get craft

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the candid confectioner
Photo credit: Julie-Anne Cassidy

 

We're a proud supporter of Got Craft?, Vancouver's largest indie craft fair. Started in 2007, Got Craft? aims to bring together a community that fosters handmade and D.I.Y. culture. In addition to their offerings from makers in the area, Got Craft? has workshops so visitors can make something to take home. We've sent a selection of our products and back issues out to the event as well.

The event runs December 14th and 15th. Full details here. 

 

vancouver art book fair

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photo by CollageCollage

We've partnered with Vancouver stockist Collage Collage to participate in the second annual Vancouver Art/Book Fair (VA/BF). This two-day festival of artists’ publishing will feature nearly 100 local, national and international publishers of books, magazines, zines, printed ephemera and digital or other experimental forms of publication, as well as on-site programs, performances and installations.

Free and open to the public, VA/BF is the only international art book fair in Canada and one of only two on the West Coast.

Launching with a Reception at Project Space at 8pm on Friday, October 4, VA/BF will take place from 12pm to 5pm on October 5 and 6 at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

the start of something

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If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen these shots on Friday. I finally signed the lease document for the new home of UPPERCASE. It is a relief to have those legalities done and now I can start sharing updates and images. The space is currently a real diamond in the rough. My new landlord sees the potential as well and I am really happy that I've been able to select finishes so that it will suit our aesthetics. It's going to be beautiful.

The obligatory BEFORE shot. The space is being used as a catchall for other renovations.

More about the new building soon! First I have to finish sorting everything for our big studio sale this Saturday from 11-4 at Art Central.  (Thanks for the amazing response to our Inventory Clearout Sale in our online shop!)

sign painters on screen

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We're honoured to support Sled Island  (an annual festival of music and arts in Calgary) as a sponsor of a Sign Painters screening on June 19th. 

This documentary is about the craft of hand-lettered sign making, a once widespread trade that has come close to obsolescence thanks to the proliferation of computer designs, die-cut vinyl lettering and inkjet printers. In 2010, Directors Faythe Levine and Sam Macon, with Cinematographer Travis Auclair, began profiling two dozen sign painters dedicated to preserving this time-honoured tradition. UPPERCASE featured Faythe Levine in issue #8.

Janine, Glen and Jocelyn will be handing out a limited quantity of free back issues before and after the show. 

NMA awards video

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This was the opening to the National Magazine Awards last week. It's impressive to see how they've animated all the entries and given motion to static print entries. It was an energetic kick-off to the eventing. (On second viewing, and out of context, it sort of makes the point that "plain old print" is boring and everything has to move and interact and be ADD to hold interest...)

Credits: Creative Direction - Xavier Massé; Animation - Matthew Hemming; Artwork Preparation - Joana Ferret; Music - Bustafunk; Remix & Foley - Joshua Hemming.

embroidery B

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Giovannella Brusatin gave this sampler to Janine on a recent trip to Amsterdam.

In Issue #16 we investigate knitting, knotting and needlework. To celebrate the release of our winter issue, we've partnered with STASH Needle Art Lounge and Sublime Stitching to host an Embroidery Bee. Experienced embroiderers will enjoy meeting new crafters and those new to the craft will receive a taste of this creative pursuit. A desire to embroider is not required for this event—join us to say hi and share a treat! Copies of Issue #16 will be available for purchase. 

STASH Needle Art Lounge (#1B, 1215 13 Street SE in Inglewood) 
Saturday, January 19 from 1:00-4:00pm
Light refreshments will be served

RSVP by January 16 to Erin. 

While the creative and curious of all ages are welcome to attend, STASH is a working studio and little people will require supervision.

STASH photos from Janine's recent visit. 

and then... 15!

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Two fun things to unpack this week: UPPERCASE #15 and our new desk accessories from Poppin.​

I can't believe that I've done FIFTEEN issues! That's quite the stack of content.​

And I supposed it is because of those 15 issues that I now sport "progressives", but they are really pretty specs!​ And I can see clearly!

​We're getting ready for First Thursday, today from 5-8pm. So hurry on over to get Crave cupcakes and try their new sweets. Hurry! Before we eat them all! Twix bar with chocolate and sea salt? Yes, please!

event full

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As a glorious fall weekend approaches, team UPPERCASE has a jam-packed schedule.

Tonight, Janine will be speaking at a PechaKucha event here in Calgary. PechaKucha Nights started in Tokyo in 2003 and are now taking place in over 550 cities. Drawing their name from the Japanese term for the sound of 'chit chat'. PechaKucha Nights are based on a very simple presentation format—speakers present 20 slides each, for only 20 seconds per side. All the speakers at the event in Calgary tonight were assigned the topic of 'seed'. 

Tomorrow, we're getting our craft on and connecting with our community. Since February 2008, Calgary artist and community-builder Mark Hopkins has hosted We Should Know Each Other parties in his living room, where hundreds of strangers have shared stories, laughter and new friendships. The landmark 100th edition of ‘We Should Know Each Other’ will take place at King Edward School, a 100-year-old building that will soon become Arts Hub and Incubator courtesy of cSPACE Projects. On Saturday from 2:00pm to 5:00pm we'll be participating in this event making buttons and bead necklaces.

teaching at the makerie

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You may recall our inclusion of The Makerie in issue #12's article on creative retreats.​ Makerie organizer Ali Dejohn has been so enthusiastic about UPPERCASE that she invited me to participate in next year's retreat. I've come up with a very ambitious project and class—we're going to create commemorative books, on site, that very weekend about our experiences at The Makerie! It will be like a journal, yearbook, sketchbook, photo album all rolled into one:

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CRAFTING CONTENT

Students will learn the craft of curating and creating content during this collaborative weekend-long bookmaking experience. Through photography and writing, they will document the Makerie and its people and assemble it into a unique handmade limited-edition commemorative book. Each day offers a new group of students instruction time with Janine as well as time "in the field.” Students will also be required to convene on Saturday evening for the physical assembly of the books. Students will learn how to bind books using a hidden stapling technique that is suitable for art journals, photobooks and other projects. Not only will we be making an amazing publication to be enjoyed by all Makerie attendees, the content skills acquired can be used for student's own professional development and applied to enhancing their blogs, portfolios or perhaps even writing that book you've been dreaming about. All students will be considered for future collaboration with UPPERCASE magazine and some content may be published on the UPPERCASE blog or in future issues. (Please note that this is not a design and layout class; the focus is on creating content and telling stories.)

Photography: learn how to tell a story through photography and active observation
Writing: interview skills, practical writing
Making: assembly of unique handmade booklets​

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I'm very excited to be heading to The Makerie next year. Check out their website to discover the other amazing creative things that you can learn at The Makerie.​ Registration is now open!