Craft Night!

Tuesday June 24th from 6-9pm

Free and open to everyone

Once again, bring your friends to Fasten for some crafting and conversation. Either come with a project from home, or join us in a group project. This month, our friend Stephanie will be leading us in Applique and Embroidery! Learn a few embroidery stitches and rummage through our scraps to cut and stitch original designs onto patches, or even right onto a bag or garment you bring from home. All other supplies will be provided. If you can, bring drinks or snacks to share.

Featured Designer

This month, we are featuring Apiril Kelly of Gem Revolution. Her collection of wire and bead jewelry is intricate and stunning. You can see more of her work at www.gemrevolution.com

Read our interview with April:

Describe in your own words what you create.

I create one of a kind wire wrapped, beaded and macrame jewelry mostly using semi precious gemstones. I hand select my stones and materials. I use sterling silver and 14k gold filled wire and findings.

How long have you been making jewelry?

Since I was about 5 years old. A friend of my family bought me a kit with all sorts of little plastic beads and string and I went to town on it. I really got into it and it just progressed from there. My mom bought me a bead loom and I really got into the Native American style. Then I took some classes and learned different traditional stitches like peyote and brick stitch. I started making intricate woven amulet pouches and just felt very connected to that style which is kinda strange for a preteen/teenager to be drawn to. Just within the last 2 years my mom did some research and found out that we are Native American so I guess now it makes sense why I do what I do.

How do you choose the stones you use?

In february I went to Tucson AZ for the annual rock and gem show which is the largest show in the U.S. It takes over the whole city it is amazing. So I feel really lucky to be able to hand pick the most amazing stones for my jewelry.

What are your favorite stones?

Turquoise, Amber, Watermelon Tourmaline, Druzy Quartz, Opal, Rainbow Obsidian...the list goes on.

Are you involved in anything else artistic?

I am mom to a soon to be 4 year old boy...motherhood I believe is an art form.

Junkhouse Dollyard Returns to Milwaukee

We are very excited to announce the return of our friend and Fasten co-founder, Kathryn Wilson! She is back home after being in Japan and China for a year. We will be showing her most recent collection of photographs, as well as her new clothing designs.

Join us Friday June 6th at 6pm for an opening reception and homecoming party. Refreshments and happiness will abound.

Kathryn Wilson grew up in Wisconsin. She studied photography at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, during this time she also studied in Thailand and China. She graduated with a BFA and moved to Japan for a year. There she found a shop to sell her clothes, published photos in a magazine and showed her work in a few fashion and photography shows.

After that she went to Shanghai for three months to do an old fashioned apprenticeship with the master photographer Maleonn. She participated in a group photography show and modeled for a few photographers while continuing to work on her photography and clothing.
You can see her work at http://www.junkhousedollyard.com/.

Artist's Statement
"All of my work is very personal. I use it as a way to understand myself and this silly world and how we can work together or not. Art that is most powerful to me is very honest work and I want people who look at my photos to feel a connection to similar emotions or understand something about human nature."

"I made this series after one month of studying under the Chinese photographer Maleonn. I had the opportunity to become his friend and assistant for three months. During this time, his incredible talent and generosity inspired me and helped me discover who I am as an artist. This was a great transitional period in my life and a lot of powerful things happened around me that I can't really describe in words, but some of that is preserved forever in these photos. I look at them as a rung on a ladder and each time I create something new I'm taking another step towards something bigger than myself."

June and July Classes

To sign up for a class, please call 414-747-9229.
Or mail a check along with your name, phone#, and the class date to:
Fasten Collective
2224 S Kinnickinnic Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53207

Basic Sewing
Wednesday, June 18th 6-9pm
-or-
Wednesday, July 16th, 6-9pm
Fee: $20
One day workshop for all those with an interest in garment making or repairing with little or no experience. Students will learn how to use their machines and with guided practice become comfortable with basic seams and hems. We will also discuss the basics of garment construction. Materials: Your machine and it’s manual. All other supplies provided.

Intermediate Sewing
Wednesday July 23rd 6-9pm
Fee: $20
One day workshop. A follow up for students who have taken the basic sewing class, or for those with some experience. Students bring their own machines, and should already know how to use them well. The focus in this class is garment construction. Types of fabrics, notions, and tools are discussed. Design techniques such as draping, swiping, and pattern-making are also discussed. Students will complete one garment. Materials: Sewing machine, 2 yards of stretch-knit fabric.

DIY Screen-Printing
Thursday June 26th 6-9 pm
-or-
Thursday July 17th 6-9pm
Fee: $20
One day workshop. Learn the best tools and techniques for in-home screen-printing. Through demonstrations explore stretching screens, image prep, drawing and photo emulsion, exposing screens and the printing process. Supplies: all provided.

Novice Knitting
Tuesday July 29th 6-9pm
Fee: $25
A one day workshop for beginning knitters or those with some experience. Beginners will learn basic knit and pearl, those with some experience will be taught some more technical and complicated techniques. Students will choose one apparel project to design and complete Supplies: Please bring one pair of needles size 5 or larger. One skein of yarn will be provided, but students are welcome to bring their own.

Basic Hand Sewing and Embroidery
Tuesday July 15 6-9pm
Fee: $25
One day workshop. Learn basic hand stitching and embroidery techniques. These skills can be useful for all types of sewing and projects and inspire great additions to all your sewing projects. Basics stitches, their uses, and the techniques for using them will be discussed and practiced. Students will create a small appliqué purse using their newfound embroidery knowledge.Supplies: All supplies will be provided

Beautiful Beads
Sunday July 13th 1-3pm
Fee: $20
One day workshop. Mix colors and shapes or add charms to express your own style. We will discuss basic techniques, as wells as beading supplies as you discover how to create stunning strung necklaces and bracelets. There will be a selection of beads provided to accent your own or swap with others. No experience or tools needed just fun. Supplies: Please bring 2-3 packages of beads (6-12 count) or 2 strands of beads. All Other supplies provided.

Featured Designer

This month, our featured designer is Leah Parkhurst of Rustbelt Fiberwerks. Her collection of printed tees are works of art. Read our mini interview to learn more about Leah.

How old is your business Rustbelt Fiberwerks?

I established Rustbelt Fiberwerks in the summer of 2006.

How long have you been printing in general?

I have been screen-printing for about the past 6 years.

Why do you choose to print on 2nd hand clothing?

I am committed to using recycled and repurposed materials not only to cut down on waste, but also because they come with their own history, which is very important to the subject of my work.

Are you involved in other art endeavors? What are they?

I have a solo show of prints coming up at the Mercy Hill Gallery located in the Hide House at 2625 South Greeley Street in Milwaukee. The reception is May 9th from five to nine p.m.

Where does your inspiration come from for the subjects in your prints?

My current body of work addresses issues of memory and talks
about our relationship to the past. I start with a subject or memory and then begin layering and building the piece. My goal is to provide people with elements to help record and hallmark their daily lives.

Hula Hoops at Craft Night

We will be hosting a hula hoop making party for craft night! Loyal Craft Night attendees, Beth and Marilyn, will take the wheel this month, and reveal to us the art of making your own hoop. All supplies will be provided.

Show off your hip-gyration skills after your hoop is complete. Maybe we'll come up with some sort of prize, and have a contest!

Wednesday May 14th 6-9pm

at Fasten!

Shannon Molter

This month, we will be showing the work of local artist Shannon Molter. Please visit us on May 10th from 6-9pm for an opening reception with refreshments. The artist will be in attendance.

Artist Statement:

To understand one another and communicate our passion, are the most basic elements of humanity. Visual art is my form of communication, that I feel can impact its audience, often on a much more emotional level than any other interaction device. I am interested in empathy: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and sufferings of another. Empathy is the tool with which I try to convey messages of personality, interconnectedness and social issues. Derived from my adolescence, growing up in a tiny rural town in Northern Wisconsin, I have a strong sense of connectedness to the environment and try to arouse empathy within my audience for the natural world. In my academic artwork, I try to encourage viewers to think and discuss the beginning of civilization, its effect on nature, as well as why we should, or how we can change the current ecological situation. And in my more personal pieces I just try to make others feel something. To relate with me and consider the way they interact with others who are important to them.

About Shannon Molter:

Over the past three years Shannon Molter has developed her opinions and working thesis while receiving formal artistic training at the Peck School for the Arts. She has exhibited at numerous galleries across the state of Wisconsin and currently lives in Milwaukee’s Riverwest district. She has spent time in Italy, France and the Netherlands studying artistic processes and historical movements. She has been working in all media for several years and recently declared her passion to be in Fiber arts.