Nuit Blanche

How cool is this? All throughout Toronto, galleries will open their doors for an all-night exhibition. And it's free. It's called Nuit Blanche.

From their website:
For one sleepless night experience the city transformed by close to 500 artists for Toronto's fourth annual sunset to sunrise celebration of contemporary art. Discover art in galleries, museums and unexpected places. From churches and grocery stores to chimney stacks and bus stations, choose from 130 projects and chart your own path.

This is a brilliant idea and one that I hope more cities would consider. Because it's free, those that wouldn't otherwise have the means to view art in a gallery have an opportunity to do so. Because it is open all night, those that work unconventional hours have the opportunity to see works they might otherwise have missed. I love the idea that an entire city can come together for what seems like an all night party.

You can check out the list of artists, see the map and plot a course for the night by going here. These are the times that I am thankful I live relatively close to Toronto. You may just find me there, wandering the streets this weekend!

JoAnn

Friday Favorites

I've been feeling a bit romantic lately, and with the weather getting a little cooler here, I have absolutely fallen in love with this gorgeous shawl from laslopezlas's shop. The boldness of the lacework is what really draws me in, and I can already feel the warmth of the hand-woven fabric around my neck.
I hope you will all have a warm and cozy weekend!

Keeping up.

One of our favorite Second Storie vendors Aijung Kim, recently won the Pika Land Exposure Grant on Society 6. There's a really sweet interview with her here.
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You can find more work in her shop and her website. Congratulations Aijung!

Apple season

The season is upon us now: the air has turned slightly crisper, the sky is bluer and the sweaters have come out of hiding. Ask most people around here what their favorite part about autumn is and they will say: apples. And here in western NY, it's apple country, with orchards in every direction featuring more varieties than you knew existed. I love this little apple cozy from Unravel Me as it seems to sum up the season in one sweet little package.


So, what is your favorite thing about autumn? The fashion? The food? The smell of bus fumes in the air? It may sound weird, but that's mine...

joAnn

Friday Favorites

This week's feature comes from julie and co. How pretty are these? They are temari, the Japanese craft of wrapping a ball with yarn or silk threads and then weaving patterns into the surface. I have never seen anything like this and the bright, bold patterns caught my eye immediately. I love the idea of a few of these in a large wooden bowl adorning my dining table. Where would you put them?


Have a great weekend everyone!

JoAnn

Too Art For TV

If you're going to be in the NYC area, or are looking for a good reason to go, this Friday September 18th is the opening reception for Too Art For TV. It is the 4th year for this fine art exhibit for the animation industry. This is where individual artists, who are often part of a large team when it comes to animation, can show off their talents. One of our very good friends and fellow vendors, Pete Lazarski is among the many awesome artists and animators strutting their stuff in this way-cool show. I've seen photos from their openings and let me tell you, it looks like the place to be.

The details:
Opening Reception on Friday September 18th 6pm-9:30pm
Erebuni
158 Roebling Street
Williamsburg, NY 11211

Exhibit runs through October 17, 2009

JoAnn
oh, and p.s. - I am totally digging this poster, aren't you?

Ode to New York

This week's Friday Favorites post is a love poem to NYC. These are just a few of the many beautiful images we found on Etsy.



top to bottom:
Valerie Galloway, Irene Suchocki, Kathleen Quigley, Deconstruct The World

We hope you have a day full of peace and hope.
Happy weekend,
JoAnn

Cocoon

Hope everyone here in the states enjoyed a relaxing Labor Day weekend. We're excited to be back!

I am absolutely loving these installations by French artist Sébastien Preschoux. Aren't they stunning? I found them on Rachael's blog and have been obsessed ever since. The white ones are an installation titled Cocoon and the magenta one is titled Lasers. Imagine if you came across one of these while walking through the woods...

You can read an interview with Sébastien here.

Our 2009 vendors!

OK, everyone! Here is your first peek at our 2009 vendors! You can find a complete list right over there on our sidebar. We were simply bowled over by the talent and enthusiasm from all of our applicants. We have a wealth of talent here in Rochester and we're proud to be among all of it. Even if you aren't joining us as vendor we hope you'll join us as a friend and stop in to say hi.

We could not be more thrilled with our lineup and we know you guys are as excited as we are! Go on, check everyone out and start making your shopping lists!
JoAnn