Blog
Creating New Out of Old: Get to know these One of a Kind Makers
10 . 18 . 2019
Isn't it great when you can take obsolete items from the past and repurpose them into something completely new and original in form and function? These One of a Kind makers, all new to the show, do just that. We asked them some questions to get to know them a little better before we meet them in person in December.
Montreal duo Anne Lapierre and Bruno Chouinard of Boites De La Paix turn authentic wooden US Army ammunition boxes from the '70s into astonishing mini bars and wine racks.
Tell us a little about your work?
Bruno/Anne: We pay tribute to the forests by repurposing old ammunition boxes and reinventing them into vibrant design objects for the home. Our unique collection pieces are offered in limited edition. We smell the perfume of the trees, we breathe new life to the wood and we know we are making work that becomes a conversation piece.
Why is making things important to you?
Bruno/Anne: It's zen. It relays to real life, to authenticity. It's a passage of energy from the material through our hands to the user's sensibility.
Apart from Boites De La Paix, what do you do?
Bruno: I am a film director and producer. I have directed and produced documentary art films screened at numerous international film festivals.
Anne: I am an actress and puppeteer. I mostly play in indie movies and create my own solo shows and performances. I love the energy of live art.
Vortic Watch Company's RT Cluster salvages and restores American pocket watches and turns them into one of a kind wristwatches.
What are you bringing to the show?
RT: One of a kind wristwatches built using 100-year old, unique pocket watch faces, hands, and mechanisms.
What inspired you to do what you do?
RT: I found out that most pocket watches today are scrapped for the gold or silver of their cases by pawn shops, and the mechanisms are thrown away. I thought that was a shame and these pieces of American history deserved a new home.
What does handmade mean to you?
RT: We like to say "America wasn't assembled, it was built." I think the difference between assembled and built is really what handmade means to me. We build each watch one at a time, and every one is so different. This means there's no assembly line, no mass production, and each customer gets something truly unique. That's handmade--that's artisan craftsmanship.
Kendall Valerio of Sadie & June hand embroiders and frames vintage maps as a reminder of the places, people, and adventures one holds dear.
Why did you decide to create your art?
Kendall: For my first anniversary, I decided to make my husband, Steve, a gift as our budget was quite tight. I came up with the heart map as I wanted to highlight all of the places that were special to us for our "paper anniversary." I taught my self to stitch! Once other people took to the idea, I turned it into a full-time job.
Where does your inspiration come from?
Kendall: I'm constantly inspired by travel, places I've been and places I dream of going. I'm also inspired by beautiful love stories that I hear from my customers when they purchase a heart map.
What does handmade mean to you?
Kendall: Handmade means pouring your dreams, ideas, and hard work into creating things you love - and sometimes going out on a limb to see if other people love it, too.
Meet these artists in December and many more who are able to breathe fresh new life into objects from our past.