There's an art/craft magazine I used to subscribe to (I won't name names) that at first seemed wonderfully original. Geared toward the new DIY movement, it included wonderful projects on a small scale that could be made easily at home. Shadow boxes, art cards, altered books, assemblage, etc. As an artist who had limited space in which to work, I looked forward to each issue to offer inspiration and new ideas. However, in issue after issue I began to notice a pattern. The photographs of the artwork all began to look eerily similar. Something was emerging. Apparently, all one needed to do to make something "art" was to include one of these images:
1. face or figure with conical birthday hat
2. window
3. bird
Needless to say, when my subscription ran out it was not renewed.
Fast forward a few years, and now there are websites like etsy, a wonderful marketplace through which thousands of kitchen table artists sell their wares. The craft movement has also hit the main street, with small shops in hipster college towns carrying local artists wares.
Independent Film Channel's Portlandia celebrates one such town and the tendency of its hipster inhabitants to be just a little more hip than the rest of us. My favorite sketch? This one:
Let's look at some vintage items that "Put A Bird On It," from the talented sellers of the Vintage Fashion Guild.
1950s circle skirt at CoutureAllure
1950s copper & enamel brooch & earrings at thespectrum
1980s Ferragamo sweater at Poppy's Vintage Clothing
1960s craft purse at The Vintage Merchant
1960s Alfred Shaheen dress at Daisy Fairbanks Vintage
Georg Jensen sterling brooch at metroretrovintage
1950s sweater guard at Aaralyn's Velvet Dragonfly
1920s tooled leather purse at Daisy Fairbanks Vintage
Related posts:
Bird is the word! Love the article and wonderful selection of vintage birds from VFG shops. That video is a riot!
Posted by: Laura | February 03, 2011 at 10:40 AM
Thanks for featuring the Mexican circle skirt from my website!
Posted by: Couture Allure | February 13, 2011 at 05:12 PM