• • • LEAHMACKIN•COM • • • • art, books, & book arts • • •

2010 = BYY

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:52:00 +0000

okay, okay, I know that it is only two weeks into the new year, but 2010 is seriously looking like it will be the Best Year Yet!

Tons and lots and a bunch of things happening, and most in the next few months are in conjunction with Philagrafika 2010! From January 29th to April 11th, PRINT will rule the art scene in Philadelphia and, jeez, I know I am not the only one excited about this!

The calendar of events speaks for itself to show the enormity of it all... and I'm so happy to say that I am participating in a few of the projects/shows going on! Expect many more posts about these events as they happen, but let's get get started...

In honor of featured graphic novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, PMG will host a night of zine-making, presentations by notable local zine artists, and a private viewing of the exhibition Etchings: Works on Paper by Isaiah Zagar. Art supplies and locally-brewed beer will be provided; however, participants are encouraged to bring their own interesting art materials and refreshments for their evening of graphic arts in the Garden. Guest zine-artists include Mark Price, publisher of Zine of the Month Club, Anni Altshuler and Leah Mackin of Holly Hobby, Jenni Drozdek, Michael Gerkovich and Gregory Labold.
February 3, 2010
Workshop: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Admission: $10/Adults, $8/PMG Members

Baltidelphia

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:47:00 +0000

January 9th to February 6th, 2010. The Hexagon, in conjunction with My House Gallery (Philadelphia), presents: Baltidelphia, an experimental collaboration curated by Phuong Pham (the Hexagon) and Alex Gartelmann (My House). The Baltidelphia exhibition features 21 Baltimore artists paired with 21 Philadelphia artists who were asked to collaborate/correspond through whatever means they chose--facebook, text message, twitter, carrier pigeon, postal mail, sky-writing, etc. Rather than get lost in the flood of tweeting that flickrs to your tumbl that feeds to your blog (LOL smileyface), Baltidelphia embraces communication, distance, and geography as points of departure to create a project.

For the past few months, I have been in communication with my assigned artist, Jenny Mullins. Through emails and phone calls, we discussed possible ideas and arrangements for our final project. We settled on sending one another 7 to 10 "somethings" (drawings/experimentations on a small scale) and working into the other's pieces to hang in our respective cities. I created paper cuts that I installed to hang over Jenny's pencil drawings.

The Philadelphia opening was last night and very successful! I took a kind of poor photo of the final installation here.

I look forward to what Jenny made using the pieces I sent her:

The words I chose for these paper cuts were plucked directly from our email exchange and notes from phonecalls. Since the project took place over busy times in both of our lives, it is not surprising that there would have been so many time-related words. I will have to wait until February 6th for the Baltimore show reception!

Notes of late!

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Scrapple t-shirts are back - just in time for the holidays! Hot off the press, the shirts are available from sizes XS to 2XL and now in light blue and cream!

On sale in my etsy shop or, for Philadelphians, at All By Hand at Liberty Place in Center City.

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In Holly Hobby news, we are happy to be supporting two of our favorite art spaces this year! Get alllllllll your Holly Hobby items in one place AND help raise money for two influential art gallery groups in Philadelphia!

First up is the Space 1026 Art Auction, this Friday, December 11th at 7pm!

OR OR OR

Hit up Little Berlin on Saturday, December 12th at 2pm to participate in their ART DASH Fundraiser. $25 gets you the Holly Hobby package, if you can grab first!

We've included the following: the first three issues of Holly Holly Hobby Hobby, Besides/B-Sides (a collaborative book), a book of MASH, the Holly Hobby Status Update vovelle, the Best/Worst Screenprint, and MORE?! As always, Holly Hobby goods are for sale in my etsy shop as well!

Shop local at All By Hand in Philadelphia!

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:12:00 +0000

This season, there's a new store in town to hit up for all of your holiday shopping! Dear friend and scrapple-makin' cohort, Julianna Lose is opening a fine art and craft consignment shop called All By Hand! The shop features a breadth of artists and artisans from the Philadelphia area whose wares include jewelry, sculpture, artist's books, clothing, greeting cards, glassware, paintings, home decor, ceramics, accessories, baby goods, and so much more!

All By Hand is located at the Shops at Liberty Place in Center City Philadelphia. Join Julianna, her partner, Abby Flannigan, and the many artists featured in the store this Sunday at the Grand Opening from 12pm to 6pm!

Long Term Interaction: a group show

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:05:00 +0000

Long Term Interaction: a group show
featuring works by Nicole Eiland, Julianna Lose, Leah Mackin and Michael Ryan
Friday, October 30, 2009
5:30pm - 7:30pm

University of the Arts, Printmaking Deptartment, 6th Floor
333 S. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA

Sneak Peek!

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:45:00 +0000

Just installed some new work at the brand new(ly renovated) gallery space in the University of the Arts' Printmaking Department... info on the show's duration and reception coming soon!

Also, see that book hanging? Get your own copy at...

Zineing across the Pacific Northwest

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:28:00 +0000

In case you thought I didn't go into too much detail about my trip to the Pacific Northwest - you can read all about it over here at one of my favorite blogs, Printeresting.org! Anni and I were excited to be able to recount our adventures in detail for them and share the zine-tastic wonders that we discovered. Enjoy!

Zine Events!

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 04:39:00 +0000

The trip out West was a success! I enjoyed spending time with old friends and meeting new ones, exploring new cities, and noshing on plenty of fabulous foods, but the highlight of the adventure was definitely perusing zine after zine at the various libraries and shops we visited. So inspiring and exciting, especially with current projects going on! And just in time for a slew of zine-related events happening this fall in Philadelphia...

PHILADELPHIA ALTERNATIVE COMIC CON
Sunday September 13th, 12pm to 6pm
941 Theater
941 N. Front Street
Philadelphia, PA

Little Berlin's "B.Y.O.T.Y.(bring your own table yo) BOOK FAIR"
Saturday, October 17th, 12pm to 6pm
Little Berlin
119 West Montgomery
Philadelphia PA

Crafty Balboa!

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:53:00 +0000

This Sunday, stroll down Passyunk Ave. in South Philly and enjoy Crafty Balboa...

New amongst my usual wares, I am happy to present a personal/art zine project called Holly Holly Hobby Hobby!

Issue one is completed and issue two is coming together today, to be ready for the weekend!

This summer has been exciting for me, so far, and I still have a lot to look forward to including, but not limited to: the completion of the project I am a part of at work, a weekend down the shore/in Atlantic City (I will be dreaming of the diving horses and playing slots, I'm sure...), and the most exciting adventure of 2009 - a trip out to the Pacific Northwest! In between all of this, I am make, make, making and having fun, fun, fun. Hope everyone else is enjoying their summer as much as I am enjoying mine!

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:44:00 +0000

Punk Rock Flea Market - DOLLAR EXTRAVANGANZA

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:30:00 +0000

I have exciting news regarding the upcoming Punk Rock Flea Market!

I am joining forces with two of my most favorite art-making buddies, Chloe Crawford and Anni Altshuler, making a ton of items that we will sell for ONE DOLLAR apiece! We are anticipating selling pins, comics, temporary tattoos (!!!), and more!

Today, I painted/drew out this:

That's right - a good old-fashioned cootie catcher/fortune teller! This is an inkjet reproduction of the original, again for only a BUCK! See more photos on my Flickr page.

And of course, the details:

SATURDAY, July 11th
9am to 4pm
Starlight Ballroom, 9th & Spring Garden Streets
Philadelphia, PA

Yellow #6 Doodles

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:00:00 +0000

yellow #6 doodles
cheese puffs, napkins, napkin dispenser, push pins
by Sebastien Leclecq, Ted Houghtaling, Rebecca Hoenig, & myself

This is my group's piece for the show Offerings at Little Berlin. These shots were taken at the beginning of the opening before people really got creative with their additions to the wall. I look forward to sharing those soon. The project invited 80+ Philadelphian artists to work collaborative in a group with people they did not know prior to the project. My group met consistently(ish) for about six weeks from the onset of the ten week project compiling lists of ideas and possibilities for our completed projects. For me, the discussion was more exciting than the actual completion of the project and I would leave every week convincing myself that none of the ideas would actually pan out... When the deadline felt like it was actually approaching, we were able to focus and draw from our discussions the final project. Interactivity was something we played around with quite a bit - the idea that we four were collaborating and inviting the viewer to collaborate as well.

Yellow #6 doodles invites the viewer to snack on the irresistable cheese-coated puffs and then add their own orange mark to the pre-drawn napkins, which show a multitude of things that are typically orange in color. The viewers become artists when they tack their newly-made creations to the wall.

Many thanks to Martha Savery and Alex Gartlemann of Little Berlin who curated and organized this show/project!

Flutterin'

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:12:00 +0000

My book page bunting was successful tent decoration at Art Star Craft Bazaar this past weekend. The flags flapped in the gusts and provided some aural accompaniment. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and said hello! It was great to meet new friends and see familiar faces, as always. Couldn't make it out? See me at the Punk Rock Flea Market on July 11th and at Crafty Balboa on August 2nd! Info for both events is on the side bar.

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In other news, things have been pretty busy at work and there is a new blog post over at the Chew Papers Blog to prove it! I love this great shot of vacuuming a linen-backed map.

• • • •

Finally, one last reminder about a project I have been participating in for the past few months, an 80-person collaborative project called Offerings!

Offerings
Friday June 5 2009
6 to 10 PM
Little Berlin Gallery
119 Montgomery Street (one block south down Front Street from the Berks stop on the Market-Frankford Line)
Philadelphia, PA 19122

Don't worry, I'll have a great post coming soon all about our piece once there is proper documentation!

Art Star Craft Bazaar !

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:22:00 +0000

I am counting down the days, hours, minutes until the Art Star Craft Bazaar and it looks like I'm not the only one - this is a highly anticipated event!

Fabulous blogger, Tara Gentile of HandmadeinPA.net wrote this great feature for the blog, TryHandmade.com including a feature on my mixed paper journals! Thank you, Tara.

Anyway, here are all of the important details so you can stop by and say hello to my crafty cohort, Julianna Lose and I...

May 30th - 11am to 6pm
AND
May 31st - 11am to 6pm
Penn's Landing, Philadelphia, PA
We are in Booth #86 (click image to enlarge!):

Offerings at Little Berlin

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Fri, 15 May 2009 22:03:00 +0000

Myself and 80 other Philadelphia-based artists, writers, performers and et cetera-ers have been hard at work on our collaborative projects for an upcoming show entitled Offerings. The rules were pretty clear: make/do something in a group of four unfamiliar people with a total budget of $50.

My group has been meeting pretty consistently-ish since the onset of the project in mid-April and we've got something alright! It's been an interesting and exciting process, as discussing possibilities endlessly over copious cups of coffee with strangers probably should be. I don't want to give any details away of our piece yet!

See you at the opening!

Offerings

Friday June 5 2009

6 to 10 PM

Little Berlin Gallery

119 Montgomery Street

Philadelphia, PA 19122

The Whole Truth!

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:36:00 +0000

india ink on found book page

Unplanned Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Thu, 07 May 2009 03:19:00 +0000

india ink on found book page

Rays of paper...

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Lots of new ideas and projects on the horizon...

First things first is making, making, making for the Art Star Craft Bazaar and stocking up on what have proved to be hot commodities in my etsy shop - mixed paper journals! I am having a blast making them and have collected even more fabulous papers to include for pages.

June is looking bumpin' as well with an opening at Little Berlin on First Friday, June 5th! I am participating in an 80 person collaborative show that has been in the works now already for about a month. More to come on that, I promise.

AND I've committed myself to some serious art making by signing up for the Open Studio Summer Session at Fleisher Art Memorial! I've got to get these etching ideas I have out of my head, onto metal and then onto paper. Printmaking! Art making! Book making! Making!

Eastern PA vs. Western PA Bookbinding THROWDOWN

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:06:00 +0000

I'm battling it out in some friendly competition over at the always fabulous blog, HandmadeinPA.net... Eastern Pennsylvania is pitted against Western Pennsylvania in a bookbinding battle! Vote and read all about it here!

On the left/west, is Emily from Subu. She's a Pittsburgh-based bookbinder and runs the Pittsburgh Craft Collective. Her books are pretty rad, but of course I'm impressed since they use recycled materials, a bit of snark, and buttons!

And, on the right/east side, it's ME! That's right, I'm pulling from all my 23 and 11/12ths years of (South) Eastern PA- living and bringing out the Philadelphia pride in full force!

Go on, vote!

Lots to say today!

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:58:00 +0000

A big THANK YOU to everyone who came out for the Fishtown Shad Fest yesterday! I had a great day enjoying the unseasonable warmth with other enthusiasts of the neighborhood. I was happy to see a few of my favorite fellow vendors, but also excited to meet some great artists! Also, our tent was across from a BBQ stand, so you know we were psyched on that...

Speaking of meats, I have some exciting news regarding Scrapple wares!! First off, can I just say how much I love talkin' scrapple at craft fairs? "You don't really like that stuff do you?" oh, yes I do! We met some great scrapple enthusiasts yesterday complete with a recommendation for homemade boar scrapple (!) at a local eatery and a first-hand account of how scrapple is made at Habbersett's - don't worry, I won't repeat it.

Anyway, I am happy to report that Julianna and I just completed our third (fourth?) run of I Heart Scrapple t-shirts! Get 'em from my Etsy shop

...and last, but so certainly not least, my Deluxe Mixed Paper Journal is the Etsy Item of the Day!

Happy Etsy Day!!

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:30:00 +0000

Today, April 24th, is officially Etsy day! I have mentioned in many a blog post my Etsy shop, but here is my opportunity to tell you all about how much I love Etsy.com!

I first signed up for Etsy in August of 2007. I had poked around a bit on the site and saw some fabulous shops and sellers, but couldn't really justify purchasing things and I was very hesistant to list my journals and goods. Earlier that year, I started participating in craft fairs and loved the customer/seller interaction. I really got (and still get) so much gratification from someone thumbing through the pages of one of my journals or marvelling at a book spine bracelet ("This is a spine from a book?!"). I know, I am a bit of a sap, but I really feared that selling online would be too impersonal and I just wasn't willing to try... until the summer of 2008!

My first few listings were pretty abbysmal... poor photos, weak copy, just kind of boring more than anything. Since January of this year, I've really tried to make my shop the very best it can be with more engaging photos, titles, descriptions, tags, etc. I try to list new items regularly, keep things fresh! What kept me willing to put so much effort into maintaning a stronger shop? The customer/seller interaction is still there - it is a little different, sure, but it's there and it's great!! Have a question about a product? Like something but wonder if it can be customized for your needs? Need expedited shipping? Send a convo! I've had really great exchanges with many buyers and sellers via Etsy that I would never get to meet at a local craft fair!

Also, since the first of the year I have been more active as a buyer on Etsy. I found a great soap maker who was really helpful in suggesting the best soaps she makes for my sensitive skin. I've bought bags, cards, gifts, & other silly things, and I've been lucky to receive a few gifts that I know were purchased on Etsy!

Have you bought anything on Etsy? Tell me all about it! Sign up today and enjoy a lot of neat features for buyers like the "heart" system which allows for you to create a list of your Favorites! I use it all the time - here's mine. Go on, explore Etsy.com already....

now, more than ever

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:40:00 +0000

Fishtown Shadfest - April 25th

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 23:29:00 +0000

Spring is upon us and you know what that means - outdoor festivals! Kicking it off is the Fishtown Area Business Association's FISHTOWN SHADFEST! Here are the important details, right off the bat:
Saturday, April 25th
11am to 5pm
Penn Treaty Park

This is looking like the ultimate in festivals offering something for EVERYONE: live music, educational booths about the environment, trolley tours, the 5k Shad Run, sailboat regatta and kayaking, a slew of food vendors, complimentary bike valet all day ANNNNDDDDDDDD, of course, over 50 arts and crafts vendors!

I will be selling my usual wares with scrapple-conspirator, Julianna Lose! She's got an array of new designs to make the children in your life even cuter. Speaking of scrapple - we'll have a fully replenished inventory including t-shirts in sizes from XS-XXL. Pre-order still available!

Let's celebrate the shad!

Burst of Mixed Paper Signatures

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:32:00 +0000

soon to be a slew of mixed paper journals!

smiles & thank yous

noreply@blogger.com (Leah Mackin) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 21:55:00 +0000

and

fused plastic bags, more on my flickr