Pittsburgh Dish

The young and the crafty

Reporter Alice Marks explores Pittsburgh's growing indie craft scene

Okay, so maybe you don’t care whether so-and-so is sporting a real Coach purse or a fake. And maybe you don’t care because, regardless of its authenticity, everyone has some version of the overrated handbag which, though undeniably sturdy, has built its business on addicted shoppers that swap it out so frequently, it need not last more than a couple of weeks anyway.

So if Coach bags by the thousands don’t excite you, and flattering sweatpants with unflattering words (i.e., ‘Princess,’ ‘Hottie’ or ‘Abercrombie’) printed on the butt actually offend you, then maybe you are, in reality, an ‘I Made It!’ shopper.

I Made It! is Pittsburgh’s local version of the Handmade Arcade, a vagabond craft fair traveling from one unexpected part of the city to the next. But these crafts, and their crafters, have nothing to do with popsicle sticks and painted berries. Or maybe they do. That’s the appeal with browsing tables at an I Made It! show … you never know what you’re going to find. But rest assured, you won’t find it anywhere else.

To the frustrated consumer, fed up with cookie-cutter stores and overwrought trends, I Made It! is a sea of unique, handmade goods, offering individuality at a fair price. To the local crafters, it’s an opportunity to share their art in a creative, receptive environment.

When I Made It! opened its doors to holiday shoppers at the Homestead Owls Club and the Steel Valley Arts Council on December 8, variety did not disappoint. Scattering the tables was everything from mosaic tile ashtrays and reconstructed frames to vintage handbags and knitted scarves. Each vendor had their own distinct style. Even the jewelry, which seemed to be a popular item, dressed itself in a wide array of natural stones, semi-precious gems, brightly-colored glass beads, silver and more.

Zora Hoch, local jewelry artisan, specializes in semi-precious gems and sterling silver. Her interest in jewelry-making began several years ago, originating in broken necklaces, amber beads and eBay. After educating herself on the various types of stones and reading books like ‘Beading for Dummies,’ Hoch soon found herself with a rather large jewelry collection. Wisely, she decided to start selling.

"I use the beads like paint,” says Hoch. “There are so many different colors and textures, it allows me to really be creative with it.”

Hoch first learned of I Made It! from an article in the paper and was eager for the opportunity to share her work. “There’s a different variety of crafters here than other craft shows I’ve been to,” said Hoch, referring to her fellow I Made It! exhibitors. “A lot of younger people.”

As one of the younger crafters, Anna Montano, founder of Pin-Up Girl Designs, also appreciates the diversity of I Made It! “There are new people coming in to every show,” she says.

Montano is a self-taught sewer, having developed a fondness for shoes and handbags at a young age. “Eventually, I got a sewing machine and started tinkering around.” Her current product line consists primarily of vintage-inspired jewelry and handbags.

“I love vintage. I used to be a vintage store junkie,” confesses Montano. But her purses, which are also sold at ‘Bling It On’ in the Southside, are an interesting mix of old and new. “I make it a little more modern. My stuff is super bright and fun, really girly and frilly.”

Montano is a self-declared artist, spending hours each day after work experimenting with different fabrics. During the day she works with autistic kids, which is why ten percent of Montano’s proceeds go to Autism Speaks, the world’s largest autism advocacy organization.

With a trend that seems to be growing, I Made It! allows crafters to bring their trade from a virtual marketplace to a live one. Internet sites such as MySpace and Esty are flooded with local artists, and the network is rapidly expanding. But craft fairs provide a more tangible outlet for vendors to sell their handiwork.

“It’s a great way to meet a lot of other crafters, trade tips, and offer your own ideas and insights,” says Montano. “Hopefully, we’ll inspire others who want to get involved.”

Christopher Tracey recently joined the crew, selling reclaimed and reconstructed picture frames under the brand name ‘Pancake Drawer.’

“I saw a flier somewhere, went to the craft show and thought it was interesting,” says Tracey of his introduction to I Made It! “I wanted to get my act together and sell my stuff in a more formal setting.”

Ecologist by day, crafter by night, Tracey’s love of the environment manifests itself in his recycled artwork. In fact, the idea to create something new from scrap wood first occurred to him while remodeling his kitchen.

But Tracey’s wares extend beyond frames. He also drew attention at the craft show for his license plate flowers … which are exactly as their name suggests. Using reclaimed license plates, Tracey manages to capture the look of a flower on a long, thin wooden stem.

Of course, I Made It! is not only beneficial to artists like Montano, Hoch and Tracey, and the people who purchase their crafts, but also to the neighborhoods whose local venues house those crafts. I Made It! has traveled to underdeveloped neighborhoods like Braddock and Homestead, reminding locals that there’s more to their hometown than the Steel Mill and the Waterfront.

“We go to a different community every few months,” said Montano. “People are starting to hear about it.”

Many of these and other Pittsburgh crafters, as well as information about upcoming markets can be found on I Made It!'s myspace page linked above.

Also check out Pittsburgh Craft Mafia

Pittsburgh Neighborhood Narratives

Documenting Pittsburgh, non-documentary style

by Alice Marks

Pittsburgh. Free association might leave us with steel, smog, sports, college, yellow bridges and a brief encounter with the nickname "shitsburg" (dubbed so by one of Hollywood’s finest). But for those who have ever made the commute from Braddock Hills to downtown, strategically avoiding route 376 and her faithful band of fluorescent-vested friends, Pittsburgh recalls much more than the industrial revolution and Iron City beer.

Why? Because Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods are as contrasting as they are charming. From the Victorian elegance of Shadyside to the historical intrigue of Wilkinsburg, towns close in proximity belie distinctly different personalities. And while those outside of the ‘burgh may not yet realize its full potential as a mélange of architecture, culture and history, (and those who have lived here their whole life may unknowingly take it for granted), local filmmakers Kristen Shaeffer and Andrew Halasz (pictured) are well aware of the city’s charm.

Inspired by the film ‘Paris Je’taime,’ Schaeffer and Halasz sought a similar way to celebrate the diverse neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, weaving what Halasz refers to as "a fictional fabric that represents our city as a whole."

Their venture is called Pittsburgh Neighborhood Narratives and, much like its Parisian muse, summons the creative genius of several aspiring filmmakers. Ultimately, Neighborhood Narratives will be a series of short films portraying the experience, character and stories of the neighborhoods collectively referred to as "the‘burgh."

So as Pittsburgh gets ready to celebrate its 250th birthday, Halasz and Shaeffer invite local filmmakers to submit story treatments highlighting one of the city’s unique neighborhoods. An advisory panel (comprised of notables from the Pittsburgh film community) will then select the stories that best capture the spirit of their respective setting.

"We want people to know what it feels like to live in one of these communities," said Shaeffer.

A handful of candidates will be engaged to write a script and begin production, leaving their 10-minute mark on what promises to be a fascinating portrait of Pittsburgh. But the best part is that while these filmmakers are immortalizing their hometown (or at least a town they spent some portion of their life in) and adding another bullet point to the old resume, artistic vision need not surrender itself to homogeny.

As a filmmaker, media artist and instructor at Chatham University, Shaeffer has found that "a narrative is much more interesting when it pulls from a diversity of voices." She and Halasz had originally toyed with the idea of producing all the material themselves, but, in the end, decided against it. "… not only for the integrity of the project," laughs Halasz, "but also for a more accurate portrayal of Pittsburgh." While the dynamic duo may end up contributing a short or two, the bulk of the project will be a collaborative effort among members of the Pittsburgh film community. Halasz and Shaeffer both agreed that in painting our fair city, the more perspectives, the better.

It is for this reason that the nominated filmmakers will be heavily involved in the production of their shorts. "We leave everything to the filmmakers," said Shaeffer. While her and Halasz will oversee the logistics of the project, participating filmmakers will exercise complete creative control, casting, directing and generally shaping the course of the film.

Like Shaeffer, Halasz is also a media artist and an instructor at Point Park University. Having only moved to Pittsburgh two years ago, he is amazed at how much the city has grown on him. "There really is a thriving cultural scene here," he says, a pointed compliment from someone who has spent time in both New York and Paris. With Neighborhood Narratives, Halasz and Schaeffer hope to draw attention to the eclectic, often overlooked, side of Pittsburgh.

And to ensure that no good story gets left behind, the deadline for submission has been extended to January 1, 2008. Pittsburgh Neighborhood Narratives has already piqued the interest of several local filmmakers and, if all goes well, Halasz and Shaeffer anticipate a completed film by early next fall. The screenings will ideally take place at venues in neighborhoods from which the stories originated.

"We’d like to make it something of an event," said Schaeffer. "This is a great way to connect educators, students and artists, not only with each other, but also with their local communities."