When I was a kid, 50 years ago now, Halloween was a fun but strange time.  I grew up in Brazil where All Saints Day was celebrated with visits to the cemeteries, but people did not dress up. There were about 20 American and Canadian missionary families in our city and we went to a…

The Goldin Institute has two projects, both aimed at training community organizers at effectively creating change by amplifying assets that are already found there.  The first project is in Chicago, where Goldin is based, largely dedicated to peace building.  The second one has a Global focus. Both have 20 Fellows who go through a curriculum…

Featured image:  Guerra de la Paz. Follow the Leader, 2009. Found patterned garments, wood, footwear and hardware, approx. 75 feet long by 7 feet tall. Courtesy of the artists and Chloe GIll-Holster Projects.   I have been making things since I was a kid, encouraged by a father who was also creative and who enjoyed using scrap…

Update Feb 2024:  I wrote this post in 2020 and we finally have action happening!  Artizan ReMade is a study group looking at our waste and brainstorming about how we can create systems that treat it as a valuable material.  Check it out!   Anybody paying any kind of attention has seen the images of…

Our Artizan Shops are vetted in based on the quality of their products along with their professional presentation. But, we also have a great interest in promoting products that have sustainability at the core of their creation. I have always felt somewhat of a disconnect between what I do and what I believe in. Basically,…

Update: This blog post was the first idea stage message that I got out there.  We are now officially called Artizan ReMade and my long term vision is now laid out here: https://www.artizanmade.com/artizan-remade-a-community-study-group/ Our Facebook Group has been growing rapidly and it's been really fun to see what people are making and what groups they…

When we think of handmade items, whether they were made recently or a long time ago, we can feel a connection with a person or a community who worked on those pieces, stitching, carving, turning on a wheel...  We understand that each piece is unique, comes with a story and that is something to be…

How does the color green make you feel? We all have our favorites and certain shades may evoke different emotions. When I was young, I hated the color green, at least for clothing and accessories. Later, I realized that it was probably a reaction to the avocado green craze of the 1970's. I still think…

I was thinking about the heart shape, wondering how it became the symbol for love. Clearly, the physical heart must have inspired poetry, ballads, and stories for thousands of years because of how it pounds in our chests when we think of the beloved, hold a child, face an enemy, take a risk or engage…