As gift giving time grows closer, you will be mentally pummelled with aggressive marketing strategies seeking to uphold and expand what Mel Brooks has dubbed the “holiday collective unconscious”. I see little wooden snowmen appearing in LED rainbow window frames. I see Coca Cola Santa clones distributed throughout the city’s retail centres, miniature candy canes and photo-scam elves in hand.
I am ring ting ting-a-linged into buying “the gift of love”, “the gift of friendship”, “the gift of family”.You know what? This year, forget that stuff.Don’t buy into it. It sucks. I know this is pretty intense and negative for a time of year that is already filled with vitamin D deprivation.
Aren’t we all entitled to a little bit of holiday cheer?Of course!Of course we are, and that is why I am extending an alternative invitation to YOU to come see Lucky Jackson, live and in person, at the 2011 Focus Fair Indie Craft show.Lucky will be joined by 13 of our finest local artisans, each one having THE perfect gift for any of your loved ones (everything from hand sewn stuffed monsters to custom leather belts).
Buying local isn’t just sustainable, it’s classy for the new millennium.What’s better than giving “the gift of class”.And if you aren’t feeling all that classy, the venue serves beer!Merry Krampus! (look it up). I truly hope you all have a great holiday. Drink some cocoa.Have some hot tub to snowdrift parties.Give freely and receive with grace.But for Santa’s sake, don’t buy any crap.
Focus Fair regular Lucky Jackson makes art. She makes, amongst other things, beautiful embroidered collage featuring pop culture icons, from Pee-Wee to Cat woman.She cuts, draws, sews, paints…creates things that I really like looking at (and I bet you would too).She has sold thousands of prints and originals to international collectors over the last few years.
She is posting a new piece of art every day on her blog, 365 Lucky Days, which has weekly themes like “Girl, You Crack Me Up” (Tina Fey, Margaret Cho), and “Mugshot Week” (Bill Gates, Steve McQueen, Lindsay Lohan). The project has attracted widespread attention in the crafty bloagosphere, including the Nylon Magazine blog.
Jackson lives here in Peterborough with her husband and two daughters. She was gracious enough to share a few words with Arthur.
Arthur:You love embroidery hoops and bed sheets. Tell us why.
Lucky Jackson: My love of bed sheets comes from of love of vintage textiles. They just don’t make textiles as pretty anymore. Vintage bed sheets have a real nostalgic feel. People are always saying to me “I remember that fabric!” You make a connection with people just with the material.
Hoop Love? I just like the way they looked framed in the hoops. I used to take them out and stretch them on a rectangular frame but I was always disappointed in how they looked.
A: There is fear amongst young artists that to grow up and/or have kids would mean a loss of artistic drive due to time constraints/responsibilities. Explain to us why this is not true.
LJ: I have two girls who are 4 and 6 and I make more art now than before I had kids.When my first daughter was born I committed myself to becoming an artist. I wanted her to see that you could do something you really loved and make a living. You prioritize your time when you have kids. Every little pocket of time I have to make art I make it.
A: So many people have been integrated into your work. What is it about human beings that “gets you” aesthetically.
LJ: I just really like people. I am a bit reclusive at times and I think I just live vicariously through my art.
A: You’re a little more than a quarter through your yearlong project. Any ideas for what’s next?
LJ: I really like making something every day. I think I’ll miss it when I’m done. Ask me on day 365.
Focus Fair 2011 will be at the Spill (414 George St. N) Saturday December 10, 11-5pm and on the 11, 11-4pm. Find them on Facebook.
