Wars.
Blake arrived so early for the audition that there was no one else around. He poked around the impressive set until a crew member showed up. Blake asked if there was anywhere he could get coffee, and the man offered to bring him some. Shortly afterwards, Blake was mortified to realize that the person who had fetched his coffee was, in fact, director George Lucas!
Despite Blake’s misstep, Lucas still cast him in the role of Greedo, who, at that point, was simply known as “The Alien.”
Paul Blake being helped into his Greedo costume. Via Nerf Herders Anonymous.
Getting Into Character
Blake’s transition to Greedo began a few weeks later with a “life mask” molding to fit his face and head. He noted, “As in theater, the costume informs your character.”
When he asked for direction on playing Greedo, Lucas simply told Blake, “Play him like an alien in the movies!”
The cantina scene had so many unusual new creatures that inspiration had to come from a wide variety of sources, including (in Greedo’s case) an ad for Birds Eye frozen vegetables with a bouncing green pea.
Despite a stuffy mask that smelled equal part “sweat and chemicals,” Blake was fortunate that the rest of his costume was made of comfortable parachute silk. Shooting his scenes stretched from days to weeks.
Han Solo faces off against Greedo in the “cantina scene” in Star Wars: A New Hope. Via StarWars.com
The Cantina Scene
The biggest moment for his character, of course, would be his Solo encounter in a seedy space cantina known for being a “wretched hive of scum and villainy.”
To accomplish the effect of him being shot, the production’s explosive technician detonated a small explosive on a fully-clothed dummy of Greedo. With the costume still smoldering, stage hands disrobed Greedo’s dummy and placed the costume on Blake, so the actor could finish the scene.
Unfortunately, the technician was a bit too aggressive with the explosives in one of the first takes, resulting in a fire on the cantina set. The set had to be rebuilt before filming could continue.
After all that, it would be close to a year until Blake found out whether any of his scenes had even made the final cut.
Greedo via StarWars.com
Star Wars is Born
Blake, like many involved in its production, underestimated how successful Lucas’ film would be. When Star Wars came out in the summer of 1977, he was working in Greece and didn’t make time to see it. To him, Star Wars was just another gig, some “shitty science fiction thing.”
While relaxing on a beach in Greece, he met some Americans and it came up in conversation that he worked on Star Wars. The Americans were star struck that he was involved in the film, so he figured then it was worth seeing.
In the theater, he was gripped from the opening crawl! He still didn’t know whether or not he’d appear in the film or if his scenes had been cut out. So when Greedo did show up on screen, Blake jumped out of his seat in the middle of the theater and exclaimed, “That’s me!!”
Paul Blake answers a question from a fan cosplaying as Greedo at Tucson Comic-Con.
Behind the Mask
One of the fans at the panel said that Blake has a reputation for being generous and caring. I would have loved to learn more about the things he’s done over the past forty years, like performing Shakespeare, working in Hong Kong, and supporting his son, Paul John Blake, who is a Paralympic champion!
Yet I also understood what brought Blake to our corner of this galaxy.
Fans from Mexico with Paul Blake and the certificate they presented him.
To the world, he’ll forever be known as Greedo. Paul Blake definitely couldn’t have imagined the path that life took would take him on when he put on a stinky mask and a smoldering jumpsuit over forty years ago. With irony and humor, he has embraced the time he spent in a galaxy far away and has enjoyed the ride ever since. So while Han may have shot first in 1977, at Tucson Comic-Con, Greedo brought the house down.
Phillip at a Phoenix Comicon Cantina Scene set.
We received media passes from Tucson Comic-Con.
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