DIY Costume Hacks from Phoenix Comicon

There are lots of reasons to wear a costume coming up: this weekend is Keen Halloween (more on that in the last section), then there’s Phoenix Comicon Fan Fest, followed closely by actual Halloween. Plus, all the various October costume parties and fall festivals and whatnot.

If there’s such thing as a costume-wearing season, this would be it. And, if you were thinking of making your own costume, then costuming panelists from Phoenix Comicon 2016 have some tips to help you out.

1. Duct tape

You can make an entire costume from duct tape. In fact, one speaker, Huntington Keith, won a scholarship contest by making Firefly cosplay/prom outfits for himself and his date. It took about 40 hours of work for him to construct her shindig-worthy dress with its layers and layers of ruffles. He also made himself a tux.

He shared lessons he learned through trial and error that could help with your next duct tape creation.

Duct tape dos:

Use a flat surface to construct your costume.
Stretch it as taut as possible.
Use scissors or an X-Acto knife to cut.
Covering a t-shirt or other piece of fabric will help the costume breathe better.
Create texture by putting things such as twine between the layers of tape.
Buy in bulk. 30 yards will typically cost $5-6, but you may be able to find better prices online.
Use the color/s you want or find a type of paint that adheres to polyurethane (most don’t).

Duct tape don’ts:

Because the adhesive starts to melt at about 175 degrees, you can’t mold it like thermoplastics. A residue will form and the top starts to shrivel off.
It will break a regular sewing machine.
Permanent marker doesn’t stay.
Paint usually flakes off.

Making a closure for your costume:

The ideal closure is actually a piece of duct tape.
You can handstitch a zipper on, but it would need to be lateral because stress is a problem.
Hook-and-loop tape may not work when it gets hot.

2. Knitting and Crochet

Shirley Will‏ (a.k.a. @BooMeringue) had a funny and informative panel about knitting and crochet for cosplay. I don’t actually know how to do either of those things, and I was still entertained.

She brought up the fact that knitting and crocheting can look intricate – but there are only so many kinds of stitches.

Iconic knit costumes for nerds:

Harry Potter
Tom Baker (Doctor Who)
Jayne (Firefly)

Since she felt the stripe was too large in most patterns for Jayne’s hat, she created her own. She started by measuring a screenshot from Firefly of Adam Baldwin as Jayne. After estimating the width of the stripe was about the length of his nose, she texted several male friends to ask for their nose measurements(!) and based her pattern on the average. The result is a much more proportionate pattern for a hat that, for legal reasons, she calls the Not-Jayne hat.

More ideas:

Crocheted cogs for steampunk.
Make a wide brim on a beanie and fold it up to make a tri-corner or pirate hat.
Hood with Ewok ears.

Tips:

There are tons of craft tutorials online. If the first one doesn’t work for you, keep looking!
Make gauge swatches. She says, “People hate making gauge swatches, but it’ll save your life! You can use any yarn with any pattern if the gauge is right.”
Have a backup “comfy” cosplay, in case you need a break from your costume or something doesn’t work.

Shirley sells knitting patterns (as well as finished products) in her Etsy shop. There are some free patterns on her site and on gutenberg.org. I also came across Harry Potter knitting patterns on Ravelry and knittingfornerds.com.

3. Other No-Sew Techniques

I ducked in to the tail end of a No-Sew Cosplay panel hosted by artist and cosplayer KatDensetsu.

I was just in time for a discussion of cross-play and binding techniques for women who want to make themselves appear less busty when portraying male characters. (Think Éponine disguising herself in Les Misérables.)

As far as making costumes without sewing, certain materials don’t require sewing and can just be cut to size. There’s also a lot you can do using fabric glue, thrift store finds, paint, and/or iron-on transfers.

Learn more about costume-making and cosplay!

This weekend (9/24-25) is Keen Halloween, which has several craft and costuming panels on the schedule.

Phoenix Comicon Fan Fest is October 22-23 (earlier than in past years) and will feature cosplay meetups and panels on topics like costuming mashups.

September 19, 2016September 19, 2016

Apple Desserts for Fall

It’s apple season here! And I wanted to share a few of the delicious-looking desserts I’ve been seeing recently.

First, if you’re planning to go to an orchard, check out these apple-picking tips from Bon Appetit. I wish I had read an article like that before Phillip and I went to pick apples at Apple Annie’s in Willcox! We had a fun time, but would’ve been helpful to know a few tricks.

Speaking of which, did you know you could core an apple with a metal melon baller?

1. Baked Apples (via a Beautiful Mess): Whole apples covered with puff pastry and stuffed with pecans – yum!

2. Caramel Apple Bar (via Craftberry Bush): A fun idea for a fall get-together, slice up apples for people to dip in their favorite toppings!

3. Apple Pie Bites (via The Blond Cook): A quick recipe for crescent roll-wrapped apple slices that taste like little pies. I’d try these with my DIY Holiday Spice mix.

4. Peanut Butter and Apple Oatmeal Cookies (photo and recipe by Creative Culinary): Okay, peanut butter + apple + oatmeal cookie…how could I argue with that combination?!

Do you have a favorite apple dessert?

—-
Photos via respective sites.

September 15, 2016September 15, 2016

Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena

Norton Simon - sculpture garden

Before Norton Simon the art museum, there was Norton Simon the entrepreneur and art collector.

Norton Simon museum

He started with works from European Old Masters, Impressionists, and Post-Impressionists and then began collecting works from Asia after a trip to India. He eventually added his collections to what was then the Pasadena Museum of Modern Art, which he was director of until his passing in 1993.

Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, California

Museum

Now known as Norton Simon, the museum in Pasadena houses collections of 14th century to contemporary European art, Asian art spanning two millennia, and a sculpture garden.

Even the walkway to the entrance is surrounded with works of Auguste Rodin – the anguished faces of The Burghers of Calais, The Walking Man mid-stride, Saint John the Baptist with sinewy arm outstretched, The Thinker pondering Colorado Boulevard.

Norton Simon museum

European Art

Inside, the 19th century European art gallery just off the foyer immediately drew me in, and I found myself face-to-face with some of Degas’s bronze ballerinas, frozen in their moments of stretching, posing, preparing to dance.

Norton Simon art - degas

The collection actually includes over 100 of his paintings, drawings, and sculptures, as well as work by Cézanne, Gauguin, Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, and Goya.

Norton Simon Museum art

Norton Simon paintings

The 17th and 18th century galleries hold still lifes, Rembrandt portraits, scenes from history and mythology.

Norton Simon painting

Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, California

Sculpture Garden and Cafe

I took a break in the outdoor Garden Cafe. On the menu are sandwiches, salads, tea, and bottled cold brew (inexplicably imported from Austin, Texas).

Norton Simon Cafe

It’s a lovely place to take in the view of the Sculpture Garden and to people watch. That particular sunny day, museum-goers were spilling out into the Garden in regular bursts, bounding, striding, or strolling the path around the pond. A group of giggling teens hunted for Pokémon. A man pulled his elderly mother’s wheelchair up to a table by the water, and she shakily stood up to stretch while he got them lunch.

Norton Simon Sculpture

Norton Simon Museum

Duchamp Downstairs

The lower level is primarily devoted to the museum’s Asian collection with a gallery for rotating exhibits, such as Duchamp to Pop. So I stepped from amongst statues of gods into the bright, irreverent world of pop art. It was a bit jarring. But, then, pop art was meant to be jarring, wasn’t it?

Norton Simon museum

Duchamp to Pop showed how the work of Marcel Duchamp influenced pop artists, such as Andy Warhol, whose Campbell’s soup cans and Brillo boxes are part of the museum’s permanent collection (but not always on display).

Norton Simon museum

Norton Simon Asian Art

Asian Art

Much of the museum’s Asian art collection comes from the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. There are also Japanese woodblock prints that belonged to Frank Lloyd Wright.

Norton Simon museum

Starting at the foot of the stairs, you walk by stone, bronze, and terra cotta pillars, altarpieces, and statues depicting heroes and gods from Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions, especially the Buddha. It was fascinating to see the how portrayals change in different eras and geographic locations. (More in the museum’s video on their Asian Art collection.)

Norton Simon art - Buddhas

Looking at these ancient figures with heads, torsos, arms, and legs posed in a moment of sitting in quiet reflection, embracing, or dancing, I was struck by their humanness, by how much we had in common.

Norton Simon Museum art

Those ancient subjects really weren’t so different from the ballerinas that inspired Degas or the woman stretching by the pond or the teens playing Pokemon Go or me or you. We’re pretty much all the same.

Norton Simon art

We still sit and reflect, we embrace, and we dance.

Norton Simon Museum art

Norton Simon Art

————
The Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau provided us with complimentary press passes to Norton Simon Museum.

September 12, 2016January 11, 2017

August Photo: Goat

For August’s photo, of course, I couldn’t resist this goat from our visit to the Ranch at Fossil Creek.

Always gotta go with your goat, right?

—

September 8, 2016January 10, 2017

Happenings: Fall/Winter 2016 #tcjhappenings

One of my goals with Travelcraft Journal is to shine a spotlight on the great stuff people are making/doing. While some of these things are solo endeavors, there’s also the stuff that’s open to community participation – workshops and shows and fairs and meetups and other Happenings.

Chile festival

I hear about these events via Instagram or bulletin board flyers or while researching a destination or at an artist’s booth, and I round up some of the noteworthy ones here. No one has paid to be included. I do this, because…actually, there’s no real reason for me to make this list.

Except, knowing that people are stilt-walking at Arcosanti or meeting up for a harvest moon hike in the Arizona desert or holding a variety show in a back room of a Salvadoran restaurant in LA or learning Pollock-style abstract painting in Bangalore or watching a concert outside a Spanish palace makes me smile. And it makes me want to tell you about it, so we can all experience and support awesome things and help the awesomeness continue.

Pasadena farmers market

When I say this is a “curated” list, I mean every item is handpicked.

I organize the event details and condense descriptions. I’ve done my best to be accurate, but it’s possible I’ve gotten something wrong or details have changed, tickets have sold out, etc. So consider this as a starting point, a signpost toward events you might want to check out.

Yuma bulletin board

You may also want to know…

Asterisked (**) items link to posts on Travelcraft Journal that will tell you more about an event or something nearby.
The Happenings List is now seasonal rather than monthly.
We added “Happenings List” to our main navigation menu, so you can quickly find the current List(s) anytime.
It’s organized by state/country and then event date.
Recently added updates are orange.

The Happenings List

Mid-September 2016 to mid-January 2017.

+Alaska

Unipkaaġusiksuġuvik (the place of the future/ancient)

Oct 7 – Nov 27
Anchorage Museum

Multimedia installation and two-month performance by Allison Warden, an Iñupiaq interdisciplinary artist based in Anchorage. The installation is a futuristic recreation of an Iñupiaq ceremonial house.

Photo: Michael Conti/Anchorage Museum.

Flagstaff

+Arizona

Wall Draw XII

Now – Sep 30
Beasley Art Gallery, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff

Annual community show that allows you to draw on the gallery’s walls.

Kehinde Wiley, Mrs. Waldorf Astoria, 2012. Oil on linen. Private Collection, Los Angeles, courtesy of Sean Kelly, New York. © Kehinde Wiley. Photo: Jason Wyche.

Phoenix Art Museum

Now – Oct 16. Here and Abroad: Photographs by Arizona-based artist David Taylor of the 276 monuments that delineate the Mexico-U.S. border.
Oct 7, 6pm. First Friday: Extended hours and entertainment. Opening of Kehinde Wiley exhibition. Poetry readings, performance art, living wall floral installation inspired by Kehinde Wiley’s art, live portraiture in the galleries, music by Djentrification, Arizona Opera, and Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra. Free general admission + $5 special exhibition admission.
Oct 7 – Jan 8. Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic exhibition.
Oct 19 – Mar 12. Horacio Zabala: Mapping the Monochrome.
Dec 2 – Apr 9. INFOCUS: Juried Exhibition of Self-Published Photobooks.
Artwork: Kehinde Wiley, Mrs. Waldorf Astoria, 2012. Oil on linen. Private Collection, Los Angeles, courtesy of Sean Kelly, New York. © Kehinde Wiley. Photo: Jason Wyche.

**Michelangelo at Phoenix Art Museum.

Coconino Center for the Arts

Flagstaff

Now – Oct 28. The Last Bookstores: Photographs of America’s remaining independent bookstores and the people behind them by Flagstaff artist Bryan David Griffith.
Now – Oct 29. The Road Ahead: Traveling exhibition of “highly original work” by 16 artists from California, Illinois, South Dakota, and Arizona.
Nov 15 – Dec 17. It’s Elemental: Annual fine craft exhibition of jewelry, ceramics, glasswork, wood, furniture, fabric, and sculpture by Northern Arizona artists. This coincides with an ornament sale in the lobby to benefit the Center.

Chandler Center for the Arts

Now – Oct 29. Wonder Gardens: Flora- and fauna-inspired artwork of Pat Scheurich, a mixed-media artist.
Nov 18 – Jan 07. In Stitches: Seriously Humorous ARTQUILTS Year XXI: Artists explore different ideas of humor and amusement through art quilts.

CraftHack

2nd Mondays, 6pm
Gangplank Chandler

Free monthly meet-up of artists and crafters. Learn something new or bring your own project to work on!

Upcoming dates:

Sep 12. Making T-Shirt Skirts with CraftHack
Oct 10. Sugar Skulls
Nov 14. Sewing 101 and Teddy Bear Cosplay
Dec 12. TBD

Blended Conference

Sep 15-16
Windmill Winery, Florence

Blogging conference with workshops, speakers, and networking. Tickets $250.

**Our visit to Windmill Winery.

Full Moon Hike

Sep 16, 7:30pm
Usery Mountain Regional Park

Park ranger lead 2-mile interpretive desert hike under the full harvest moon.

The Coffee Treaty

Sep 17, 11am
mod PHX, Phoenix

Community coffee event to learn about various brewing methods, bean processing styles, and sustainable ways to make use of leftover grinds. Tickets $5.

arcosanti-truth-2

Arcosanti

Sep 17, 5pm. Italian Night: Acadiana: Italian dinner with spectacle performances that include stilt walking, poetry, and music. Tickets $20-40.
Sep 24, 6:45pm. The Equinox Legislation: Global Stilt Congress performance with aerial dance, acrostilters, and live music. Tickets $20-40.
Oct 2, 2pm. Voice of the Earth: Japanese Taiko drum performance in the amphitheater. Tickets $20-25.

**Breakfast at Arcosanti.

Tucson Makers: Inspired By Women

Sep 22, 6pm
Museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson

Cocktail reception followed by slide presentations from five women in creative industries on what they’re most passionate about. Tickets $10-35.

ballet-warmup-2

Ballet Under the Stars

7pm. Outdoor performances by Ballet Arizona. Free.

Sep 22. Estrella Lakeside Amphitheater, Goodyear.
Sep 23. Fountain Park, Fountain Hills.
Sep 24. Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix.
Sep 29. Tempe Center for the Arts Amphitheater, Tempe.
Sep 30. Beardsley Park, Sun City West.

**Ballet Under the Stars.

Keen Halloween

Sep 24-25
Phoenix Convention Center

Pop-culture event for fans of a simpler, more handmade approach to Halloween with the “spooky cute” aesthetic of founders Daniel and Dawna Davis of Steam Crow. Passes $15-25.

Chile Pepper Festival

Oct 1, 5pm
Roosevelt Street, Phoenix

Local food vendors offer tastings of chile cuisine. There is also live music and entertainment, a beer garden, and a gourmet margarita station. Free entry + tasting tickets are 12 for $20.

Soldering without Tears

Oct 1-2
Mesa Arts Center

2-day intensive workshop on jewelry soldering – how solder actually works and tricks for successful soldering.

Fall Apple Festival in Pine

Oct 8-9
Pine-Strawberry Community Center

Local apples, antique show, book signings by local authors, and chili cookoff. Free entry + $5 to taste/judge (proceeds benefit local charities).

**NEARBY: Say hi to the llamas.

Intuitive Cooking Experience at The Farm

Oct 9, 11am
The Farm at South Mountain

Hands-on instruction of culinary skills to help you cook with any vegetables in season (or whatever comes in your CSA basket). Register by October 5. Tickets $45.

**The Farm at South Mountain.

12th Annual Rim Country Quilt Roundup

Oct 12-15
Mazatzal Hotel and Casino Exhibition Hall, Payson
Quilt show, classes, and vendors. Admission $5.

**NEARBY: Pie at Beeline Cafe.

Arizona Taco Festival

Oct 15-16

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Scottsdale

Festival with about 50 restaurants serving $2 tacos, lucha libre wrestling, live music, chile pepper and taco eating contests, tequila and margarita mixology expo, and Chihuahua Beauty Pageant. Admission $12-100.

Yuma Garden Company

Oct 22
Yuma Garden Company

**Yuma.

ACF Holiday Artists’ Marketplace

Oct 22, 10am
Flagstaff Mall
Booths with artwork by the Artists’ Coalition of Flagstaff.

phx-convention-ctr

Phoenix Fan Fest

Oct 22-23
Phoenix Convention Center
Pop culture convention featuring actors, top comic book writers and artists, programming, and vendors. Passes $15-30.
**The first Fan Fest.

Calligraphy Boot Camp: Lessons in Lettering

Oct 24, 5:30pm
The Art Institute of Phoenix
Two-day workshop teaches five different calligraphy styles to take hand-lettering skills to the next level with Professor Alison King. Watch for registration details. Estimated fee: $50.

Ignite Music

Oct 28
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

A night full of 5-minute presentations, related to making, enjoying, and learning about music! Tickets on sale Oct 1.

Tucson Comic-Con

Nov 4-6
Tucson Convention Center

Community-based pop culture convention with a mission statement of “Pop Culture For All!” aims to reflect today’s fandom and the unique nature of Tucson, Arizona. Passes $30.

Downtown Mesa mural

Mesa Music Festival

Nov 10-12
Downtown Mesa

Music and arts festival with performances by emerging artists from around the world. Free.

Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival

Nov 10-12
Tucson Expo Center

Expo with sewing, quilting, needlework, and craft supply vendors (both local and national), as well as workshops and presentations. Admission $10 or free with online coupon (printable PDF).

**The Festival in Phoenix.

Lace

25th Annual Lace Day

Nov 12, 10am
Beatitudes Life Center, Phoenix

Lace making, exhibits, vendors, lessons. Sponsored by the Lacey Ladies of Arizona.

Hidden In The Hills Studio Tour and Sale

Nov 18-20, 25-27
Cave Creek, Arizona

Self-guided tour of open artist studios in the Cave Creek and Scottsdale area with demonstrations and art for sale. Free admission.

**Hidden In The Hills

Dayspring Holiday Boutique

Nov 18-19
Dayspring United Methodist Church, Tempe
Shop for unique items for children and adults: original clothing and accessories, home and holiday decor, and jewelry.

Phoenix Pizza Festival

Nov 19, 11am-5pm
Margaret T. Hance Park, Phoenix
Festival of top pizza makers, benefitting Downtown Phoenix Inc. Advance tickets $10.

dbg-luminarias

Las Noches de las Luminarias

Nov 25 – Dec 31
Desert Botanical Garden

Garden lit by 8,000 candles inside luminaria bags. There is also stargazing, hot apple cider, and a variety of musical performances. Tickets $30.

Jackalope Art & Craft Fair: Scottsdale

Nov 26-27
WestWorld of Scottsdale

Shop locally handcrafted goods the weekend of Small Business Saturday. Free admission.

Fall Tempe Festival of the Arts

Dec 2-4
Downtown Tempe

Juried art show with 400 artist booths lining Mill Avenue and the surrounding streets. Handmade ceramics, wearable art, jewelry, woodwork and photography. Free admission.

Tumbleweed Tree

Dec 3, 4:30pm
Downtown Chandler

Community festival, Parade of Lights, and lighting of the 60th Tumbleweed Tree built in Downtown Chandler. Free.

**NEARBY: Check out Peixoto or Graz.

Backyard Haven Boutique

Dec 3, 9am
1769 S. 140th Place, Gilbert
Handmade and vintage home items, clothing, food, and gifts for sale by local crafters in a large backyard. Free admission.

Holiday Bliss Boutique at Power Ranch

Dec 3, 9am
3685 E Autumn Dr, Gilbert
Gift items for sale inside a barn.

Musical Instrument Museum

Phoenix

Dec 3-4. Experience Scandinavia: Celebration of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland with musical performances, traditional dances, and hands-on crafts. Included with Museum admission.
Dec 17, 9am. Hear Them Ring: Performances featuring handbells, gongs, and other instruments that ring – including some you can try yourself! Included with Museum admission.

Mesa Arts Festival

Dec 10-11, 10am
Mesa Arts Center
Annual festival with original works of art for sale, live entertainment and artist demonstrations, and kids’ activity area. Free.

**NEARBY: Community Garden.

Pasadena

+California

INSIDE / OUTSIDE

Now – Sep 13
Flower Pepper Gallery Pasadena

Exhibition celebrating the art of illustration in its many different forms and our desire to keep nature with us. Free admission. Work available for purchase.

Pasadena Summer Concert Series

Now – Sep 25
Levitt Pavilion band shell, Memorial Park, Pasadena

Concerts featuring both emerging and established musicians of many genres Thursday through Sunday evenings. Free.

**Our drive to Pasadena in one minute.

Workshop: Miniature Decorative Watercolor Sketchbook

Sep 10, 9:30am
San Francisco Center for the Book

Create a watercolor sketchbook small enough to travel with you on any artistic adventure. While learning basic design and watercolor techniques, students will create a compact (under 3 inches!) exposed-spine sketchbook with French linkstitch binding, magnetic closures, and 140lb weight watercolor paper. Fee $190.

Junk Show, Los Angeles

The Junk Show

Copper Still, Los Angeles
A monthly comedy-focused variety show at the bar inside Jaraguá Salvadoran restaurant. $5 at the door.

Sep 11, 8pm.
Oct 9, 8pm.
Nov 13, 8pm.

Museum of Latin American Art

Long Beach

Oct 14, 7pm. The Origins of Mole: Presentation on the mythical and cultural origins of Mole with a tasting. RSVP required. Tickets $10.
Oct 22, 8pm. Poderosas Para Siempre: A Celebration of Women Past & Present: An evening to remember and celebrate Latina women who have left an indelible mark on humanity through art, culture, political empowerment, and social justice.
Oct 28, 7pm. Craft Club: Embossing Workshop: Create an original metal embossing with a Día de los Muertos motif. Tickets $20.
Dec 4, 11am. Craft & Beyond Festival: Celebrate DIY traditions and upcycled art at MOLAA’s Mercado de Artesanías (Artisan Market) with art workshops, face painting, eco-friendly fashion contest, live music, and docent tours of the galleries. Free admission.

Norton Simon museum

French Films Noirs from the 1950s and 1960s

Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena

A series of essential films noirs made in postwar France, which are contemporary to Picasso’s lithographs, and presented in conjunction with the exhibition States of Mind: Picasso Lithographs 1945–1960. Doors open at 5pm.

Nov 4. Touchez Pas au Grisbi
Nov 11. Rififi
Nov 18. Elevator to the Gallows
Dec 2. Shoot the Piano Player

**Norton Simon sculpture garden.

+Colorado

Stories in Sculpture

Now – Oct 2
Denver Botanic Gardens (York Street)
13 sculptures from the Walker Art Center Collection placed throughout the Gardens. Included with admission.

**Denver Botanic Gardens.

Vinotok Fall Harvest Festival

Sep 18-24
Crested Butte

Storytelling and harvest festival on the autumnal equinox, a time meant for giving thanks through song, dance, and feasts.

volcano art center

+Hawaii

Return of ‘Alalā: Restoring The Voice Of Hawaii’s Native Forests

Now – Oct 9
Volcano Art Center, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park campus

Juried exhibition of multimedia artwork featuring depictions of the Alalā, Hawaii’s native crow, in anticipation of its reintroduction into the wild this September. Tickets $45-50.

Photo: volcano art center on Flickr.

Sailboats on Lake Michigan.

+Illinois

8th Annual Charitable Chili Cook-Off

Nov 5, 5-8pm
The Arts of Life, Chicago Studio
8th Annual Charitable Chili Cook-Off. Tickets $15-25.
**Chicago on a tight schedule.

+Nevada

In Transition: Female Figurines from the Braunstein Collection

Now – Mar 30, 2017
Barrick Museum, UNLV

Female figurines from the pre-Hispanic era cultures of Mesoamerica, South America, and Central America. Free ($5 suggested donation).

Art at the Market

Oct 22-23
Bruce Trent Park, Las Vegas
Regional Fine Art and craft show with farmers’ market, cooking demos, food trucks, and music.

+Oregon

WildCraft Studio School

Western Oregon

Sep 11. Flying Coyote Farm, Sandy OR: Japanese Farmhouse Ferments. Tuition $110 + $15 materials fee.
Sep 11. Portland Studio: Handmade Field Books. Tuition $120 + $30 materials fee.
Sep 18. Portland Studio: Traditional Sedge Basket Weaving. Tuition $120 + $45 materials fee.
Sep 24-25. Siuslaw National Forest, Tillamook area: Coastal Mushroom Hunt & Overnight Camp. Tuition $220 + $80 food/lodging.
Oct 1. Portland Studio: Botanical Inks for Painting & Drawing. Tuition $125 + $20 materials fee.
Oct 15-16. Portland Studio: Scandinavian Knife Making. Tuition $220 + $25 materials fee.
Oct 29-30. Portland Studio: Adire: A Yoruba Textile Art. Tuition $220 + $40 materials fee.

paper-boat-parthenon

+Tennessee

2016 Wine On The River Nashville

Sep 10, 3pm
John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, Nashville

Wine tastings on a pedestrian bridge with city views and live jazz music. Tickets $59.

38th Annual Fall Tennessee Craft Fair

Sep 23-25
Centennial Park

Showcase of handmade fine craft from over 200 juried and award-winning artists from across the U.S. Event includes live demonstrations, hands-on kids’ activities, and Emerging Makers Tent. Free.

Photo: Michelle of MLM Fiberworks.

Vintage Market Days

Oct 28-30
Fiddlers Grove Historic Village, Lebanon

Upscale indoor/outdoor market featuring original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, handmade items, home decor, outdoor furnishings, and food.

+Texas

BlogHerFood16

Oct 7-8
Hilton Austin

Conference to connect the food community. Meet top food writers, cookbook authors, chefs, food brands, and influencers. Discover trends, techniques, and technical innovations. Full conference passes $398.
Monticello

+Virginia

10th Annual Heritage Harvest Festival

Sep 9-11
Monticello, Charlottesville

Education-focused festival for all ages celebrating Jefferson’s horticultural legacy with programming on topics like gardening, sustainability, local food, the preservation of heritage plants, natural history, foodways, and the roles of the entire plantation community. Tickets $15-250.

pike-place-1

+Washington

Mixology Classes with indi chocolate and Eat Seattle

Sep 9, 6:30pm
indi chocolate at Pike Place Market

Learn how to use chocolate and alcohol from local distilleries to make cocktails. Fee $40.

**Pike Place Market.

WildCraft Studio School

White Salmon Studio, White Salmon

Oct 8. Herbal Winemaking: Tuition $130 + $20 materials fee.
Oct 16. Intro to Metal Forging: Tuition $135 + $20 materials fee.

Behind The Table: Meet The Artisans of Pike Place Market

Oct 21, 5pm
Pike Place Market Economy Atrium Building, Seattle

Evening at Pike Place Market filled with local art, live music, food, and auctions. Dinner, drinks, and entertainment sponsored by Market businesses. Proceeds benefit The Market Community Safety Net. Tickets $30.

**Seattle Like a Local.

National Mall, Washington DC

+Washington DC

Cooking Up History

National Museum of American History, Demonstration Kitchen

Recipe demonstration and food history talk by a guest chef and a Smithsonian host on a topic that ties back to the Museum’s collections.

Sep 17, 2pm. Hispanic-American Culinary Heritage
Oct 15, 2pm. Harvest Season
Oct 29, 10am. Smithsonian Food History Festival

**NEARBY: National Museum of Women in the Arts.

INTERNATIONAL

+Australia

DIY Classes by Koskela

Koskela, Rosebery, NSW

Oct 29, 10:30am. DIY Kokedamas: Kokedama is a style of Japanese bonsai, where a plant’s root system is wrapped in moss and string. Make hanging kokedamas and learn how to maintain them. Fee $90.
Oct 30, 10:30. Open core coiling basketry: Demonstration of how to wrap together core material(s) to create a form and hands-on practice with different stitches, wrapping styles, and core materials, such as grasses, palm fronds and/or natural fibres. Fee $130.
Photo via Koskela.

+India

Paint like Jackson Pollock

Sep 11, 11am
Think Happy Everyday, Bangalore, Karnataka
One-day immersive art experience on the action-painting technique of abstract expressionist artist Jackson Pollock. Mandatory pre-registration. Tickets Rs. 3500.

Bengaluru Mini Maker Faire 2016

Oct 23, 10am
Rangoli Metro Art Centre, Bangalore, Karnataka

Festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement. Admission Rs. 50.

Logo via Maker Faire.

+New Zealand

The World of WearableArt Awards Show

Sep 22 – Oct 9
TSB Bank Arena, Wellington

Two-hour spectacular combining fashion, dance, theatre, music and art where over 100 garments are brought to life. Tickets $50-170.

Arts Festival Dunedin

Sep 30 – Oct 9
Dunedin House
Biennial arts festival in Dunedin with theatre, dance, music, comedy, and a visual art gallery.

+Spain

Noches en los Jardines del Real Alcázar

Now – Sep 30, 10:30pm (Doors at 9pm.)
Real Alcázar, Sevilla
Nightly concerts in the gardens of a historic palace, including flamenco, classical, and world music.

Workshops at Duduá

Duduá, Barcelona

Sep 16, 5pm. Lettering con Acuarela [watercolor lettering]. Fee €65.
Sep 19, 4:30pm. Clase Magistral de Bordado [embroidery master class]:“Gatita Bailando en mi Jardín.” (See photo, above. Via Duduá.) Fee €60.
Sep 20, 4:30pm. Introducción al bordado dimensional [introduction to dimensional embroidery]: “Mi gatita ama volar.” Fee €60.

**If you can’t go, at least you can make sangria.

+UK

The Film Festival of Indigenous Peoples

Oct 12-18
SOAS KLT Khalili Film Theatre, London

Annual film festival with talks and performances celebrating indigenous cultures. Suggested donation £5-10.