Indigenous crafts may ultimately be all that survive of many cultural traditions. As I discussed in my last blog post Can Indigenous Societies Survive?, Indigenous Societies are in peril. In researching the photos to use in this post, I was struck by the amazing beauty in the everyday lives of Indigenous peoples.
I did not see art as we know Art, the kind that hangs in museums that can’t be touched. I saw creativity and extraordinary beauty in things that related to their everyday lives in Indigenous Crafts. Since I did not focus on this in my other blog post, I would remiss not to emphasize it here.
It is apparent from these photos that the people take great pride in their creativity. They may not see art as we do but they clearly express talents that must be preserved. They appreciate and make things of beauty as part of their daily lives; such as a horse with blue eyes and the set up for making their cheese. Their crafts speak to their cultures, to what is important to them and what they treasure in their lives.
I realized this when I saw the picture of a horse’s saddle created by someone from the Mongolian Nomads. These photos are part of a photo essay about the Mongolian Nomads made by Taylor Weidman done for the Global Oneness Project.
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The feature photo at the beginning of this post and the one at the end are from a story by Unnikrishnan Raveendranathan. They demonstrate the craft of basket weaving. It is a lost art that has been revived, in this case by Edward Willie, so that he could teach it to his daughter. He also said, “I teach weaving to others so that I can share the connection to the earth that it gives us.”
Indigenous cultures and their crafts are what connect all of us to the earth. This is why we treasure them even as our technology destroys their way of life. Noam Chomsky said it best in this quote, “It’s pretty ironic that the so-called ‘least advanced’ people are the ones taking the lead in trying to protect all of us, while the richest and most powerful among us are the ones who are trying to drive the society to destruction.”
The irony is that as we destroy the cultures of the Indigenous peoples, we grow to treasure their art. We stick it in museums or buy it at great cost at auction. Somehow that is how we ‘technologically advanced’ peoples know how to appreciate nature’s beauty. We put it in cages, we hang it on walls, we frame it in museums. We bemoan the loss of these Indigenous Societies but only know how to keep them alive through their Indigenous Crafts.Edward Willie Basket weaving photographed by Unnikrishnan Raveendranathan
I have done a fair amount of research on Indigenous Societies around the world. They fascinate me. Most Indigenous Societies that still exist seem to be in peril. I wonder, ‘how much longer can they survive’?
Many of the stories I have read are from The Global Oneness Project. Amazingly brave and talented artists, photographers and writers travel throughout the world to study Indigenous Peoples. Their stories and the photos taken may become the last tangible proof that Indigenous Societies still exist somewhere on the planet. It seems that only in the remotes places where nature fortifies its children against invasion do societies continue intact. This is the case with the Mustangs, monks living in an isolated corner of Nepal surrounded by high mountains which separate and protect them from the outside world. The Mustangs, monks of Nepal photographed by Taylor Weidman
Besides wondering if Indigenous Tribes can survive is the question, ‘Why Are They Disappearing’? This is what I would like to focus on. Indigenous people are intimate with their natural environment. As more of nature is usurped by ‘civilized’ men for other uses, thrown out of balance by ‘climate change’ or outright destroyed by technological advancements’, the people whose land is a physical extension of themselves die as a culture. They individually may survive as the ‘American Indians’ did. But they were confined to reservations, raped of their culture, their dignity, their identity, their land and their spiritual connection to the earth and their natural world.
Native American Tribe Policy from Victoriana.com
There are currently two cultures where survival is indeed in peril. They are The Kara Women from Ethiopia’s Omo River Valley, an amazing story told through the photographs of Jane Baldwin, and .
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The Mongolian Nomads, studied and photographed by Taylor Weidman, co-founder of the Vanishing Cultures Project. In both cases either man’s interference, climate change, desertification and the lure of a modern world are eating away at not only their cultural integrity but also their very survival. The damming of the Omo River is destroying the livelihood of half a million Africans. Climate change, desertification and the awareness of a modern life are transforming the Mongolian landscape.
Mongolian Nomads by Taylor Weidman
Mongolian Nomads by Taylor Weidman
Mongolian Nomads by Taylor Weidman
Mongolian Nomads by Taylor Weidman
Mongolian Nomads by Taylor Weidman
Mongolian Nomads by Taylor Weidman
Mongolian Nomads by Taylor Weidman
Mongolian Nomads by Taylor Weidman
Mongolian Nomads by Taylor Weidman
But there is some hope on the horizon. It is unlikely that many or any of the Indigenous Societies will survive as they have historically or geographically. But there is a strong desire to keep their rich cultural heritages alive and if possible, their way of living alive as well. In the case of a Yup’ik Eskimo town on the Western coast of Alaska, families are struggling to maintain the subsistence lifestyle of their ancestors.
Emmonak photgraphed by Elias Koch
This story is one of destruction, devastation and at the same time an indominable spirit to keep some of the richest cultures on our planet alive. Whatever these people can do on their own or what others are doing to help, all of these Indigenous Societies will survive in our own hearts and minds as we connect to the Mother Earth Spirit that birthed us all.
Back in 1929, when the stock market made its most precipitous crash, there were millionaires turned paupers who jumped from their office windows to their death. They could not bear the thought of a simpler life, one stripped of the glitz and glamour that accompanied the rarified air they were used to breathing.
Today, the economic see-saw is sending millions, not to their deaths, but rather to face the challenges of the 99% and The Middle Class Poor. For me, economic faith has led me to not only the acceptance of a simpler life but also the joyful discoveries that have accompanied it. This is not to say that it has not been a huge adjustment. But rather than plummet to my death, I have found my circumstance such that with the cultivation of economic faith and the acceptance of a simpler life, I seem to be keeping my head above water and enjoying it as well.
As the 1% continues to need to glut themselves on more and more, the ranks of the growing Middle Class Poor have increased and are tightening our belts. But, you know, it isn’t nearly as bad as I thought. Once you get an understanding of what financial assistance is available and just how to get it, you have a place to start. Here is an example.
Two years ago, we were granted food stamps, $367/month to be exact. Little did I know, this was considered a hefty sum. You see, I had a bit of the ticker tape millionaire attitude and was humiliated by the meager amount since it was a fraction of my monthly healthy food expenses. This past summer we had to file our SNAP (as food stamps is now called) recertification. To our mortification, our monthly allotment was reduced to 5%. That’s right TO 5% or $16 not by 5% as many other folks were. How the hell were we going to eat on $16/month. Short of dumpster diving or stealing, neither was an option, I had no idea.
Being one who perseveres rather than falls into self-pity, I knew this was my opportunity to make some new discoveries. These would be discoveries for my own salvation. My goal is that they could also provide information to support other souls who thought they would have only crumbs to pick at to survive.
There are so many things that I have learned to do simpler and even do without. My confidence in my ability to survive in challenging times has given me a sort of economic faith. I am resourceful. I know how to take little and make it into more. I know how to take things from the garbage and make them into treasures. I know how to accept a simpler life. In fact, I appreciate things more now than when I had more.
Future blog posts will focus on the specifics of making due, having more with less, and cultivating economic faith with acceptance of a simpler life. ‘Stay tuned’ for some fun projects, food recipes and ideas that will help you be a resourceful success as part of The Middle Class Poor.
The Charrette delivery van @ The Charrette CorporationHow It Began
What began as a single article, written by me as the NY Graphic Design Examiner, evolved into a series of articles, seven in total, that spanned a year’s time to complete. Although the time to compile all the materials, including researching, interviewing primary sources and so on did not take a full year, a new assignment as an author for The Digital Brand Marketing Blog took me away from the project for sometime during that year. In fact, this multi-author blog has made it to the semi-finals of the Social Media Examiner’s Top Ten Blogs 2012 competition.
But it was overdue to be completed, as hard as it was to write a Charrette Corporation fond farewell. It was like a long ‘good bye’ that no one wants to make when dear friends must part. But it had to be done. Essentially, I knew what the final article would be about, the store designed by architect, David Paul Helpern, a fellow student of Charrette Corporation founders, Lionel Spiro and Blair Brown, who all attended the Harvard Graduate School of Design. The store, located on Manhattan’s East side on Lexington Avenue in the East 30’s, was the Crowning Jewel of the Charrette NY retail side.
Although the commercial accounts handled by a sales force that covered much of the East Coast and into the Midwest were much larger than the retail side sales, the retail side was the face of the corporation. This gave Charrette the opportunity to show the world the ‘stuff it was made of’. As the tip of the iceberg, it glistened in the sun and shone like a well-polished gem. The flagship store was the ultimate representation of the Charrette brand.
It was a company whose name was synonymous with quality. The tools and supplies manufactured for and sold by Charrette had to be of the highest quality. The pedigree that resulted from employment at the company practically guaranteed future employment anywhere when the time came for someone to move on.
The Charrette corporate culture, philosophy and brand development was such that it is possible that other retail corporations fashioned their stores after Charrette. They were clean looking with simple straight lines, well designed, displaying everyday items as if they were high end designer merchandise.
The generosity of everyone was as real as the quality of the Charrette inventory. The Charrette culture had affected everyone who came in touch with it. The writing of this story took on a life of its own, a life that also had to be written in a way that gave credence to this corporate culture and all its glorious history.
So I wrote and wrote and wrote. When would it end? How would it end? Numerous months’ hiatus from the writing became awkward and the pressure to finish overcame the same lingering feeling of not wanting to say good-bye. But at the same time, it was clear that the final tribute had to be made and how to do it.
That is where The Charrette NY Crowning Jewel came into the picture. It was a store that was written up in two nationally respected professional magazines, Interiors (February 1982) and Visual Merchandising (June 1982), had a grand, grand opening and one that was built to design specifications. It was glorious. Everything about it and in it was a designer’s dream. In addition, the place, their products, and award winning packaging designs were featured in two nationally renowned design magazines, Communication Arts (March/April 1982) and Print (May/June 1982).
And then, in spite of the attempts to keep up with the times of transition from analog to digital design, it was time to let go. No more founders, some staff stayed, some staff went. The era that was the original Charrette was gone. The company was bought by a succession of other companies. It even became known by different names. But the culture and the philosophy could not be packaged, bought and sold.
Gone but Never Forgotten, A Charrette Trailer @ 2011 Christine Miller, former Charrette employeeHow It Ended
So it was time to say good-bye, for all of us, the founders, the staff, the customers and even this author of a series of articles that became the Charrette NY Chronicle that took a year to write. It is all over. But much will live on in the minds and memories of those whose lives were touched by the experience of their involvement.
There is a Charrette Alumni Group on Linkedin. I am the only civilian to have the honor of belonging. There is also an Internet photo archive on flickr. Finally and in some small way, it is my sincere hope that the Charrette Chronicle will be part of this legacy. It is dedicated to all the wonderful people who let me into their lives and shared their stories so that I could write a series in honor of them and their Charrette experience. Thank you all. I wish you a fond farewell. You shall never be forgotten, Charrette Corporation.
This post, Blogging about my Pinterest Passion, was inspired by and is the result of a questionnaire presented to bloggers, event planners, photographers, social media experts and other professionals by a freelance writer seeking input and opinions on Pinterest etiquette. It was originally written in April of 2012.
Pinterest research and blog posts:
I have done a substantial amount of research on Pinterest, have written several posts about it to date, and am a pinner myself. I have an extensive list of sources and resources that you may find additionally helpful for your project. You can view my Saturday articles as well as the source and resources lists, on Digital Brand Marketing posted on 3.17.12, 3.24.12, and 3.31.12.
Pinterest Bio:
As a blogger and visual artist myself, I was immediately drawn to this relatively new platform with the naive assumption that it would be like scrapbooking but on virtual boards, no cutting out from magazines, no glue and no trips to the crafts store and no in-depth knowledge of social media. After the beginning of an ongoing and thorough investigation about Pinterest and its inner workings, I have come to some very different conclusions and considerable legal concerns.
4 Boards from my Pinterest.com/AlisonsArt account. Each image is credited on the board itself.
To answer your questions:
Q1. What bothers you about the way that people pin you work, photographs or ideas?
A1. What bothers me most is not that other people are pinning or repinning my work, photographs or ideas. What really concerns me is that it is very difficult for people to obtain clear guidelines on know how to pin properly, at all.
The reason for this is due to the fundamental lack of understanding about how Pinterest actually works. It may
appear to be an innocent, hobby like activity but it is just as complicated and intricate as any other social media
platform, if not more so. Transparency is the key. In my opinion, the founders of Pinterest were not clear in their ‘Terms of Services’ when they wrote them. There is considerable concern within the ‘investigative blogging
community’ about the current updates not really being sufficient to create the needed transparency to make this
platform user friendly.
4 Boards from my Pinterest.com/AlisonsArt account. Each image is credited on the board itself.
Q2. What would you encourage Pinterest users to do before they pin something?
A2. I encourage pinners to learn how to pin properly. How can they do this? Research, research, research.
I know that this will seem like an ordeal for pinners to do this but I can simplify this by sharing the work I have done. Since the original and revised ‘Terms of Service’ are so heavily laden with legal language, I strongly suggest that anyone who wants to pin read the set of posts by A.F.MarCom. Angelique and Friends turn inscrutable legal language into pedestrian terms in:
4 Boards from my Pinterest.com/AlisonsArt account. Each image is credited on the board itself.
Q3. What kind of content is unacceptable for users to pin?
A3. This is a direct quote from the Pinterest website’s Pin Etiquette page and then my comment:
Report Objectionable Content “We do not allow nudity, hateful content, or content that encourages people to hurt themselves. If you find content that violates our Terms of Service or Acceptable Use Policy you can submit the content for review by pushing the ‘Report Content’ link.”
The first sentence of this quote is very clear and requires no further explanation or research. But in the second sentence, we run into the same legal issues discussed about the ‘Terms of Services’ and ‘Acceptable Use Policy’ in Q2.
4 Boards from my Pinterest.com/AlisonsArt account. Each image is credited on the board itself.
Q4. In terms of giving credit where credit is due, what advice would you lend to people using Pinterest?
A4. To quote from the Pinterest website and then add my own comment:
Credit Your Sources
“Pins are the most useful when they have links back to the original source. If you notice that a pin is not sourced correctly, leave a comment so the original pinner can update the source. Finding the original source is always preferable to a secondary source such as Image Search or a blog entry.”
Also, there is a difference between crediting the person whose content is in a pinned image and the source of the image itself. Which one is the proper credit?
Here is a fantastic blog that explains how to get the proper credit:
If this very clever search method still leaves you empty handed, do not use the image. There are millions of other images to choose from, both your own original ones and those of fellow pinners.
So always follow these ‘suggestions’:
• check that your source is correct
• ask direct permission if possible or when necessary
• if both fail, find another image
If you do not follow the above to the ‘letter of the law’, I believe that you can leave yourself open to possible legal problems related to copyright infringement.
Pinterest is a platform that has qualities and issues that I am very passionate about. I hope my answers are helpful. I would be delighted to discuss this topic further with anyone who has thoughts, suggestions, ideas, or disagreements.
On my gifts wish list for the 2011 holiday season, I had included an oilcloth backpack. Keep in mind, I had no idea if such a thing existed but I had decided that I wanted one. Since I knew about oilcloth and had other items made from it, I decided that a backpack must be available, too. Thanks to the power of the Internet and search engines such as Google, it took me simply a matter of minutes to locate a dreamy, pink patterned oilcloth backpack from a company in Georgia.
The pink with blue floral oilcloth backpack. Photo Mary Jane Bags website.
Besides it being a mouthful to describe, this bag embodied several of my favorite design elements. First, was the color pink; next was the pretty blue floral pattern on it. And last but essential, of course, was that it was made of oilcloth. I have had a love affair with oilcloth ever since a dear friend of mine introduced me to it when she gave me some sample pieces about 20 years or so ago. I immediately realized where they had come from since the name of the company, Oilcloth International, was stamped on the back of each sample piece. I wasted no time in contacting the company to order more since the sample pieces were only about a foot square each.
When I contacted the owner, Cardie Molina, I found out that Oilcloth International is not a retailer but a wholesale importer of the product. Oilcloth is no longer made in the US but in Mexico. Although Oilcloth International is not a retailer, Cardie kindly agreed to send me some yardage of a few different designs. I was in oilcloth heaven.
A delicious array of oilcloth colors and patterns as well as items that I have both bought or made myself using oilcloth.
Over the years, I used the cloth to line shelves, cover footstools, decorate pocketbooks, and have great fun playing with my various colors and patterns of cloth. I also purchased some oilcloth items that included a purple book bag and a large red tablecloth.
It was not until I decided that I could not live without an oilcloth backpack that I really started thinking much about oilcloth again. Once I started doing research on the Internet and discovered the number of companies that either sell products made from it or sell the oilcloth itself (whether it is retail or wholesale) that I became both enthusiastic and very curious about its history.
According to this link, History of Oil Cloth Tablecloths, on the website, lovetoknow.com, “Oil cloths were first created for use on the floors of eighteenth century English homes as rugs. They were also used as coverings for leaky roofs. Artisans stretched sheets of linen cloth on a frame and through a sizing process the cloth was prepared to be painted. This was the point where the oilcloths came to life and were transformed. Various designs evolved as artisans experimented with this new utilitarian artform. After the design was painted onto the cloth, it was sealed with coats of linseed oil.
“This artform traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to America, where it was used to grace the floors of Colonial homes. Eventually, as the textile industry grew, the floorcloths were replaced with yarn rugs and the oilcloths eventually found their way onto tables.” The article continues with ‘Modern Oil Cloth’.
“While the traditional linseed oil cloth is no longer produced, the modern versions are just as serviceable, and in most cases, the tablecloth is a better quality product. Today’s oilcloth is made out of vinyl that is printed with various colorful designs. The vinyl is then adhered to a cotton mesh backing to give it support and form. Some of the backings used are flannel cotton, very similar to the kind used on vintage tablecloths. Some fabrics use PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) for the top side of the fabric and a mixture of polyester and cotton mesh for the backing.”
Oilcloth was made in the US from early colonial times into at least the middle of the 20th century. All that remains of its making are a few references. These were provided by Carlie Molina. According to the book, Jamestown Colony to the Revolution, 1607 to 1775, there is an old oilcloth in the collection of the Mercer Museum, affiliated with the Bucks County Historical Society in Doylestown, PA. No picture of an oilcloth could be found of it but may other fascinating domestic colonial items are on permanent exhibit.
The Columbus Coated Fabric Corporation Catalog from the homepage of Oilcloth International
The more recent references are the Columbus Coated Fabric Corporation, the definitive domestic source for oilcloth up until at least the middle of the 20th century. The two references to that company are some cast iron fabric cutting machines on encyclopedic sites like worthpedia and etsy as well as the cover of their catalog which Oilcloth International uses on their website home page.
Today, oilcloth is made in Mexico. It is still durable, waterproof and comes in a myriad of irresistible colors and patterns. There are also still companies back across the Atlantic in England and France, where one can purchase all kinds of items that are as hard to resist as the cloth itself.
To get back to my backpack, I ordered it in early December so I was surprised as Christmas approached that it did not appear. Actually, I started to hope that it would not arrive since I had decided that I no longer wanted pink with a blue floral pattern (at least not until the summer) and that something more subdued, like a black and white design, would be better for winter wear.
By the time Christmas weekend came, there still was no backpack. So the day after Christmas, I called the company inquiring what had become of my much wished for gift. I left a message alerting them that if it had not already gone out, that I wanted to change my backpack order.
On Monday, I got a call from Suzanne Coffey, the owner of Mary Jane Bags, apologizing profusely. She told me that they had run out of the pink pattern fabric temporarily. Every time she looked at my order, she said that she felt so guilty that my holiday had been ruined because my gift did not arrive on time.
My black and white gingham backpack with polka dot straps and inside. Click on the link below to order one just like it.
I told her that the situation turned out to be quite the opposite. I had decided after I had placed my order that I wanted a different pattern. Actually, ‘it was meant to be’ that there had been a delay. Had the pink bag come, I would either have had to return it for a winter wear pattern or held onto the pink one until the summer and also ordered another one I could use now. When my bag arrived, it was perfect. It is black and white gingham on the outside and white with black polka dots on the inside. In addition, Suzanne had included a matching cosmetics case as a gift for me. Needless to say, I was and am thrilled. I wear my holiday dream gift just about everyday.
From a simple oilcloth backpack order came a story filled with its history as well as color and detail to delight anyone who has a liking for oilcloth even a fraction as much as I do. In fact, here is an Amazon.com direct link to purchase the very same bag that I got. I am sure you will love it, too.
Being truly poor was something I had no idea about before I put the pieces together for this blog post. Living in fear of not having enough to eat is not poverty. It is a poor middle class fear. On the other hand, having to go without food is truly poverty. What the family in this story goes through is completely alien to me. I am simply part of a growing US phenomenon, the Poor Middle Class. By the standards of the people in this story, I am very rich.
This prize winning video, Reel Time: Bone Dry: Winner of 2013 Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award
(Produced by GMA Network, Philippines) is a Philippine documentary on child malnutrition as well as the shocking living conditions of the truly poor.
To quote the YouTube.com description, “This documentary tells the story of Mary Rose, a girl from a very poor family living in a slum. Although Mary is 10, her height and weight are comparable to that of a 5-year old child. She lives with her five siblings, who have all been diagnosed as severely malnourished. Mary’s mother, Vina, earns less than a half a US dollar a day, and has to single-handedly provide for her six children.”
Mary Rose is small and underweight for her age due to malnutrition. But she is big in spirit, insightful and strong with determination. She has two dreams in life, to get an education, she wants to be a doctor, and to eat chicken meat. Imagine never having tasted more than the broth from a chicken but not the meat. Think about going to school without having eaten and falling asleep in class. In addition, Vina, Mary Rose’s mother does not waste money to buy soap because that takes money away from buying food for her children. Imagine any of these and watch this deeply stirring video. Then you will know in your heart, and feel in the pit of your stomach, what it must be like to be truly poor.
Are you part of the Middle Class Poor? We are. How did it happen? What are we doing about it? These are the two questions I will answer in this blog post.
Randi Shubin Dresner, President and CEO of Island HarvestI’d like to make a few points about being Middle Class Poor. We are not alone. The problem is increasing. The government plans to have less involvement in helping to solve this problem. For example, as illustrated in her article, Hunger is all around us, yet it doesn’t have to be, Randi Shubin Dresner, President and CEO of Island Harvest explains what is going on. Her post starts with the following statement, “The recent vote by Congress to cut $40 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — the food stamp program known as SNAP — over the next 10 years is alarming. If these cuts become law, those who are already struggling to afford food will be thrust into further hardship, increasing hunger across America and right here on Long Island.”
Because the problem is increasing and the government will have less to do with solving it, we will have to find alternative resources to solve it ourselves. That is a big part of the reason for the title of this post and the creation of a Facebook group, Resources for the Middle Class Poor. There are many private donors and nonprofit resources, like the Island Harvest Food Bank that are currently helping people. Island Harvest website
Right now, I would like to go back to the question, how did it happen? For us, the answer is simple, ‘2008’. In the same week, my husband was laid off from his job and the stock market crashed. The fallout from that led to my own crash, physically and emotionally. I was hospitalized and became unable to work. Our lives have changed dramatically in the last five years. We had savings, we had security and we thought we had stability. The rug was completely pulled out from under us. We went from being middle class to being middle class poor.
The upside of having our lives turned upside down is that our new lives have brought us extraordinary challenges and opportunities that we never imagined experiencing. Sometimes it has been terrifying. But the more we go through, the more miracles we have received and the stronger we become. Our fear has been replaced with faith. We are inspired to pass on to others what we are learning as we help ourselves navigate our new path as part of the Middle Class Poor.
For more resource information, refer to my facebook page and group shown below.
‘The Middle Class Poor’ facebook page
‘Resources for the Middle Class Poor’ facebook group
My husband volunteers working with others and is actually studying to become credentialed in a helping field. I have gone completely wild applying my years of social media marketing studies to using social media as a communication tool for this serious, real life issue. I have created numerous facebook pages including, The Middle Class Poor and the companion group, Resources for the Middle Class Poor. As we help ourselves to grow into our new state of existence, we are working to help others who are in situations similar to ours. Together we will change the world. It may only be our world. But as Ghandi is credited with saying, ‘Be the change in the world you want to see’.
Forgotten treasure abound in our consumer based culture. Do you know what forgotten treasures are? Have you ever watched the PBS show, ‘Antiques Roadshow’? If you have, you will know that the difference between a forgotten treasure, and what is not, can be a very fine line.
Here are some questions to ask and actions to take to determine what you have, a forgotten treasure, a collectible, an antique or just a piece of furniture.
• The first thing to do is to observe what kind of condition the item is in. Is it vintage (perfect) or is it in a degree of less than perfect. That will determine what its intrinsic value is. If something is vintage, it is best to keep it as is, not do anything to it other than gently clean it, keep it or try to sell it.
If a piece is obviously damaged, then one wants to find out if it is an antique or a collectible. That involves research either online, in books or in-person. An antique is something over 75 years old. A collectible is less than that but at least 50 years old.
There was an old Queen Anne dresser on ‘Antiques Roadshow’ once that seemed to need a repainting. So the owner repainted it. But because it was an antique several hundred years old, its value was diminished significantly by the facelift. So one must be diligent in the research stage.
• The second thing to do is to look for any identifying markings. The stamp under the seat portion in the featured image of our stool reveals its origin. This piece of furniture was made by the Burke Division of the Brunswick Corporation.
I also found the above chairs on a facebook page, Retro Luxe Home that specializes in retro furniture. This manufacturer’s work clearly had some collectible value.
But in the case of the stool in this story, the damaged condition of the seat part made it far from vintage. That was the sign that it could be given a new life and reincarnated. I chose not to restore it as another artisan, Shaun Guinan of Reworks Vintage, Pittsfield, MA had done with his table and chairs. I chose to reincarnate it with my own decorative flair, instead. Here is the stool, before and after.
I want to thank my dear friend, Michelle for lending me this stool to demonstrate one of Alison*s Heirloom Projects.
So don’t forget. The next time you come across forgotten treasures, don’t pass them by. They may be old friends that just need some TLC and a new life. If you are not sure how to do it, you can refer to, ‘The 5-Step Decorative Painting Process’ on YouTube.
Developing food growing and selling trends are resulting in some fascinating, untraditional farming and distribution activities. These movements are making food more available and more affordable.
GROWING Eat the City: The Art of Urban Farming reintroduces farming into the city is a truly unique way. The ‘truck farm bed’ feature photo is a creative example of this idea. Urban farming, other types of local farming and local farmers markets have created a new class of eaters, locavores. Deciding between organic or locally grown food. Photo Credit: Flickr Corey TempletonThey believe that eating locally grown food is the best way to go for several reasons. This food tastes the bests. Food can be freshest when eaten. There is a huge savings in transportion and distribution costs. It has even been said that locally grown food can be just as beneficial as organic food. In a variety of situations, each has advantages.
SELLING
A novel idea in a weekend only, makeshift outlet supermarket in the Netherlands has caught on like wild fire. Nearly ‘expired’ packaged foods are sold at a huge discount. One often sees this on certain perishable items in US supermarkets. But in the case of this ‘past its prime’ concept, the entire store is filled with these items.Willem Jan Stamm, the owner of Outlet Stam in Schagen,The Netherlands. Photo credit: Christopher F. Schuetze
A recently discovered facebook page shines a light on a new way of selling and distributing food. It is reminiscent of the food co-op. It is called WholeShare. According to their facebook page, “Wholeshare is a website that helps you get access to good quality, affordable local food by organizing group purchases. www.wholeshare.com”.Wholeshare, the facebook page Another fascinating concept is something called, Pay It Forward. It is practiced by a restaurant called Karma Kitchen. The staff are volunteers. The customers pay whatever they want. In other words, they pay the bill for the next group of people who come to eat. They ‘Pay It Forward’.
Karma Kitchen practices, ‘Pay It Forward’. Photo credit: www.goprojectfilms.com
CONCLUSION
Due to personal choice, as a political statement about food waste, or out of necessity, some people have taken to off the beaten path to obtain food. These include food foraging, dumpster diving, food banks, food kitchens and food stamps and bread lines. However one acquires one’s food, it is important to be conscious of the the choices we can make. Some people in this country do go hungry. The options discussed here are intended to help everyone find resources to have enough to eat.
Continue to read other posts about ART | FOOD | HEALING on Alison*s Art Online Magazines from RebelMouse and paper.li, a feature of Alison*s Blog.
