Wednesday Item Feature: Revisiting robots

Back in March, I featured a digitally colored pencil sketch of Patter, the little blue robot by Maggie Hurley. It was both beautiful and cute at the same time. I finally was able to meet Maggie at the North Oakland Phat Beets Farmer's Market this past weekend where some members of the EBAC team were selling their goodies. These robot prints are even more amazing in person. I could stare at them all day.

If you've recently joined the EBAC team or haven't been following our blog, you can read my original post about Patter here. Maggie (also known as hushmouse on Etsy) creates her little world of wonders and ships out her art ready to hang from Berkeley. From my last feature on Maggie's robot prints, she has since then thought up and conjured up more whimsical characters, including Spin, the musical robot.

While not as round as Patter, Spin is just as calming, soothing, and bright in his own way. Attached to gramophone parts, Spin saves the day with his musical ability, boppin' along and bringing the beats to those he passes. His droopy eyes tell you he's a laid back sort of dude and will take requests: feeling like some oldies? How about some classical? He's got what you're looking for.

Colored with more neutral tones, Spin is still a cool fellow. He may not be blue and watery like Patter, but if you really need some liquid vibes, just wait until he comes in the mail ready to hang in your music studio to keep you company while you practice your flute or violin, compose new tunes on that sweet keyboard you just bought, or even just sing your heart out. This is a perfect gift for your musical friend or young niece really getting into music for the first time and really passionate about the new instrument she's picked up. Or if you just need that piece of art that serves as inspiration when you're in the middle of a creative block, he has imaginary records waiting to be played; get him now before you miss out on this little friend!

Check out hushmouse's listing on Etsy now: Spin brings the beats - on Wood

Tune in next week for the Wednesday Item Feature!

Love & donuts,
Mayene

A Very Late Post About Copyright

Sorry, group - I wrote this in an un-wired space on the 16th and forgot to upload it until now!

A Little Bit of Copyright

Several members have recently asked for information about copyrighting their work. In actuality, all “original works of authorship” are copyrighted as a matter of law when they are created. Original works of authorship include literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works. But how do you protect your copyright?

The most basic step you can take to protect your copyright is to use the © symbol, with a legend that includes your name and the year of creation, eg © Copyright Gabrielle Lessard 2011. Using the copyright symbol puts others on notice that you intend to protect your rights in your work, which may be all you need to do to deter encroachment. Of course you don’t want to put a big copyright notice right on the front of your screen-print or painting. It is sufficient to put the notice on the back. It is also a very good idea to use a copyright watermark over your images when posting them online.

A further step you can take to protect your work is to register it with the US Copyright office. Registration creates a formal, public record of your rights in the work, and is extremely beneficial if you need to sue someone to protect your rights. Work can be registered by mail or online. There are several advantages to online registration – the fee is lower ($35 vs $50), applications are processed faster, and can provide a digital image of your work rather than a copy. (However, you will be required to submit a copy if the Library of Congress requests one.)

It is important to note that the record of your registration is PUBLIC – all information you provide to the copyright office will be available on the internet. Therefore, you might want to consider using a post office box and perhaps an assumed name on your application.

Additional information and registration materials are available on the copyright office web site at www.copyright.gov. Circular 40, which deals specifically with works of visual art, may be especially useful.

Gabrielle Lessard

http://mangosteenjewelry.etsy.com

www.katovichlaw.com

What's the price of garbage?

Take a guess. How much do you think this box of trash is worth?

Reply in the comments. No cheating ;)

See answer below: updated Oct 24th. Thanks for your comments!

This is the PART II of the post….

The price is actually $50.

The artist Justin Gignac started this project as an experiment after a friend told him design and packaging didn't matter. So he wanted to prove that with great design and packaging, you could sell anything. Even garbage.

The first piece was was priced at $10. Nobody bought it. People thought it was garbage.

He raised the price to $25. People started buying them as NYC souvenirs. When he couldn't keep up with the demand, he raised the price again.

At $50 which people started viewing them as art.

Now he sells limited edition pieces for $100. Yankees game. Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. New Years Eve.

The mayor of Dublin invited him over to cover the St Patrick's day festival. And the popularity of garbage continues to grow. Sounds like Justin proved his point.

It wasn't really about making a few bucks out of selling garbage making a point. In any case it's a great study in perception of value.

You can check out more of this stuff here.

This is a monthly post in the touchiest of all subjects, pricing! See you again in October.

-Vinit

Wednesday Item Feature: Summer in September

Normally, September and October are thought to be autumn months — not in San Francisco. While the rest of the Bay Area decides to start cooling down, San Francisco starts getting hot and the sun starts laughing in our faces. For those of you resting in the shade and enjoying the relaxing fall breeze, there are still summer items that can give your autumn wardrobe a bit more spice.

Sure enough, while I was thinking about pumpkin pie in all its creamy orange deliciousness, I stumbled across Gwen Harlow's shop on Etsy and came across some pretty earrings that accompanied my craving for something pumpkin flavored. Shipping out from Alameda, these earrings would match summer and autumn wardrobes alike. Spice up a strapless summer dress or wear a matching turtle neck leading the viewer's eyes to the leaves dangling from your ears! Vintage lucite golden leaves hang between crystal-centered white flowers: you can call these cute, hot, romantic, or just simply beautiful.

Whether you consider these more summer or more autumn, they're an absolutely affordable and amazing find if you're looking for a gift in the jewelry department or are an earring fiend like myself and just want another pair of dangling goodies. Is your girlfriend a Virgo? If you haven't gotten her a gift for her upcoming birthday, you've got about three more days left in the zodiac season to think of something quick. Even if you missed it or are going to miss it and end up presenting her with a belated birthday gift, these earrings are nice enough that she might forgive you. Or if she's a Libra, you've maybe got a little more time — decide now and have these arrive in your mailbox just in time!

Get them before I decide to!

Check out gwen's listing on Etsy now: Summer leaves earrings, golden brown vintage lucite!

Tune in next week for the Wednesday Item Feature!

Love & donuts,
Mayene

This Weekend: EBAC Group Craft Fair

Come out to the N. Oakland Farmers Market Saturday Sept. 24th for an afternoon of fresh local produce and handmade goods. 

East Bay Arts Collective will be setting up a group show with some amazing vendors selling locally made goods including: bags, clothing, jewelry, homegoods, kids items, fine art, accessories, homemade snacks, and more.

Phat Beets farmers market has a wonderful selection of pesticide free produce vendors with a focus on affordability. $1.50lb peaches anyone?

Come shop for some great local produce then browse the EBAC Craft Fair and support some amazing local artists and crafters.


Phat Beets Farmers Market

5717 Market St.

Oakland, CA

Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161854123897066

Wednesday Item Feature: Weightless metal

Drawn to moonlike items and crescent shapes, I was drawn in by the shop name alone before even seeing any listings: The Moon Shop. Founded by two individuals from Oakland, Cory & Cassidy offer elegantly made items to wear, created from "the excess of society and the bounty of the earth by using materials that are scavenged, re-purposed, donated, and sustainably produced."

Awed by some of their one-of-a-kind necklaces, the picture of their Copper Eurydice Necklace stopped my eyes for a good minute or so. If the item listing did not have "leather" written in it, I would have never guessed. At first glance, the full necklace appears to be metal. But upon reading the description and staring hard, you will find that this necklace is made from tiny pieces of leather. Ever been bogged down by heavy necklaces? This is the solution! Each hand-cut vintage metallic leather crescent shines with beauty but rests comfortably on your neckline with a featherweight softness.

Perfect for a subtle touch of elegance with a plain black dress or with that favorite forest green knit sweater in your closet you always wear with jeans. Even with a cream colored lace dress, this necklace will add sophistication to your summer or early autumn wardrobe. Either way, this necklace will fit many occasions and would definitely be an item to start up a conversation. A great gift for lovers of metal and earth alike!

Check out TheMoonShop's listing on Etsy now: Copper Eurydice Necklace (leather)!

Tune in next week for the Wednesday Item Feature!

Love & donuts,
Mayene

Wednesday Item Feature: Gourmet greetings

I love pasta. There really is no need to explain that statement, so it's obvious that when I saw Rigel Stuhmiller (also known as drenculture on Etsy) had pasta designs for greeting cards, my mouth started watering and I began to think about pesto sauce, alfredo sauce, marinara sauce, and all the delicious flavors that can accompany a plate of pasta.

Located in Berkeley, Rigel's pasta cards are designed and letterpress printed to perfection. Simple and clean, these pasta-themed cards are blank inside, giving your pen the freedom to flow tasty words like pouring sauce over a freshly cooked plate of rotini noodles. Write to your significant other words of affection: "I love you like a plate of penne noodles smothered in olive oil and basil." Or maybe your best friend is a pasta lover like myself; become a pen-pal in style! Say hello from the kitchen and send off a card with a friendly dinner invitation or ask an acquaintance out on a lunch date to your local Italian restaurant.

Measuring 4" by 5.5", each card is printed on lightly textured warm white paper. Sent in a pack of 6, you get two of each noodle: penne, radiatore, and farfalle. You can send your BFF one penne card and even keep one for yourself to frame for the kitchen! Whether you give all six as a gift set, keep all six to yourself, or write a few greetings and frame the other cards for your pleasure, Rigel's cards are a delicious set to get!

Check out drenculture's listing on Etsy now: Mixed Pasta Cards - Set of 6!

Tune in next week for the Wednesday Item Feature!

Love & donuts,
Mayene

Sign up for EBAC Group Craft Fair

EBAC will be getting together Sept 24th for a group craft fair. 

We still have a few spots left for EBAC members. Spots are incredibly affordable! If you would like to join in, fill out this registration form or contact the team captain Kendra (Girl on Bike) if you would like more info.

Please help the team advertise this event. Post to your blogs, share the event page on facebook with all your friends, family, & customers, and if you can, print out the fliers and spread around town. 

Monthly Positive Dose: Creative Block

Sometimes I get my best ideas, 4 o'clock in the morning. -Hattie Anderson, fiber artist