Vendor Profile #12: ALTR Soaps

ALTR creates hand-made bar soap with local, wildcrafted botanicals.  We seek to change popular soap culture by offering products that showcase only local plants, and, in this way, elevate the seemingly mundane task of washing oneself into a ritual reconnection to the land that sustains us all. 

All of the main botanical elements are wildcrafted by us from local wild areas and are then brewed into a nourishing infusion that acts as a base for each bar. 

Our soap is 100% natural, made with organic ingredients, palm oil free and vegan. We make each product with great care and hope that our soap will inspire people to take care of themselves and reincorporate the natural world back into their daily rituals. 

www.altrsoaps.com

Vendor Profile #11 : Little Love Birds

 Tell us about your creative work and what we can expect to see at Handmade Hamilton. 

I take vintage and thrifted fabrics and notions (buttons, trim etc) and turn them into timeless children’s goods. This year I will be bringing children’s coats made from classic wool blankets, holiday and cozy winter outfits made from reclaimed fabrics, and vintage inspired jumpers, pants and vests made from 100% wool suiting materials sourced from antique vendors and tailors. 

What does your creative process look like?

I spend a lot of time searching vintage/thrift stores and Etsy for vintage children’s patterns to get inspiration .  Then I let my fabric finds and the seasons dictate where I go from there. In the summer I had light floral dresses, bloomers and reversible rompers. For the fall I transformed vintage flannel and wool blankets into cozy bonnets, pants, and coats. Currently I’m creating holiday dresses with accents of vintage lace, and wool separates from a cache of suiting materials that were reclaimed from a tailor. I do all my sewing on industrial machines in my home studio while my 3 kids (aged 4.5, 2 and 2) are sleeping.

What inspires you to create the work that you do?

As a lover of all things vintage I’ve always been inspired by the well made, tailored pieces that stand the test of time. I want to create heirloom clothing that will be passed on to friends and family members for ages. By using reclaimed fabrics we can divert textile waste from landfills as well as reduce the heavy burden that creating new textiles have on the environment. 

What are some of your favourite podcasts or music to listen to when you create?

I find podcasts and most music too distracting to listen to while working, so I will often have Netflix playing in the background. Usually something that I’ve watched a million times, like The Office or Star Trek. 

What are your favourite books?

I’m a big fan of classic science fiction and fantasy novels like Dune, but since I have 3 small children at home I’m currently reading a lot of Dr. Seuss.

What are your favourite films?

I love campy classic movies and musicals. White Christmas and Meet Me in St. Louis are in heavy rotation right now!

Do you have a quote that keeps you going when you get discouraged?

My favourite quote is a lyric from Astrud Gilberto’s classic Samba hit Stay: “For time is running, take everything life can give you. You know it's there so take it, even fake it 'til it comes true.”

If you have any advice for any emerging artisans what would it be?

Soak up every piece of advice you can, don’t let your ego get in your own way, plan for your successes, and take your failures in stride.

www.littlelovebirds.ca

www.instagram.com/littlelovebirdsCA

www.facebook.com/littlelovebirdsCA

Vendor Profile #10: La Villa Goods

We are an ethical brand that aims to create positive social impact in El Salvador by partnering with artisans and connecting them to international markets through thoughtfully designed and curated hand-made goods, all produced under ethical standards. We are deeply involved in the production process of every piece that has been designed by our team.  

Our coconut collection includes earrings, bracelets, bangles, chokers, and necklaces, all made in partnership with Callotl Artisans, an environmental project that targets sea turtle conservation, responsible fishing and sustainable development. Thanks to Callotl, coastal communities in violence ridden areas have found new hope through work and commerce using local renewable resources that would otherwise go to waste. La Villa’s exclusive coconut collection is hand made in Costa del Sol, whose locals have limited fair employment opportunities.

Our textiles are hand-woven on traditional wooden foot looms by master artisans thus conserving cultural heritage and promoting productive activities in an at risk rural area. They include, scarves, kimonos, throws, blankets, tea-towels and placemats.  It is our goal to grow together with our partners in an on-going, fair manner.

https://www.lavillagoods.com

https://www.facebook.com/LaVillaGoods/

https://www.instagram.com/lavillagoods/

Vendor Profile #9: Laura K Watson

Tell us about your creative work and what we can expect to see at Handmade Hamilton. 

    I am a drawer, writer, embroiderer, and printmaker. At Handmade Hamilton, I’ll be selling cards, postcards, zines, paper dolls, and prints, made with digital printing as well as more traditional forms of printmaking like silkscreen. In my writing, drawings, and prints, I tend to focus on the minutia of my daily life, but I like to mix it with elements of folklore or magic.

What are some of your favourite podcasts or music to listen to when you create?

    If I’m struggling to get through a print run when I’m screen-printing, I like to put on Kate Bush’s album, The Dreaming. It has so much wild energy and I love picturing Kate Bush making that when she was so young with this incredible level of confidence.

What are your favourite books?

    I couldn’t choose just one or two so I made a list of ten.

1. We Have Always Lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson

2. Here - Wislawa Szymborska

3. Everything by Jane Austen

4. Everything by Kazuo Ishiguro

5. Tess of the D’Ubervilles - Thomas Hardy

6. The Gorgeous Nothings - Emily Dickinson (a beautiful collection of her handwritten poems on envelopes and scrap papers)

7. The Witch’s Handbook - Malcolm Bird (a children’s book from 1984 with no narrative or real information but amazing, amazing illustrations)

8. All the Harry Potter books

9. Everything illustrated by Arthur Rackham

10. The Colossus - Sylvia Plath

If you have any advice for any emerging artisans what would it be?

    I think that if you want to be able to make things as your full-time or part-time job, you need to treat it like a job. Keep a regular work schedule. Have a designated work space. Set deadlines for yourself. But I also think this has to be balanced with a certain level of flexibility that allows you to be creative. You don’t want to become a production line. You want to make things that are exciting to you. Sometimes this means getting an idea at midnight, working on it all night, and throwing off your whole schedule.

http://www.laurakwatson.com/

https://www.instagram.com/laura.k.watson/

Vendor Profile #7 : Eleanor Rosa Felt

Tell us about your creative work and what we can expect to see at Handmade Hamilton. 

We use a high quality wool blend felt and 100% felted products to create unique botanical felt flowers, felt succulents, and home decor.   We also have a line of fun and whimsical felted pet "rocks" called "Stone Softies" where we let our creativity and imagination run wild.

What does your creative process look like?

Suzanne loves to garden and is a self-professed plant nerd.  From this perspective, we try create botanically-correct plants in the medium of felt.  We have two daughters who provide a huge source of wild and crazy ideas for our Stone Softie friends.  The whole creative process is a family affair, and we all share a lot of laughs as our creations come "alive"

What inspires you to create the work that you do?

We are environmental scientists and this is an excellent outlet to allow our creative sides to flourish.  We love to see the joy that our products bring to the faces of so many people. 

What are some of your favourite podcasts or music to listen to when you create?

Suzanne is currently listening to a podcast called Serial by This American Life and Mike has A Charlie Brown Christmas by the Vince Guaraldi Trio on a constant loop.  We also love Ray LaMontagne, The War on Drugs, Tom Petty and George Michael.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/EleanorRosaFelt

https://www.facebook.com/EleanorRosaFelt/

https://www.instagram.com/eleanorrosafelt/

Vendor Profile #5: Curious Oddities

Born in a century-old log cabin in the wilds of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, surrounded by a community rich with artifacts of the early pioneers and settlers, I grew up with the heart of a dreamer and the spirit of an explorer. My intensely inquisitive nature led me to explore many different crafts and trades, absorbing new techniques and inspiration every step of the way.

Since 2008, I have spent my time travelling, collecting treasures and making delightful, fantastic jewelry.

 My work is heavily influenced by the designs of the Victorian, Arts & Crafts and Art Nouveau Eras, in which romance, whimsy and elegance were paired with fine workmanship, quality materials and exquisite detailing. I also draw inspiration from many literary sources including works by Jules Verne, Neil Gaiman, Edward Gorey and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I have always been deeply aware of the balance and beauty of the world around me. Through my work, I love to marry the natural with the mechanical, drawing unexpected beauty from the mundane.

With a rampant imagination, I seek to find a story in everything and seek to unveil the magic in all I touch. The Curious Oddities collection is an ever changing and eclectic mix of salvaged treasures, vintage finds, gemstones, Czech glass, enamel and new, premium quality, traditionally pressed, antiqued, inked or plated brass.

All of my Curious Oddities are lovingly crafted and curated by me in heart of Hamilton, Ontario Canada where I currently reside with my three rather eccentric calico cats.

Most of the pieces that I create are small run (usually less than 10) or one of a kind; there are a few designs of the pressed brass that are renewable and are a more permanent part of my collection.

http://curiousodditiesshop.com

https://www.facebook.com/CuriousOddities/

https://www.instagram.com/curiousodditiesshop/

Vendor Profile #3: Gordon Leverton - Artist

What does your creative process look like?

Because my subject matter largely consists of buildings and straight edges, I draw a grid onto the canvas with pencil and use a ruler to sketch out the drawing. I then block in the colour until i've covered most of the canvas - that way I can tell if the composition is working and whether I need to change certain colours. Then, i continue the long process of layering the paint until the painting is complete.

What inspires you to create the work that you do?

In my neighbourhood there are many alleys and laneways, which afford a unique view of people's houses. I love the angles of sunrooms, fences, back additions etc and how they co-exist with their surroundings. 

What are some of your favourite podcasts to listen to when you create?

Anything from sports radio (when i want my brain to turn off) to This American Life or Democracy Now. My current fave is I Don't Even Own a Television, which is a podcast about bad books. There's also a great WKRP podcast called 

Hold My Order Terrible Dresser, which is about so much more than the 70's TV show WKRP in Cincinatti and has an ex-Hamiltoian as co-host.

What are your favourite books?

I can't shut up about books and music. Besides the classics, I have to say that Angela Flournoy's The Turner House, HHhH by Laurent Binet and anything by Roberto Bolano are my current favourites. 

And music! Currently loving much of the African soul and disco re-issues coming out lately. Also a big spot in my heart for roots reggae. I DJ at the Lounge at Casbah on the last Wednesdays of the month and you'll find me behind the counter at Epic Books on Locke St!

Gordon Leverton's Website

https://www.facebook.com/GordonLeverton/

Instagram: @hamiltonartist

Twitter: @hamiltonartist

Vendor Profile #2 - Milo&Ben

Milo&Ben is a collection of my illustrated characters. While some are needle felted,  some are stuffed hand sewn animals. Needle felting is a time-consuming, labour intensive process that allows for a lot of detail bringing each doll to life. It is similar to sculpting in that you can create any shape you want.  Each animal is made carefully and with lots of love. 

Milo&Ben Shop

Instagram

Tell us about your work and what we can expect to see at this years Handmade Hamilton?

My work is primarily needle felted creations. All the animals are based on my illustrations. I am bringing my most popular Patrick penguins as well as my new line of felted mobiles and felt wreaths. 

What does your process look like?

My process involves sketching the animal until I’m happy with the way it looks. It must convey a certain personality so that the final piece comes to life.

Tell us some of your favourite things about Hamilton?

Hamilton is such a vibrant city! Always welcoming and supporting of small business and the handmade movement. Milo&Ben and Makeology have always felt welcomed and supported. 

Melissa is also the founder of Makeology, an excellent craft show that is happening on November 19th!  Be sure to check it out!

Makeology

Vendor Profile #1 : Bailiwick Studios

Bailiwick Studios

Tell us about your work and what we can expect to see at this years Handmade Hamilton?

I am a printmaker working with lino block and primarily in black and white. I’ve branched out this year to include small, unique home décor pieces. You can expect block printed holiday ornaments and cards, upcycled animal planters and a variety of original art prints.

What does your process look like?

My process is SO scattered these days because I am very busy chasing my 11 month old around! It’s difficult as a creative to only have these small windows of time to work on your art, but it is very important for me to be present when its family time so developing that balance has been very important. Printmaking, although takes time, can be a nice mindless activity sometimes! 

Tell us some of your favourite things about Hamilton? 

Hands downs, the sense of community. Not only amongst artists and makers, but between local business’s.  

Many makers listen to podcasts.  Do you? and what are some of your favourites?

I just recently started and love it! I listen to How I Built This, Revisionist Historyhttp://revisionisthistory.com (among others) but I am currently obsessed with Being Boss!  

INSTAGRAM - @bailiwick.studios 

FACEBOOK - facebook.com/thebailiwickstudios/

Vendor Profile #1: The Artful Dodger

Everyday until the show we will be featuring our diverse mix of artists who will be selling their art and craft at Handmade Hamilton on December 12.  Each profile will ask a few questions and will include links to their online and social media sites.  So click away and enjoy previewing our local talent - Lisa Pijuan-Nomura - Curator of Handmade Hamilton. 

The Artful Dodger

Tell us about your work and what we can expect to see at Handmade Hamilton. 

The Artful Dodger - I am a local maker, who produces handmade creations that draw direct inspiration from the natural world.  My work incorporates a variety of materials that are either recycled or sustainably harvested.  At Handmade Hamilton, you will find a beautiful array of fine silver, glass and Birch bark jewellery, and other one of a kind crafts. 

What does your creative process look like?

I have a diverse background, which influences my creative process.  I studied glass and ceramics in the School of Craft and Design at Sheridan College, but I also have experimented with photography, textiles, beadwork and needlecraft.  My recent work with precious metal clay (PMC) has allowed me to incorporate a wide range of techniques and skills from my past experiences into the creative process.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by my surroundings.  Whether walking through the Oak Savannah near my home in Hamilton, or along the red sands of an endless beach on a recent trip to PEI, I am drawn to the forms and textures of the natural materials that I gather and take inspiration from.

 The Artful Dodger on Etsy