In 2014 I was invited to participate in a group show, curated by Courtney Cerruti, The 36/36 Project. I think this picture above was the one featured on Uppercase Magazine, and my spoon is the upside down, grass green one.
This year Courtney and Alicia Dornadic (AdornDesign) are curating a matchbook themed art show. If I am understanding it correctly, this show is open to ANYONE who wants to participate. Submissions are being accepted until April 15th and pieces must be in their hands by May 3rd, 2015. Like the 36/36 Project, this show will be up at Paxton Gate Curiosities in San Fransisco.
I was really excited to hear about it, but was also hesitant to take on another project, as I have so many unfinished already on my plate. The sign up date was a while away, so I decided to take some time to think about it. And then BAM! In that short time, all of a sudden, I just started seeing vintage matchbooks. First at a pop up show my friend Courtney (of larking.etsy.com) was participating in. Then at my parents’ house. THEN while sorting my paper hoard I found a whole baggie full of beautiful vintage matchbooks that I had bought at a garage sale years ago, never knowing what I would use them for at the time. That was all it took, I figured these were the signs I was looking for and I signed up. But it hasn’t ended. Last week my SIL and I went to an estate sale and in the basement I found a mishmash box of unpriced items. Just in case there might be a treasure, I started rifling through it and pulled out a binder. It was a matchbook collectors folder, with slits in the pages to hold all your matchbook covers with several pages already filled. One, who knew such a thing even existed and two, how on earth did it come to me and three, now I have a place to store my baggie of beautiful matchbook covers.
I’m still trying to decide on what to do for my pieces. I’d really like to use some of my vintage matchbook covers (pictured above), but at the same time how do I make them into my own pieces of artwork without covering the already existing beautiful artwork on each one? I have some ideas and need to start playing!
Now, I’d really love to encourage everyone reading to participate as well! As Courtney said “The more the merrier.” More details and the submission page can be found here at ccerruti.com/strikeaway. AND if you are on instagram, check out the #StrikeAwayShow to see what types of things other people are working on and submitting.
