ralph rapson

this past saturday, architect ralph rapson died at theage of 93. (martha has posted a lovely farewell to him here.) he was a legendary fixture in the architecture community, an inspiration to generations of architecture students, and has been celebrated by architects in minneapolis for years. he will be missed!

i met him several times as a student and at any number of architecture events since finishing school in 2000. it was always exciting to talk to him - almost like you were talking to celebrity (only he never acted that way.) ... it is hard to find words to explain the added "pride" that minnesotans feel because he lived here - almost like we could claim him as "ours" ....

in that vain, he was "mine" for a day back in 2003. while managing the old redlurered Thought/Design/Shop, i was lucky enough to co-currate a re-launch party and exhibit on the Rapson Rapid Rocker. i worked with andy balster and casey renner to design the space and currate the content & layout of the show. ralph made some special drawings of people sitting in the rocker that would accompany the chairs that were purchased at the show, but hadn't seen the (plan for) physical exhibit until the night of the event. he arrived early on that night and very thoughtfully walked through the exhibit - engaging and absorbing the story we told about the history of his chair. there was a great turn-out for the show - and i must say it felt good to be a part of celebrating and promoting him after being inspired by him for sveral years. (that show is certainly on my list of "cool things i've done in my life.")

........ i've found myself thinking about ralph a lot this week - thinking about the fact that he continued to go to his office to work right up until the very last day, just as he had hoped he would. he embodied an ideal that is found in the most creative of people - their work = their passion. he couldn't help but engage his work .... because it is what fufilled him. that is how i will remember him ... committed and in love with what he did. we were all lucky enough to observe and learn from it....

for fun ...

last week i decided to do something fun....i sent off a little package to wendy over at dozi. she had inquired many many months ago about ordering a pair of earrings and i had just sent my entire stock to the walker. she has been waiting so patiently (since before christmas!) and now since i finally "have my act together" i decided i'd just send her a pair...as a little surprise.

i've learned that she received the package safely and has even posted some pictures here. i must admit, i love sending packages and it is almost more exciting for me to see her wearing my earrings half-way across the country.... thank you wendy, for reading my blog, for liking my earrings, for being so patient ... and for being a blog-friend! so much fun.........

i've been trying to find the best way to photograph my earrings...in my make-shift photography studio that is my dining room. for these shots i used the 3' table-top version of our "trendy tannebaum" modern christmas tree. the shots are still not as simple as i'd like them to be, but they are an improvement ....

in the lull

i've been slightly over-whelmed with reading others' blogs, following their links and investigating the makers and designers and crafters that they follow. martha has a nice list here...and here. and of course i have already mentioned megan's series of posts from savanah. and then there is margaux's recent recap of the ACC show, which goes into many details that i failed to articulate - and brings another layer of memories to my own recollections.

i don't know about you, but when i start thinking too much it begins to paralyze me. "i think i think too much" i go through waves though - sometimes i just move and grow and act and make without thinking - intuitive progress. that usually gets me to a point where i need to stop and reflect on things - adapt and adjust the details to more adequately articulate an idea or perfect a function. this is all fine and good.


right now, i seem to be swimming in a different place though - the one where i become numb to myself - second-guessing and insecure. it is a dreadful feeling --- but i've also learned that it comes when i am at an integral point (a crossroads) - it comes when i realize that i must make some important decisions about how i am going to move forward, when i know that the decision i ulitmately make will have great impact on me, my family and the way my work (my business) will grow .....

i don't know if it is harder to go out on a limb for something or to sit back and not attempt it. it would seem easier to sit back, to not put yourself on the line -- but in my life, in my mind, in my heart it is always harder for me to hold back, to not put it all out there. that's not to say i haven't gotten hurt by doing so, but man, those lessons run deep and the experiences are vivid. as i grow older, the debate has been less about whether or not to do it (although maybe it should be) but rather about the best way to go about doing it. and for a designer, who is meant to determine all the possible ways, it sure gets confusing at times. i've also learned that it helps to talk to other people and to get alternative views -- but ultimately i already know what i need to do. i already know the path to be taken ... it is there, under the distractions and worries and superficialities (word??) it is always there, waiting for me.


so, in the meantime.......

this is a necklace that i whipped-up from remnants - to wear as an everyday sort of necklace. i've been wearing it for a week and admit i love wearing it and have had good responses from random people around town. i may need to do some more playing around.

going round in circles....

hmmmmmm where to begin with all the thoughts circling in my head. i just finished catching-up on some blog posts which always leads to links to other blogs and new information and new work and new inspiration .. which results in thoughts circling in my head.

megan auman has been posting from the SNAG (society of north american goldsmiths) conference. this is an organization i had never heard of before meeting megan at the ACC show or before reading her blog. she provides links to some amazing work!! but the thing that really has my mind spinning is the link to annie's blog and her post that touches on the undercurrent of mixed feelings that i mentioned experiencing at the ACC show regarding the "old" crafters and the "new wave" or "indie" or "alt" crafters. -- it is all quite fascinating, and yet i must admit i feel somewhat disconnected from the whole thing - almost like i have no right to even have an opinion because i am so new to the scene and also because i am coming at it from an entirely different background.

IT also makes me think about my run the other morning. i was running around one of the many lakes that are nestled into the city of minneapolis and during the span of a few minutes, i would see 2 airplanes decending towards the airport, coming in at slightly different angles and probably 20-30 seconds apart. at the same time, i could see another plane off in the distance making its circle, in line to make its own decent. a minute or two later that distant plane was suddenly one of the 2 decending planes and the cycle continued .. on and on - probably all day. for some reason this struck me. it was a glimpse and an illustration of the many many networks and systems and mini-worlds that exist simultaneously every minute of every day. happening in contrast or in relation to or entirely oblivious of something else. i realize that my city is small in comparison to other cities in the world, and it is large in comparrison to others - but i sometimes can't get my mind around the fact that this world is so HUGE.

THERE are so many people, so many things, so many ways of doing and being and making. so many ideas .... so many ideas. some that are fresh, but mostly those that recycle, resee, and reuse snipits of other ideas. it is daunting and yet it is also welcoming ... particularly when thinking about making things. i approach making things from a design background - which (for me) is a problem-solving exercise made up of a series of decisions. there are endless ways and endless solutions, but it is one's own series of decisions that leads them to their end result. it is their skill-set and accumulated life experience and education that enables them to execute their decisions - it is their own path and process that enables them to execute their design and define their craft. i don't know how that fits into the craft world - or where that puts me in struggle between old and new/trained and alternative ... i don't know what it means for me or my work or where it will fit best in the marketplace -- but it is my approach and that is what i have to work with.

finally - some updates

i thought i would start this post honoring the "best seller" of ACC show ... the DOUBLE PAPYRUS necklace (that i whipped-up last minute and almost didn't take with me - go figure!)





it has taken a little bit of time to settle back into things at home. i must admit that i still don't feel entirely "with-it" or back to a routine - partly because i am needing to create a new routine that strikes a healthy balance of doing "real" work and organizing my plan to take my jewelry forward, while somehow managing to get my running back in the schedule - i'm getting closer.... i haven't been entirely unproductive in the process though, because i have finally been able to get some more jewelry in my shop. i need to take more photos of some pieces before posting them, but there is a selection of DOUBLE PAPYRUS, PAPYRUS SINGLE, Rolling-TOPO, SOLID, and POMMEGRANATE necklaces online. More will be posted shortly......thanks for checking them out!

back from balitmore

i returned from baltimore on monday and it has taken until now to catch-up on sleep and to get back into some semblance of a routine. ouch. who knew it would be so exhausting?!? ....... well, here are some random bits of information and reflections on my experience....

1) this is the suitcase that carried all of my jewelry to baltimore - the perfect carry-on for flying! so lucky that i make small things.

2) i realize now that i'm back home, that i really failed to get a good collection of images that captured the full experience in baltimore. my mind was so busy trying to remember and process everything on less-than-adequate amounts of sleep each night caused me to neglect the documentary portion of the trip. this was the sign as you entered the convention center in baltimore and gives you and idea of the graphics involved with the show.

3) i learned so much about doing big shows like this - but also about the American Craft Council and the role it serves for its members. having received an email-invitation to apply to the NEW WAVE CRAFT section, without much clue as to how i got the email - i must admit i was somewhat clueless about the council. the NEW WAVE section was new to the show this year and was received with mixed-feelings amoung the other exhibitors. the goal, as i understand it, was to bring some new energy to the show and to give a new "generation" of artisans/crafters a chance to experience a show of this maginitude. some of the more seasoned crafters seemed annoyed that we were allowed in for a discounted rate - or perhaps felt threatened by the thought of the show changing or trying to get new types of artisans to apply. however, the general public was quite excited about the section - as many people from the east coast come to the show every year - and this is exactly when the Council was hoping for - creating some excitement in order to inspire new shoppers to attend the show.

4) the section itself was physically different from the rest of the show. the 750+ exhibitors each had their own boothes and there was a SEARCHLIGHT ARTIST section that had tall white walls and really felt like a gallery setting - juxtaposing the work of 2 different artists in each "cove" of the SEARCHLIGHT area. the NEW WAVE section was much more casual with low pole&curtain partitions and a series of 2'x6' tables. it was intended to feel like a cohesive section that was different from the rest of the show - and it did achieve this - but i can't help but wish the space was a little more refined with more prominant visual and physical ques that told people that the section was different without being "cheap." i am sure they will refine the section for next year and then again each year after that.

5) i tried to keep my table as simple as possible. it is really easy to convince oneself that you need special display tricks or trinkets - but i really believe that work can/should be allowed to speak for itself with elements that support without being distracting. i layered 3 different white fabrics over my table - the first was a simple and smooth fabric, the second narrower piece was a cool sort of webbing and the third smallest piece was a white fabric with white rubber nubbies on it. the texture created a very subtle depth that kept it simple, while looking intensional.

6) i met some really awesome people at this show and was able to talk to several exhibitors who have been doing this show for many many years. i have gained an immense amount of perspective and really feel like i have a better sense of where to go from here. i sold 25 pieces over the weekend - (not as bad as my worst fear and not as good as my biggest hope - but pretty much in line with my realistic expectations for the show) - 80% of my customers had some sort of connection to the design/architecture world - go figure! i also received some great compliments from experienced exhibitors encouraging me to try to do more whole-saling.

7) and then there are the personal connections - meeting margaux lange for the first time in person, eli from alchemy who makes awesome messenger bags out of bike tubes and recycled banners from wholefoods, megan auman who was a search light artist for the retail show (and who traded some jewelry with me!! so much fun!) and catching-up with old aquaintences who i haven't seen in years: karen gilbert and her husband paul & new baby girl! ... to name just a few.

8) and then there are the people who held me up at the end of the day - my friends patricia & tony who let me and my sister stay with them the whole weekend - driving us to and from the show each day, feeding us each morning and night -- so much more than i ever expected or planned on. i am soo very grateful! .....and finally, i don't think i could have done this show without the help of my sister, brit. she is 9 years younger than me and somehow is able to remain calm in ways that i have yet to master. she is supportive and a hard worker and POSITIVE without being sickening (if you know what i mean?) and basically was the perfect person to help keep my attitude in check, my spirits up and my anxieties down .... there is much to be learned from that sister of mine! THANK YOU!

and thank you to YOU...for reading my blog. thank you for the words of encouragment from places far and near. i'm learning it takes a lot to put yourself out there and it means so much that you receive me so graciously.....

loose ends

i've spent the last several days checking-off the items on my to-do list. i've been printing labels for earring-cards and sales-bags. i still have a few loose-ends to tie-up, but i am nearly ready to leave for baltimore on thursday morning.

it is crazy to think that martha is already there - probably with her space set-up and ready to go for the wholesale show which starts tomorrow. i'm excited to see her exhibit on thursday afternoon before she packs-up and before i unpack for a long weekend of the public show.

i think it is inevitable, as you get close to actually doing something that you've prepared a long time for, that thoughts of uncertainty creap in. today those thoughts arrived - wondering if it is going to be worth all that i've put into it ... of course it will be worth it, but it is safe to say that i'm getting anxious ... i hope it goes well ........

inspired ....... to show my support

cards for show - check!