specks and keepings showcases baltimore artists

Specks and Keepings is featuring a new collection of Baltimore-born handmade objects. Artists Natalie Ebaugh, Jessica Hans, and David Ubias have joined the ranks of this most whimsical online shop - all under the auspices of crafter extraordinaire, Hillery Sproatt. Stay in the loop by signing up for the Specks and Keepings mailing list or send an email to info@specksandkeepings.com to make an appointment for a studio tour.

All images courtesy of Specks and Keepings.

a few of my favorite things: photo art

These exquisitely crafted pieces by Lauren Beacham of jerseymaids might be described as dreams within a dream. Each object is made using analog film, which is what gives them their ethereal quality. What a precious way to capture a memory.

Lauren, who was once the director of McGuire Fine Arts Gallery in Frederick, is now a full-time, self-employed Etsy seller. Read more about her in Quit Your Day Job.

All images courtesy of Lauren Beacham.

featured crafter: sarah templin {radica textiles}

Tell us a little about your background and what inspired you to pursue textile design.

I started working with textiles way back in the day when, like many other high school girls, I experimented with altering thrift store clothes. That little taste of what textiles can do was enough to get me hooked on the sculptural possibilities that fabric lends: I started making a lot of clothes and sculptures out of fabric in college and for years afterwards. Ultimately, the allure of making the fabrics themselves won out over making things out of fabrics.

What materials do you prefer to use and why?

I learned how to screen print repeat designs on textile yardage, which is a slightly different technique that screen printing posters and t-shirts. You need to have a very long padded table to which your fabric is pinned. The screens are especially large and usually require two people who stand across the printing table from each other, passing the squeegee across the screen to each other in order to "pull the print." Every other spot is printed all the way down the table. When that ink is dry, you go back and fill in the blanks. The same process is repeated for each color of a design.

What is your process like?

When I design a new print, I most often work in the sunny third floor studio space of my row home with a brush and India ink or with a pen to create a drawing or motif. I then scan the image and manipulate it into a “repeat” form on my computer, meaning a textile motif that seems to repeat seamlessly along the yardage to create a uniform pattern.

What does Baltimore City offer that is particularly appealing to you as a working artist?

Baltimore is such a good city for people who like to forge their own way. Between the tight knit creative community, the affordable cost of living, and overwhelmingly supportive general population, I can’t believe my luck that I somewhat randomly moved here.

Visit Radica Textiles to learn more about products, custom orders, textile-related projects or for other general information.