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PHOTO BY LIZ TIZZARD
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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Dear Reader, Ten years ago, when I first set out to publish my own magazine, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had a vision, optimism and a line of credit and I thought that’s all I would need. To say that I’ve learned a lot since the inaugural issue would be an understatement. To accomplish something big—something beyond our current capabilities— there’s a simple first step. Believe in yourself. There’s an infinite number of steps after that (and missteps are certain), but confidence coupled with perseverance can get you through. Now, with a decade of experience behind me, I’m reflecting on UPPERCASE’s legacy so far, and its longevity. Musing on the simplest and most common art supply, the pencil, I wonder what makes something long lasting? What qualities make the pencil so iconic? How can UPPERCASE be an indispensible creative tool? With the kind encouragement of you, my readers, I look forward to figuring this out in the years ahead!
X E N I A S C H A E F F E R SaturdayAMVintage.com
J A N I N E VA N G O O L
publisher, editor, designer
ILLUSTRATION BY
Katie Flindall I love your covers and I’ve kept every issue I’ve gotten in a special place. I hope these miniature magazines painted in ink pen and watercolour will not only express the creativity and longevity of your publication, but also pay homage to the artists of UPPERCASE. Here’s to a celebration of creativity, artists honoured far and wide, and ten times four of fabulous UPPERCASE magazines!
encyclopediaofinspiration.com
moonhouseart.com
uppercasemagazine.com
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Contents CAKE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Lyndsay Sung cococakeland.com
We first featured Vancouverbased Lyndsay Sung in our food and creativity issue, issue number 9. Through good times and bad (she successfully finished treatment for breast cancer in 2016), Lyndsay shares her personal experiences with honesty, humour—and cake—on her blog and Instagram. Her delicious concoctions (and photographs) are featured in her new book, Coco Cake Land: Cute and Pretty Party Cakes to Bake and Decorate, published by Roost Books. She baked and decorated this cake just for us!
JANUARY / FEBRUARY / MARCH 2019
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WELCOME
ART & DESIGN
EDITOR’S LET TER . . . . . . 3
I L L U S T R AT I O N . . . . . . . 30
CONTRIBUTORS . . . . . . . . 6 SUBSCRIPTIONS . . . . . . . 7
SNIPPETS . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 P R E T T Y . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 P AT T E R N . . . . . . . . . . .
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FRESH . . . . . . . . . . .
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Martha Maynard, Maggie Ramirez Burns, Charis Lillene Fleshner, Sally Barnett, Colleen Harrington, Emma Murdock, Jana Clinard Harris, Rima Tessman and Paula Castleberry B E G I N N I N G S . . . . . . . . . 18
by Melanie Falick illustration by Andrea D’Aquino
G A L L E R Y . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Winner Laura Moyer Cover Contest Submissions T E N Y E A R S . . . . . . . . . . 48
How Has UPPERCASE Inspired You? Stories from readers. L E S S O N . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
10 Things: Advice on Inspiration, Experience and Creative Entrepreneurship Featuring Lilla Rogers, Marlee Grace, Karyn Valino, Ed Nacional, Elizabeth Olwen, Carolyn Fraser, Molly Hatch, Kelli May-Krenz and Lisa Congdon C R E AT I V E C A R E E R . . . . . 62
10 Things I’ve Learned by Janine Vangool Illustration by Sahily Tallet Yip S M A L L T H I N G S . . . . . . . 64
FINE PRINT L I B R A R Y . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 B U S I N E S S . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Staying in Business by Arianne Foulks featuring Molly Hatch, Stacie Bloomfield, Samantha Howard, Katie Hunt, Katharine Watson, Mercedes Austin and Marlo Miyashiro A B E C E D A R Y . . . . . . . . . 24
Abecedary of Art Supplies by Lydie Raschka
ARE YOU NEW TO UPPERCASE MAGAZINE?
Blanca Gómez
Promotional Pencils by Kerrie More
CRAFT S T U D I O S . . . . . . . . . . . 88
B. A. Lampman, Larissa McLean, Judy Sysak, Anna-Maria C Sviatko, Jana Clinard Harris, Lindsay Gardner, Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch, Rebekka Connelly, Amy Frank and Melanie Thompson TOOLS . . . . . . . . . . . .
102
The History of the Pencil by Joy Deneen S H O P . . . . . . . . . . . 105
CW Pencil Enterprise
MISC. HOBBY . . . . . . . . . . . .
106
Elements of Style by Brendan Harrison
C O L L E C T I O N . . . . . . . . . 66
108
Jessica Letkemann & Chris Alan Jones
FABRIC . . . . . . . . . . . .
M AT E R I A L S . . . . . . . . . . 68
E X T R A . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
S H A R E S . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
An Ode to Art Supplies by UPPERCASE readers
C O V E T . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
D I S C O V E R . . . . . . . . . . 78
What We Hold by Andrea Jenkins
The Ekphrastic Experience: Art in Poetry by Jo Barbara Taylor
O R I G I N S T O R Y . . . . . . . 26
P L A C E S . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
A Pleasurable Pencil: The Blackwing 602 by Correy Baldwin
L. Cornelissen & Son by Jane Audas F I E L D T R I P . . . . . . . . . . 86
Pantone by Jordan Provost
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BACK ISSUES AND BOOKS shop.uppercase magazine.com
CONTRIBUTORS UPPERCASE
201B – 908, 17th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2T 0A3
Two Montreal-based contributors get to know each other.
J A N I N E VA N G O O L
publisher, editor, designer janine@uppercasemagazine.com GLEN DRESSER
customer service shop@uppercasemagazine.com CORREY BALDWIN
copyeditor CORE CONTRIBUTORS
Jane Audas Correy Baldwin Andrea D’Aquino Melanie Falick Arianne Foulks Carolyn Fraser Joy Deneen Glen Dresser Brendan Harrison Andrea Jenkins Linzee Kull McCray Andrea Marván Kerrie More Emily Orpin Lydie Raschka Christopher Rouleau Laura Tarrish
T H A N K YO U Thank you to the hundreds of talented people who submitted to this issue’s cover contest. Even if you weren’t featured within these printed pages, your effort was noticed and appreciated! UPPERCASE has the best readers in the world. Printed in Canada by The Prolific Group.
Interior pages are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled Rolland Enviro 100. Give this magazine a long life! The content is evergreen, so we hope you’ll revisit it over and over again. If you’re done with it, please pass it on to a friend or colleague who might enjoy our content, or cut up the pages and create some art.
Correy Baldwin
Joy Deneen
BY JOY DENEEN
BY CORREY BALDWIN
R
A I S E D ON A FA R M near Carbon, Alberta, Correy Baldwin is an outdoorsman with eclectic interests. He loves cycling, plays the banjo, makes his own sourdough bread and is working on a novel-in-verse. He has a degree in English from the University of Lethbridge and spent five years in Edmonton as a editor before the urge to roam brought him to Montreal.
He was introduced to UPPERCASE in its early days, thanks to his childhood friend Glen Dresser. Correy’s first article appeared in issue 7, and he experienced a “crash course” in proofing the magazine with Janine and Glen at an Airbnb the night before the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn in 2011. From checking everything from copy to graphics, Correy is now responsible for editing the magazine and all of the books under the UPPERCASE Publishing umbrella. “I make sure it reads well, and point out anything that’s gone amiss during designing. It’s rare that I get to be so thorough with an editing job.” As a writer, Correy has crafted numerous articles for UPPERCASE and would love to delve into the subject of type design in the non-English speaking world. correybaldwin.com @correybaldwin
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U P P E R C A S E
J
OY DENEEN is a Montreal-based calligrapher. She studied theatre at UCLA and makeup artistry, but it was while working in finance (a “short-term gig” that stretched into six years) that she discovered calligraphy, taking it up on evenings and weekends. “By the time my husband was offered a job at Ubisoft in Montreal, I was already dreaming of having my own business,” she says. Today she creates work and teaches as Atelier Imagine Joy, and is president of La Société des calligraphes de Montréal. She has also recently begun taking ceramics classes. When she is not creating with her hands she is busy discovering restaurants, spending time with her dog, Evie, and taking care of her numerous houseplants, most named after her favourite drag queens.
After discovering UPPERCASE in 2012, Joy made a Post-it note of creative goals, tacking it to the bulletin board in her office cubicle. “One of those goals was to be in UPPERCASE one day,” she says. Joy crossed UPPERCASE off that list with issue 20, writing about Garbage Beauty, a group of artists who calligraph on discarded furniture around Montreal. The world of calligraphy, she says, is rich and vast: “I’d write about every calligraphy tool if I could and am particularly interested in the history of metal nibs.” imaginejoy.com @imaginejoy
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GIF TS
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P R E T T Y
Andi Stern CHAUNCE Y, OHIO, USA
This is a portrait of my mother, and selfies of my daughter and me. I loved mom’s hairstyle, it was not a beehive, it was a French twist. She wore it for years and I wanted to create an image using this great picture. I used bead embroidery and carried through colours between each image to emphasize our family relationship. @andistern
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U P P E R C A S E
P A T T E R N
MARIJKE SMETS
K EL LY K IRK L A ND
PALOMA NAVIO
BRYONY HALSTED
ELIN KARLSSON
SANDRA HUTTER
LIVE BRIE F WI T H M AKE I T IN DE SIG N Does your heart go pitter patter when you browse the art store? How do art supplies inspire you? What makes them special or particularly beautiful? Is the tool itself inspiring or is it the marks that it makes? Students of the Make it in Design online class were given a creative brief from UPPERCASE. Create an ode to art supplies as a repeat pattern that could be used as fabric, wrapping paper or end papers. Is it graphic or geometric, or loose and illustrative? Use this assignment as an opportunity to express yourself and your style. Drawings of common objects like art supplies are an opportunity to inject your own personality and point of view. Consider what you can add to an object or how you can enhance its appeal—beyond simply drawing and repeating the motif. By the act of drawing or rendering an everyday object, you can make it into something unique and full of character. “Making Art Together” by Marijke Smets was my top pick because not only is the artwork joyful and fun, giving each of the brushes and pencils their own personality is a fun take on the brief. It suggests that for us creatives, our tools are our friends and collaborators. The white paper outline in the background is clever, too. makeitindesign.com
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F R E S H
Martha Maynard BEL M AR , NE W JER SE Y, USA
I am a recent graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia where I studied illustration. My illustrative work is colourful, whimsical and funny. I am inspired by nature and fairy tales and try to include a little magic in all my paintings. I would love to work with stationery designers like Red Cap Cards, who make such beautiful collaborative work with their artists, or Tundra Books, whose children’s books are smart and lovely and altogether charming. marthamaynard.com @marthmay
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U P P E R C A S E
Maggie Ramirez Burns SE AT TLE, WA SHINGTON, USA
I am a full-time mom and wife, full-time business owner (I have owned a shoe store for 16 years with my husband) and part-time artist. My current work is called Smoke and Mirrors. This collection of work examines the peripheral aspects of our social lives—in particular the aspects of social media. Everything is faster, shinier, glossy and not entirely authentic. Sound bites, memes and filtered photographs present a culture of prosperity, vivacity and delight, when in reality they are snippets of who we are or in some cases who we want the world to see. My work is improvisational and constructed in the moment. Markmaking with acrylic paint is laid down first and then detailed with pen and ink on paper or wood panels. The colour palette is intentionally minimal for this series. Black and white combined make grey. Just like our lives, the conditions of our existence are not so concrete; we commingle. Life is messy, complicated and beautiful. Gold and metallics are added to create a world of opulence. A signification of wealth, prosperity and substance. My work allows the viewer to slow down and observe with the eye, hopefully asking the questions, what is true, what is false? maggieramirezburns.com @maggiemuses
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BE PUBLISHED
If you’ve never been published in print before, please share your work and UPPERCASE will endeavour to publish the best submissions in future issues. uppercasemagazine. com/participate
Charis Lillene Fleshner GREELE Y, COLOR ADO, USA
I have loved creating and sharing this love for as long as I can remember. I was an elementary art teacher for seven years and then wanted to push myself further as an artist in graduate school. I just completed my MFA at the University of New Mexico. There I developed an affinity for hand-sewn soft sculpture and installation work. I am inspired by nature but my colour palette seems to be influenced by my years working with children. I describe my work as playful, serendipitous, sincere, joyful and craftivist. Future goals include perfecting my craft by having as many art shows as possible and teaching art at the university level. charismakesart.com @charisrocks
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U P P E R C A S E
Sally Barnett
Emma Murdock
UNITED KINGDOM
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA
I am a professional designer illustrator, who graduated as a mature student in 2017. I was diagnosed with a long-term health condition in 2013, which meant I had to leave my job as a highway engineer, which was very sad. To cut a long story short, not wanting to sit around doing nothing, I signed up for an online degree in illustration, and the rest is history.
I am an emerging illustrator currently living in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I have been drawing all of my life. Four years ago I began sending my drawings to my pen-pal so that he could make up his own stories about them, and this is when I realized just how much I loved drawing. I also realized through this experience how much I enjoyed talking through my ideas with others and getting their feedback.
My goal is to write and illustrate my own picture books, but also to create textile designs with my illustrations. I have two picture book ideas in my head right now and I am excited at the prospect of getting them realized on paper and published one day. I am also in the process of experimenting with creating illustrations for textiles (children’s clothes, home furnishing), which is again, exciting for me. My last client was the National Portrait Gallery in London and the National Trust. I have no idea why they picked me over other illustrators or indeed how they found me, but it was a dream come true and it gave me the confidence I needed to be a professional designer illustrator. sallybarnett.co.uk @sallybarnettart
Colleen Harrington PORTLAND, OREGON, USA
I am originally from Wisconsin but now live in the Portland, Oregon, metro area. I do not have a formal art education, but have had a lifelong passion for drawing and art. My degrees are in art history and classics, but as a child I wanted to be an artist or fashion designer. I decided to focus on developing an illustration portfolio after the birth of my first child when I was looking for a creative outlet that I could fit in around my childcare schedule. I started out by joining Instagram and signed up for Make Art That Sells Bootcamp with Lilla Rogers in 2016. I took a hiatus in 2017 when I was expecting my second child, but I have gone on to take more Make Art That Sells classes, in addition to Victoria Johnson’s Explore Florals courses and Steph Fizer Coleman’s Photoshop courses. I am creating artwork available for licensing, and am currently working on a picture book proposal. Who are my dream clients? I have so many favourite companies I would like to work with, including UPPERCASE magazine, Vogue, Chronicle Books, J. Crew, Kate Spade and Papyrus. I would love to design art for book covers, home decor, stationery, picture books and magazine editorials.
My creative goal is basically to keep challenging myself so that I can expand my skill set. My professional goal is mainly to work on commissions, whether for private clients or for businesses, because what I most enjoy is working with others to find a way to synthesize their ideas with my style and artistic capabilities. murdockdrawings.wixsite.com/ murdockdrawings @murdockdrawings
behance.net/colleenharrington @foxes_per_fortnight
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Jana Clinard Harris RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, USA
At 49, I am jumping back into creating after many busy years away raising four kids. I have a brand new studio space, my first dedicated one, and a new website. My mixed-media collage style is evolving slightly and I am dipping back into painting and illustration. I create art to spread positivity, love and encouragement to others and my goal is to pass along profits from selling my work to local charities. janasartspace.com Tour Jana’s studio on page 93.
Rima Tessman HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, USA
I am a self-taught artist and illustrator based in Cleveland, Ohio. Over the past few years, I have been busy building up my illustration portfolio (taking Lilla Rogers’ Make Art That Sells classes, as well as Natalie Williamson’s Folio Focus course, which has really helped!). My goal is to be a self-supporting freelance illustrator. I would love to do editorial work, and to one day see my art on stationery, gift and home decor products. My work is characterized by charming characters and motifs, a little bit of quirkiness and lots of bold, vibrant colour. My life’s passion is creating art, and I try to infuse the joy I get from doing so in every piece I make. When I’m not painting or sewing in my sunny home studio, I love to take walks, rummage through antique stores and markets, read fiction, drink wine, eat sushi and travel. It’s hard to break into the freelance illustration market, so I’m really thankful for this opportunity that UPPERCASE gives emerging illustrators! rimatessman.com @rima.tessman
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U P P E R C A S E
Paula Castleberry WEST HILLS, CALIFORNIA, USA
The aging and maturity theme of this issue hits home for me, as I am beginning my illustration career at the age of 57. I have been a graphic designer and a teacher for years, but my love of art and illustration just didn’t seem like something I could earn a living from exclusively. But with encouragement from my family, I began to pursue it seriously in January 2018, when I took my first class from Lilla Rogers. I am now committed and I don’t know why I waited so long in the first place! I’m now beginning to get illustration projects and I even sold two of my paintings from the gallery of a pop-up museum here in LA. This piece was created with Procreate, which I also discovered recently—guess I’m just a late bloomer! paulacastleberry.com @paulacastleberryillustration
P A U L A’ S C O V E R CONTEST SUBMISSION
When I looked over my art supplies to see what would be fun to illustrate for that theme, the thing that jumped out at me was how the pencils fanned out in a beautiful bouquet of colour, and I knew immediately that I wanted to paint them. I used a combination of gouache and pencil, and took video as I worked, so I could share my process on Instagram.
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THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
P R E - O R D E R
VINTAGE LIFE
QUILTED
L I V I N G I N T H E PA S T
PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL
These people and businesses have immersed themselves in the aesthetics, technologies and trends of bygone eras. Vintage sellers and dealers, collectors, interior decorators, stylists, writers, musicians and creative souls. When living in the past is the only way to be!
A celebration of the beauty of quilts and how they appeal to our creativity and emotions. From nostalgic heirlooms to designing, making and improvising— plus a look at how quilting cottons are designed and manufactured—Quilted is a behind-the-scenes look at a tradition and an industry.
FIND OUT MORE AND PRE-ORDER
encyclopediaofinspiration.com
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LOOK
CLOSELY AND
DISCOVER
It’s all around us
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U P P E R C A S E
THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
G A L L E R Y
Cover Contest From 301 submissions, Laura Moyer’s design was selected as the winner!
Laura Moyer MANHEIM, PA, USA
I graduated with a bachelor of science in graphic design from Philadelphia University, and after a handful of years working as a full-time designer, I had my second child and became a stayat-home mom. I took the quiet moments to explore my passion for illustration, and since have let this passion lead the way. Colour and texture are my favourite ingredients, and I always love a clever concept to build a piece around. The work of mid-century illustrators is incredibly inspiring to me, when colours were bold yet unexpected, and shapes were simple. While I love illustrating colourful flowers, cozy buildings and anything to do with the sea, I find it equally exciting to try something completely new to me. The world is a big place, full of rich visuals. I love to learn, and am always excited for something new.
WINNING WORK
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Laura paid attention to the recurring colour themes in the magazine, so it instantly feels part of the family. The creative tools in her flat lay illustration are impeccably placed; even the spaces between objects have been considered! I love how she left room for the number 40 in the angle of the triangle and that the colour strip and camera are precisely the width of the Creative and Curious tagline. Her experience as a graphic designer was definitely an asset in the creation of this cover!
I absolutely love illustrating little objects and tools. For this cover, I wanted to capture many areas of the creative field, to resonate with the many types of creatives in the UPPERCASE audience. It represents all the creatives being brought together in this beautiful publication, celebrating the milestone, and leading the viewer to wonder what will be created next with these tools. This illustration was imagined in my mind and then digitally created using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
–JANINE
–LAURA
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I grew up near the beach in New Jersey, and now live in Pennsylvania with my husband and two children. While I dream of having a small working farm someday, our gardens, chickens and beautiful view of an Amish farm will do for now. The combination of being creative and career-oriented while being a stay-at-home mama will always be a balancing act. But more than a challenge, it is an incredible privilege. These days are few and children grow up far too fast. lauracmoyer.com @lauracmoyer
View all cover contest entries at uppercasemagazine.com/issue40
Honourable Mentions AMY PEPPLER ADAMS REDMOND, WA, USA
@pennycandyhm
I wanted to celebrate 10 years of UPPERCASE with a jam-packed collage of type, vintage “10� ephemera and typographic ornaments relating to creativity and accomplishment.
Go to page 56 to view this artwork at actual size.
PURITA MOK AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
@happypurpur
The two themes of art supplies and maturity/longevity were inspirations. I arranged my colour pencils in a teardrop shape and then using Photoshop, replicated this arrangement into infinity signs (infinity being a symbol of longevity), which together make up the shape of flower petals. I used all the colours I had, as past covers also used a lot of colour.
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C R E A T I V E
C A R E E R
10 things I’ve learned 1
6
Small is Good
Train Hard
We all have to start somewhere, so begin with making things you love. Not sure what that is? Think back to when you were a small child. What did you love?
Organization and concentration can be acquired skills, learned through repetition and persistence. Being creative on demand or under pressure is also trained through practice.
2 Create Community Finding personal connections while supporting one other leads to a strong and authentic community.
3 Don’t be Trendy Evaluate trends practically whether it is in tech, social media, fashion or aesthetics. UPPERCASE is a magazine for people who love paper, it is hands-on and tactile and so creating a digital iPad version is contrary to its core values. Quality and consistency are more important than the latest fad.
4 Stay True Focus on what inspires you. Inspiration is nurtured in a way of living based on making, not acquiring.
5 Technology Can Help The day-to-day running of UPPERCASE remains just my husband Glen Dresser and me. We make technology work for us. Systems and apps and integrations are important in keeping everything running, so it is important to understand how things work on a practical level.
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7 Be Yourself When you’re a creative entrepreneur, you’re often the face of the endeavour. But it is important to develop yourself as a well-rounded and thoughtful person, not as a brand. Accepting yourself for who you are at your core is the beginning; then grow from the centre out.
8 Stay Inspired Explore your side interests. Learn, make and do! Wider interests will make your focussed work more enjoyable and lead to discoveries and creative tangents.
9 Value Independence Be authentic to your vision; don’t be persuaded or influenced by others. Define success in a way that works for you.
10 Slow and Steady Have big dreams, but break them into smaller shortterm goals. Every project, no matter how daunting, is the accomplishment of innumerable smaller tasks. Don’t get overwhelmed, just start!
UPPERCASE PUBLISHER, EDITOR & DESIGNER
JANINE VANGOOL W I T H G R AT I T U D E
From gorgeous cover contest submissions to heartfelt messages, this anniversary issue has been a pleasure to put together. “I love the magazine and I appreciate your work as editor of UPPERCASE,” writes Sahily Tallet Yip, an illustrator from Madrid. “My illustration was inspired by your journey with the magazine up to issue 40. The path will not always have been easy but it has been worth it.” Indeed, there have been some low points in these past 10 years, but they only make this milestone sweeter. With the support of friendly, generous and talented readers like Sahily, I’m grateful to still be doing what I love. Thank you.
ILLUSTRATION BY
Sahily Tallet Yip sahilyty.com
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THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
F A B R I C
40 magazine issues and 3 fabric collections later…
I
’m very fortunate that the hard work and effort I’ve put into growing this magazine over the past decade has also led to some interesting and longlasting collaborations. Windham Fabrics is a great partner and seeing my patterns—originally designed for print on paper—be produced on quilting cottons is quite a thrill!
Although I learned how to sew when I was a girl, I have to admit that I don’t often have time to sew these days. Publishing and designing books and magazines takes up most of my time! But when work and hobby combine in such a way as having to produce sample projects and a look book in order to help sell one’s fabric collection, that’s the perfect reason to put sewing top on the to-do list. The various projects that I put together, plus many amazing contributions from UPPERCASE friends, are available to view in the free digital Circular Logic Project Ideas and Inspirations booklet. Part of the theme of the idea book was to celebrate things that are still in progress—and indeed some of them still are! Particularly, the titular paper-pieced quilt (shown at left) that I’m sewing by hand. Slowly and steadily, it will take a while for it to all come together, but that’s fine by me.
JANINE VANGOOL UPPERCASE publisher / editor / designer
AVAIL ABLE IN S T ORES
APRIL 2019
CIRCULAR LOGIC Many of the patterns in this collection actually debuted in print as the spine and masthead designs that decorate each issue of uppercase magazine. They take graphic cues from the mechanics of print on paper: the rollers of a printing press, stacks of paper, halftone dots and registration marks.
Pre-order for your quilt shop today! Toll Free: 866.842.7631 windhamfabrics.com info@windhamfabrics.com
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EXPLORING TEXTURE As attractive as fabric is when crisply ironed flat or pieced precisely in a quilt, it takes on an entirely different character when texture and shape come into play. Gathered and bunched, ruffled and ruched, the fabric’s patterns get distorted in the most pleasing ways. I’ve always been fond of fabric yo-yos, so I started making a few by tracing out a circle with a vintage bowl. Using an inexpensive circular chair pad from Ikea as the base, I sewed a slipcase and handstitched the yo-yos directly on the pillow front.
FREE IDEA BOOK, PATTERNS AND TEMPL ATES uppercasemagazine.com/fabric
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Making a mess is part of the creative process!
THE FABRIC OF INSPIRATION For those of us infatuated with fabric, a pretty pattern in combination with a unique colour story often results in love at first sight. Whether cut from the bolt, chosen from an irresistible stack of fat quarters or curated from our personal stash years in the making, patterned cottons inspire us with their unlimited possibilities. Choosing fabric is simultaneously an act of confidence and a leap of faith. What will it become? A stylish garment? A trusty bag? A quick and fun craft? An heirloom quilt? It could be any and all of the above—and, perhaps even more tantalizing, something we haven’t yet imagined.
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SH A R E S
@JILLMIGLIETTITEXTILEART
@LOUISERADGE
@STUDIONINOCKA
@GIRLLOVESPRINTING
@ANDREEREDBIRD
@JULIE.LIGER.BELAIR
@ANNABEL .TEMPEST
@LUCIEDUCLOS
@STARSHAPEDPRESS
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE LOVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA! Post your pictures and videos of UPPERCASE books and magazines on Instagram @uppercasemag and tag with the appropriate hashtag: #uppercaselove #uppercaseprintmaker #encyclopediaofinspiration #littleumag Share an example of your best work @uppercasemag #uppercasereader.
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EXTRA
AEOLIDIA @aeolidia ALISON GLASS alisonglass.com ANNE BUTERA mygiantstrawberry.com BLACKBIRD LETTERPRESS @blackbirdletterpress B R O O K LY N M OJ O @brooklynmojo CARLA SONHEIM carlasonheim.com CAT CHRISTOPHERSON catchristopherson.co.uk COCO DOWLEY cocodowley.com COCOKNITS store.cocoknits.com CRYSTAL REYNOLDS @crystalinkca DAN LEHMAN danlehman.com DANIELA GLASSOP danielaglassop.com ELEGANTE VIRGULE elegantevirgule.com ESTE MACLEOD @estemacleod GABRIELLA BUCKINGHAM gabriellabuckingham.com GRILLED CHEESE MAGAZINE grilledcheesemag.bigcartel.com
COVER ART BY TENNILLE SHUSTER @TENNILLUSTR ATOR
HELEN HIEBERT helenhiebertstudio.com HTS STUDIOS htsstudios.net INKWELL MODERN HANDMADE inkwellboutique.ca
THIS PRINTED 16-PAGE SUPPLEMENT WAS INCLUDED AS A BONUS FOR SUBSCRIBERS (AS OF DECEMBER 1, 2018). TO VIEW THIS FREE SUPPLEMENT ONLINE:
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IRON OXIDE ART SUPPLIES ironoxideartsupplies.com JAMIE HOGAN jamiehogan.com
KRISTY LANKFORD kristylankford.com
MARCY HORSWILL DESIGN marcyhorswill.ca
SNOWY TREES IN ALASKA santaslettersandgifts.com
JAN PETERKNECHT DESIGNS janpeterknechtdesigns.com
LAURIE DOWNING woolsong.com
JOSEPHINE KIMBERLING @letshighlightreal
LETICIA PL ATE @leticiaplate
K E L LY J O H N S O N wingswormsandwonder.com
LINDA CASSADY @thelindacassady
MARYLAND INSTITUDE COLLEGE OF ART mica.edu
KETTLE OF FISH DESIGN kettleoffishdesign.com.au
LISA CANZI canzilacreative.com
PAIGE MORTENSEN paigemortensen.ca
WANDA KERR wandaworks.ca
KIRSTEN KATZ kirstenkatz.com.au
MAIA BISSON maiastwinklemin.etsy.com
PAT R I C I A B E LY E A okanarts.com
YU CHEN TSENG yuchentseng.com
MARIANNE MCCANN marianne-mccann. squarespace.com
STARSHAPED PRESS starshaped.com SUZANNE REDMOND suzanneredmond.com VERA HOWARD verahoward.com
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C O V E T
ANDREA JENKINS HAS BEEN A CONTRIBUTOR TO UPPERCASE SINCE ITS VERY FIRST ISSUE. IN THIS COLUMN, A N DR E A R E V I S T S H E R F I R S T.
PHOTOS AND STORY BY
ANDREA JENKINS
M
y first column for the very first issue of UPPERCASE ten years ago was a love letter of sorts to record players. I waxed poetic about the turntables I had known and loved in my life—from the mammoth brown stereo my parents brought home in the late seventies to a small portable record player I had recently bought secondhand. At the time, it seemed like a novelty, a twee nostalgic indulgence. Though I had never really left vinyl in the first place, I assumed most everyone else had. In 2009, my modest (albeit hodgepodge) record collection consisted of any album I had managed to hold onto from my childhood and whatever else I brought home from the thrifts. In the early 2000s, vinyl was not exactly easy to come by. You picked up whatever you could find, wherever and whenever you could find it, and lived with whatever condition it was in, scratches and all. Now we are practically swimming in shiny new vinyl.
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In the decade since I wrote that first column, vinyl has risen from the proverbial dead. Initially, its rebirth was dismissed as fleeting, but demand for it over the years grew, steadily, sometimes in unprecedented spurts. Vinyl pressing plants and retailers still struggle to keep up with the demand today. Vinyl as novelty gradually gave way to vinyl as forever, thanks largely in part to a miraculous new generation of collectors. Which raises the question: Why? I love vinyl because I grew up with it—my love is partially rooted in nostalgia. But if you didn’t grow up with it, what’s the appeal? When a 20-year-old has a world of music available inside the phone she carries around in her pocket, why is she spending real money on turntables and record albums? This is what fascinates me: the moment an object or idea transcends nostalgia and becomes fresh and new and desirable to a brand new generation. Ask a vinyl lover of any age and the answer is almost always the same—the appeal is universal because the experience is wholly tactile. We hold the album in our hands, we take in the cover art. We pull the record from a cardboard sleeve, hold it by the edges and place it on a turntable, drag the needle across and carefully set it down in the right place. We hear sounds that are richer and warmer. We listen to it from beginning to end, turn the record over to hear a different side. Then we choose another record to play and begin the ritual all over again. How else can the universal popularity of vinyl be explained? The endurance of hardback and paperback books? Of film and instant photography? Or ten years of a print magazine like UPPERCASE? Certainly, there are more than a few contributing factors but I believe it comes down to this: We are made to hold things in our hands. And in our struggle to find balance in the digital age, we are reaching more and more for what we can hold in our hands. Make no mistake, we love the immediacy and convenience of digital. We show no signs of giving that up. Clearly, the Internet is here to stay. But our records and books and film photographs are not going anywhere, either—just as surely an even newer generation is perched to discover them. And just as sure as you are holding this issue of UPPERCASE in your own hands, right now.
encyclopediaofinspiration.com
X E N I A S C H A E F F E R SaturdayAMVintage.com X E N I A S C H A E F F E R SaturdayAMVintage.com
IN THIS ISSUE:
lasting longevity supplies subscribers cake contest enthusiastic ekphrastic birthday blackwing pencils perspective
U PPERCA SE has the best readers in the world! Thank you for 10 years and many more to come.
COVER BY LAURA MOYER S H AV I N G S B Y Z A N I N L AWRENCE-POLITIS
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