"I" is for Interview with Garth Johnson author of 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse

First I want to tell you that the deadline for submitting to 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse has been extended to March 13th!!!!

And then below I have an "interview" I did with Garth. I did a whole bunch of interviews with authors that I just loved reading, I know you will too. So read on!

To date, Garth has collected the an outstanding and amazing assortment of upcycled, re-visioned artwork for this book ranging from small, clever personal accessories to restyled fashions to home goods to stunning art installations and interiors. We want to maintain the high caliber of work, so we are extending our submissions deadline to March 13th, 2009.

In particular, they are seeking more handmade, recycled works using PAPER—cards, stationery, prints, collages, and book arts, and we are also seeking more interiors and environments--but are still accepting work in all categories.

About the Book:
We are seeking submissions for 1000 Ideas for 
Creative Reuse, an upcoming book by Garth Johnson
of ExtremeCraft.com, which will feature 21st 
Century craft and design, all made with recycled, 
upcycled, repurposed and reused items. We are 
looking for the best examples of paper and book
arts, jewelry, clothing, home and personal accessories,
furniture, art, and miscellanea for possible publica-
tion. We invite designers, artists, visionaries and
crafters of all stripes to submit their work.

What is eligible:

All kinds of repurposed items are encouraged.

We are seeking inspiring, clever, surprising, humble, grand, beautiful, and/or fascinating submissions in the following areas:

Paper Craft– Consigning paper to the recycling bin is a shame. Do you make interesting things out of paper?

Art– Does your art involve clever reuse of materials in installation, sculpture, collage, painting or other media?

Jewelry and accessories– Our definition here is very broad—we’re looking for all kinds of personal 
adornment, handbags, belts, hats, etc.

Clothing– We’re seeking all kinds of clothing mash-ups, stitch-ups, and makeovers.

Fiber and fabric- How about renovated soft goods made from recycled or vintage linens, quilts, fabrics, 
fibers, sweaters, yarns, rugs?

Housewares and furnishings– We’re looking for repurposed furniture, ceramics, serving dishes, utensils
and miscellaneous home goods.

Houses, interiors, and environments– Is your living space made of reused materials? Have you made 
a visionary environment out of recycled materials?

GeekCraft and Mancraft– Do you make repurposed items with geek appeal? What about traditionally 
“manly” items such such as grills, antler furniture and armchair go-karts?

Unclassifiable– We are encouraging the submission of work that doesn’t fit into any of the above boxes.

What to Send:

High quality photography is essential to the success 
of your submission. Each photograph should convey 
the function of your design as clearly as possible. 
We are accepting digital submissions only, which 
may be sent on CD-ROM or uploaded. Email me at 
garth@extremecraft.com for uploading instructions.
There is no entry fee, and multiple submissions are
highly encouraged.

You must also fill out an entry form for each item 
submitted, and you will need to sign one Grant of
Rights form. Contributors will be credited on the 
page where the work appears, and they will appear 
in the artist directory. Contributors will also have 
the opportunity to purchase copies of the book 
at a 50% discount.

Disk Labeling:

If you are submitting a disk, please label your disk 
with the following information:
1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse
Your name
File name(s) (please use 8 characters or less)
File size in megabytes (MB)
Image size (inches or metric)
Color prints of your submissions are also helpful. 
Laser prints are preferred, but inkjet prints are 
acceptable. (Please include the same labeling as 
on the disk.)

Size and Format:

Submit your file(s) with the following specifications:
300 to 350 dpi resolution
Minimum size 4”x 5” (9” x12” preferred)
TIFF or JPG files only
PDFs and GIFs not accepted
Quarry cannot be responsible for additional color 
correction of digital files.

Shipping:
If you are submitting a CD-ROM, package all discs 
well for shipping. Please send submissions via USPS.

Where to send:

Craft Family
1006 2nd Street
Suite A
Eureka, CA 95501
714-642-1681
www.extremecraft.com

For more information: www.creativereusebook.com

The "Interview"

Garth: Here are some answers......they're more about the art I make, which I feel is kind of separate from Extreme Craft.  I try not to write too much about my own art on the site.  You can find some images of art I've made on Extreme Craft--there's a little sub page link on the right hand side.  You can also check out some new plates I did for a solo show at the Clay Studio in Philadelphia next month.  They're at www.drop.io/claystudio.  If it asks for a password, it's "garth".

1. What does your workspace/design space look like?

My wife and I live in a very cute little Victorian house with a view of Humboldt Bay. 

We're really fortunate to have a big studio with plenty of light.  I don't take advantage of it as much as I should.

2. Do you save your mistakes/or designs you don't love right away-or ditch them?

I just finished a porcelain plate that I've been struggling with for about six years!  I tend to put pieces aside that aren't working and let them marinate for a while.  That said, I've certainly smashed my share of things that sucked.

3. What's on your "next to try" list?

I've got some vague plans of incorporating electronics into my porcelain plates.  That'll probably take a while to work its way out.  I've also been working with decorating plates and making paintings with a paintball gun.  I've got plenty of paintball experiments I'd like to try.

5. Do you ever work with recycled materials?

I love to buy porcelain collector plates from eBay that I "rehabilitate" into fine art.

6. What music do you listen to when designing?

I've got a pretty full iPod, and my current favorites are the Portico Quartet, Buffy Sainte-Marie, The Cocteau Twins and classic jazz like Oliver Nelson and Pharoah Sanders.  I'm a huge NPR geek, though, and you'll probably find me listening to talk radio or podcasts like "The Sound of Young America".  My wife likes to listen to Dan Savage's "Savage Love" podcasts while she's working.  I'm always a little disturbed when I come into the room to hear somebody talking about rimjobs and cock rings.

7. How long does a design take you to create?

I've worked on paintball plates that take a nanosecond to make, and I've worked on tortured long projects that take months to complete.  I prefer to work quickly and spontaneously.

8. How do you organize your supplies?

I've got a huge Metro shelving unit filled with tubs of supplies.  I'm not that great about keeping them organized, though.

9. What books/magazines do you read?

I've always got my face in a book.  I read the Sunday New York Times every week, then save the magazine for bus rides and spare moments.  I love ArtForum, Art in America, Harpers, but above all, The Believer.  I've always got a pile of books I'm working through, too. I try to keep at least one fiction and one non-fiction book going at all times.

10. How would you describe your personal style?

Lapsed hipster.  I'm glad that I spent a lot of effort buying great thrift store clothing in my 20's, because now i can carelessly grab something comfortable from the closet.  I live in Eureka, California, where the vibe is usually sub-casual.  I'm trying valiantly not to lapse into all-out schlubbiness.

11. How do you determine what a design is going to be made with?

I've got a big pile of ceramic decals and lots and lots of old collector plates hanging around.  I'm constantly rooting through the raw materials to see what tickles my fancy.

12. Do you have a collection of anything?

I USED to collect lots of things.  I have a big record collection, and my wife and I have lots of art.  I collected a lot of Buddy Hackett memorabilia for a while.  Don't ask.

13. And the all important question (from Ravelry) what is your favorite swear word?  I'm a big fan of "d*ckknuckle" right now.

Garth Johnson - Craft Family, LLC
www.extremecraft.com
www.labsigns.com

So I hope you liked reading a bit about Garth. You know I am in an asking questions kind of zone here at Craftside, I leave it up to you to pick one of the above questions to answer today. And as a thanks for sharing you will be entered to win a free book! It will be interesting to see what question you all decide to answer.

Comments

[Janet]

Do you ever work with recycled materials?
Yes, in fact I submitted work for the 1000 ideas book. I enjoy the challenge as well as the green aspects. I have organized an art event of work made from recycled materials www.revision-theartofrecycling.com. It's amazing how artists find beautiful ways of reusing materials.

[Lynda Taylor]

Do you have a collection of anything?
I have a collection of Barbie dolls. I have new still in packages as well as old, over 40, dolls. I only ever buy what appeals to me at the time. I also have lots of nekid dolls that I plan to make outfits for.

[julie m]

Do you ever work with recycled materials?
I am always saving plastic and metal pieces and picking up stuff from parking lots, etc. It may take a while but I usually find a place for the stuff in a mache piece or collage.

[wendy m.]

What music do you listen to when designing (well, making art for me)?
Either Rice University radio (there's no telling what you might wind up hearing on that station) or Pandora on the internet. But there has to be music on while I'm working - no TV (too distracting) and silence is just, well, boring!
Love the book concept!

[BrendaLea]

11. How do you determine what a design is going to be made with?

First I get my general idea of what I want to create, then I grabs tons of items that relate to the subject. Much, much more than I need. Then I play with everything until I find something I like. The I have tons of stuff to put away...again.