"A child said, What is the grass?"

A child said, What is the grass? fetching it to me with full
 hands;
How could I answer the child?. . . .I do not know what it
 is any more than he.

I guess it must be the flag of my disposition, out of hopeful
 green stuff woven.

Or I guess it is the handkerchief of the Lord,
A scented gift and remembrancer designedly dropped,
Bearing the owner's name someway in the corners, that we
 may see and remark, and say Whose?




Or I guess the grass is itself a child. . . .the produced babe
 of the vegetation.

Or I guess it is a uniform hieroglyphic,
And it means, Sprouting alike in broad zones and narrow
 zones,
Growing among black folks as among white,
Kanuck, Tuckahoe, Congressman, Cuff, I give them the 
same, I receive them the same.

And now it seems to me the beautiful uncut hair of graves.

~from Walt Whitman

KM Stitchery

An explosive mix of feminist imagery and history, ethical and green practices and artistic vision, KM Stitchery makes apparel with a social agenda. Each screen-printed item from this shop depicts a luminary figure in the women’s movement. “I think it's important to recognize, acknowledge and admire women who have fought for women's rights and who have broken through gender barriers,” says the founder of this shop, “clothing is a great way to spread the message of feminism. I am sick of seeing male revolutionaries revered and plastered on t-shirts, but not hearing much about female revolutionaries!” Simone de Beauvoir, Audrey Lorde, Sylvia Plath, Gertrude Stein, Frida Kahlo and Charlotte Perkins Gilman are just a few of the feminist faces that grace KM Stichery’s hip assortment of t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts and tunics.

KM Stitchery is also unabashedly green--using creatively repurposed recycled materials for everything from hang-tags and business cards to mailing materials and fabric clothing tags. Even her iron and ironing board were saved from a dumpster! “Being environmentally-friendly and sweatshop free is important to me!” proclaims the designer behind this shop. All designs are printed on recycled clothing in pristine condition, making each design from this shop not only green, but absolutely one-of-a-kind. In addition to imaginative reuse, designs are printed with water-based, non-toxic ink and this shop’s business cards are stamped with environmentally-friendly stamps.

KM Stitchery is fabulous destination for eye-popping designs that celebrate women who have changed our world as well as an informative site to learn more about figures that patriarchal history has forgotten.

To purchase items or to learn more about this shop, visit:

http://www.kmstitchery.etsy.com

Other ways to explore KM Stitchery:

Blog: http://kmstitchery.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/kmstitchery


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/KM-Stitchery/108575778065?ref=ts


(From Top: Charlotte Bronte Hand-stenciled T-shirt; Sylvia Plath Hand-stenciled Shirt; Charlotte Perkins Gilman Hand-stenciled  Shirt. All images courtesy of KM Stitchery.)

In the Spirit of Halloween...

She was a maiden of rarest beauty, and not more lovely than full of glee. And evil was the hour when she saw, and loved, and wedded the painter. He, passionate, studious, austere, and having already a bride in his Art; she a maiden of rarest beauty, and not more lovely than full of glee; all light and smiles, and frolicsome as the young fawn; loving and cherishing all things; hating only the Art which was her rival; dreading only the pallet and brushes and other untoward instruments which deprived her of the countenance of her lover. It was thus a terrible thing for this lady to hear the painter speak of his desire to portray even his young bride. But she was humble and obedient, and sat meekly for many weeks in the dark, high turret-chamber where the light dripped upon the pale canvas only from overhead.


~From "The Oval Portrait" by Edgar Allan Poe

Lisa Victoria

Spanning many cultures and centuries, the lore of the dragon, mermaid and fairy still pervade world myth and fairytale. The art of San Francisco-based artist Lisa Victoria brings a new point of view to depicting these ancient and mysterious creatures. With a wink of good humor, an eye for subtle color harmonies and enviable technical skill Lisa creates fantasy illustrations of breath-taking luminosity. Coveted by international and domestic collectors, Lisa’s paintings embody a range of techniques in including watercolor, acrylic and mixed media. Lisa has been working as a professional artist since 1999 and earned her MFA in illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.       

Offerings from her shop include original paintings, miniatures, prints, postcards, ACEO cards, note cards, magnets and stamps. In addition to individual artworks and craft items, Lisa has brought her unique style to children’s books as the illustrator of “A Simple Brown Leaf” (2005), recipient of The Mother’s Choice Award, and “Clara’s Gift from the Heart” (2006).

To learn more about Lisa Victoria or to purchase items from her shop, please visit http://www.lisavictoria.etsy.com or http://www.lisavictoria.net. Become her fan on Facebook by visiting http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Victoria/86960201538.

(Images, from top: Crescent Wave Mermaid, Bedtime Tales, Friendship Fairy. All images courtesy of Lisa Victoria.)

Regency Shoplifting

In August of 1799, Jane Austen's aunt, "the respectable Mrs Leigh Perrot, was accused of shoplifting. It seems that a piece of white lace was 'accidentally' wrapped in a parcel of purchases that she had made with her husband. When the case was eventually brought before the Taunton Assizes the verdict was 'not guilty' and it appears that this was a blackmail attempt by the shop. Nevertheless, Mrs Leigh Perrot had been charged with attempted larceny and committed to the Ilchester gaol from August 1799 until the trial in March 1800 [...] Had she been found guilty the sentence could have been fourteen years transportation or even death"!
~from Jane Austen Fashion by Penelope Byrde

On Learning to Read

"When I caught the mumps, I couldn’t read; when I went back to school again, I could. The first page of The Hobbit was a thicket of symbols, to be decoded one at a time and joined hesitantly together…. By the time I reached The Hobbit’s last page, though, writing had softened, and lost the outlines of the printed alphabet, and become a transparent liquid, first viscous and sluggish, like a jelly of meaning, then ever thinner and more mobile, flowing faster and faster, until it reached me at the speed of thinking and I could not entirely distinguish the suggestions it was making from my own thoughts. I had undergone the acceleration into the written word that you also experience as a change in the medium. In fact, writing had ceased to be a thing—an object in the world—and become a medium, a substance you look through."

-from The Child That Books Built by Frances Spufford

rEVOLV3r Apparel

If the walls of rEVOLV3r apparel could talk, apparently they would speak with the voice of literary genius. This Etsy shop’s striking wall decals bring thoughtfully selected quotes, and crisp images to any wall in your house. Choose quotes from authors including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Mark Twain, Aristotle or William Butler Yeats. This shop also offers decals with imagery culled from popular culture ranging from The Big Lebowski to Audrey Hepburn, as well as geometric patterns, cityscapes and imagery from nature. Other items in this shop include apparel, specialty belt buckles and decals for cars and laptops.

“All wall decals are made from durable vinyl rated to last 5 years outside and virtually forever inside,” says the founder of this Delaware-based shop, “These are easily applied to any smooth clean surface and will instantly transform any space you put them on.” A truly novel and inspired idea to bring personality (and literature) to your everyday surroundings!

To learn more or to purchase an item from rEVOLV3r Apparel, please visit: http://www.revolv3rapparel.etsy.com.

(Photos, from top: WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS Quote Vinyl Wall Decal Room Décor, Karl Marx Political Icon Wall Decal Wall Art, HENRY DAVID THOREAU Vinyl Poem Wall Decal Room Décor. All images courtesy of rEVOLV3r Apparel.)

"On Sitting Down to Read King Lear Once Again" by John Keats

O golden-tongued Romance with serene lute!
Fair plumed Syren! Queen of far away!
Leave melodizing on this wintry day,
Shut up thine olden pages, and be mute:
Adieu! for once again the fierce dispute,
Betwixt damnation and impassion'd clay
Must I burn through; once more humbly assay
The bitter-sweet of this Shakespearian fruit.
Chief Poet! and ye clouds of Albion,Begetters of our deep eternal theme,
When through the old oak forest I am gone,
Let me not wander in a barren dream,
But when I am consumed in the fire,
Give me new Phoenix wings to fly at my desire.

Yardia

The swirling fabrics and delicate patterns of Regency and Victorian dresses are juxtaposed with the witty phraseology of the women who wore them in this elegant Etsy shop. Yardia is the creation of Seattle-based artist and teacher, Brigida Swanson. Offerings in her shop include original pen and ink drawings, limited-edition Gocco prints, hand-printed cards and card sets, and embellished moleskine journals.

“I'm currently obsessed with making art inspired by nineteenth century apparel and literature,” says Swanson, “especially that of my favorite writer, Jane Austen.” Her current assortment of artworks includes words of wisdom from literary greats Emily Dickinson, Charlotte Bronte, William Shakespeare and, of course, Jane Austen. Expertly-selected Romantic pastel and Victorian jewel-toned papers complement specialty inks on each carefully-crafted and delicate design—artwork that recalls the intensive workmanship and intimate intricacies of a Victorian gown.

To purchase items from Yardia’s Etsy Shop or to learn more about Yardia, please visit: http://www.yardia.etsy.com. If you’d like to become a fan of Yardia on Facebook, please visit:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yardia/81426801701.

(Photos (from top): Charlotte Bronte print - Upward (violet), Jane Austen Print – Do Not Faint, Jane Austen Card – Only of You. All Photos Courtesy of Yardia.)

Hansel and Gretel's Crumbs

"They did not awake until it was dark night, and Hansel comforted his little sister and said: 'Just wait, Gretel, until the moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I have strewn about, they will show us our way home again.' When the moon came they set out, but they found no crumbs, for the many thousands of birds which fly about in the woods and fields had picked them all up. "

-From Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm

Sack Religious

When eighteenth-century Shakespeare scholar, Edmund Malone, scissored-out portions of invaluable Elizabethan documents “to retain as keepsakes" before they were returned to their owners, he marred these books forever and created a storm of resentment.* 200 years later, the craftswoman who created Sack Religious, mutilated the Bible, removing every single page, to create something…beautiful.

Sack Religious features a surprising assortment of items made from book components, including messenger bags, clutches, purses, wallets, frames, decorative boxes and shadow boxes. Each piece is made entirely by hand, with an eye to craftsmanship and a wink of good humor.

No part of a book is safe from this innovative, creative-reuse artist: text pages, book covers, illustrations and even sheet music are all crafted into something new and utilitarian.

“To some, it may seem a little savage to mutilate books,” says the owner of this Etsy shop, “A little sacrilegious, if you will. Others, however, know that a great book is much, much more than a great read. I'm no bibliocidal maniac because these books aren't dead, they're reborn.”

To find out more about Sack Religious or purchase an item from this shop, please visit: http://www.sackreligious.etsy.com. Sack Religious items are also featured on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sack-Religious-Handbags/70478852736?ref=share) and MySpace (http://www.MySpace.com/SackReligiousHandbags).

(Photos (from top): Orange Vintage Reader’s Digest Handbag, Alice in Wonderland Book Illustrations Vinyl Bag, Shakespeare Lovers Photo Frame. All Photos courtesy of Sack Religious.)

*From: Shakespeare: World as Stage by Bill Bryson

Mark Twain: Adam at Eve's Grave

"At Eve's Grave

ADAM: Wheresoever she was, THERE was Eden."

-from Extracts from Adam's Diary, vol. 2

Ephemeralogie

The brain-child of a retired librarian and “certified bibliophile,” Ephemeralogie is a tribute to the visual legacy of books and print, as well as the transitory nature of these items. Vintage images, photographs and literary ephemera are hand-crafted into the unique and one-of-a-kind paperweights and coasters featured in this shop. “I’m always on the hunt for “bookish” gifts,” says the founder of this shop, Jennifer Johnston, “and because they’re so hard to find, I thought it would be fun to create my own.”

Pressed under glass, the images used in Ephemeralogie's paperweights are diverse, ranging from famous authors to library décor, from old-school card catalogs to black and white photos of people engrossed in books. These art objects will delight individuals interested in antique imagery and booklovers alike, serving to organize and protect our contemporary ephemera for generations to come.

To learn more about Ephemeralogie and purchase items from this shop, please visit http://www.ephemeralogie.etsy.com.

(Photos from top: Edgar Allan Poe Glass Paperweight, Circulation Desk Glass Paperweight, Library Cat Paperweight. All photos courtesy of Ephemeralogie.)

Mark Twain: Adam on the arrival of Eve

"FRIDAY. The naming goes recklessly on, in spite of anything I can do. I had a very good name for the estate, and it was musical and pretty-- GARDEN OF EDEN. Privately, I continue to call it that, but not any longer publicly. The new creature says it is all woods and rocks and scenery, and therefore has no resemblance to a garden. Says it LOOKS like a park, and does not look like anything BUT a park. Consequently, without consulting me, it has been new-named NIAGARA FALLS PARK. This is sufficiently high-handed, it seems to me. And already there is a sign up:

KEEP OFF THE GRASS

My life is not as happy as it was."

-From Extracts from Adam's Diary by Mark Twain

Uneek Doll Designs

Step away from those ubiquitous, pink-tafetta-swathed, impossibly-proportioned dolls and meet the hand-crafted dolls from Uneek Doll Designs!

Inspired to make her own designs by the lack of interesting character dolls for a specialty dollhouse, artist Debbie Ritter began to design dolls with unique personalities.

Each doll is infused with significance drawn from literary, historical and cultural events: “Inspired from history, old movies, classic literature, and everything in between, my special characters are made one at time, without a pattern.” Her work encompasses a huge range of figures from author Edgar Allan Poe to the Bronte sisters, Queen Elizabeth I to Susan Boyle, and a plethora of literary characters from L.M. Montgomery’s Anne Shirley to Shakespeare’s King Lear.

Intricate attention to period details, careful craftsmanship and a touch of humor and whimsy, mark these dolls as true works of art. “The arms, hair, and even the costumes are all hand crafted personally by me, and I hand paint each and every face!” says Ritter, “I sign and date each and every piece that I do.”

Check out her extensive gallery of dolls available through Etsy.com at http://www.UneekDollDesigns.etsy.com. If you have a particular character or author in mind, please contact her through Etsy to arrange a custom commission. (Photos (from top): "The Bronte Sisters Wear Velvet," "Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Miniatures" and "Mr and Mrs. Bennet." All photos courtesy of Uneek Doll Designs.)

Groucho Marx on Reading

Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend.

Inside of a dog it's too dark to read!

- Groucho Marx -

A Double Grace

In the spring of 2006, while rooting around in my University periodicals section, I found a copy of Art Bulletin with a fascinating photo of a miniature eye set off by a black background. Like any good graduate student I read the article entitled “Treasuring the Gaze” by Hannah Grootenboer, then went to my thesis advisors and told them that I wanted to write about eye miniatures…and Jane Austen. Thus began my fascination with the eye miniature portrait, which has grown into my own little mission to revive this forgotten genre of portraiture. Besides the romantic birth of the miniature as a gift between a lovelorn prince and the off-limits focus of his affections, eye miniatures are beautiful and meaningful in themselves, even when they are anonymous.

As Grootenboer points out in her article, eye miniatures create a reciprocal, unavoidable and unwavering gaze back at the viewer that is unique in the history of painting and miniatures.

As an artist, my favorite subjects are literary, either authors or images drawn from their works. Even if I am simply painting a flower, I find it most satisfying if I can relate that imagery to a poem or passage from an essay. For me, the written word is always part of an image, and vice versa.

This especially true in eye portraits, as vision is such a large part of our experience as humans, and therefore figures so heavily into our language and means of expressing ourselves.

For instance, many modern songs (“Hungry Eyes,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” “I’ll be watching You,” etc.) use the imagery of vision, as well as innumerable phrases (“they exchanged eyes,” “she gave me the stink eye,” “I’ve got my eye on you,” “apple of her eye,” etc.). We are a culture shaped by vision--in the sense of creativity and the sense of sight--so the eye miniature as an artistic representation of our means of seeing is modern, even as it evokes the oddities of generations past.

Check out my shop on Etsy to see more of my work at http://www.adoublegrace.etsy.com. I love working on customized jewelry and paintings, so please check out my portfolio and custom designs page at http://www.adoublegrace.com.

Jane Austen defends her art form

"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid."

-from Northanger Abbey.

Welcome!

Greetings! Please come in and enjoy Literary Etsy! The mission of this blog is to explore and promote work by artists, designers and crafters on Etsy that is inspired by or incorporates the written word or literary culture.