Blackbird Attic Again Presents, Love/Hate!

This is our third year putting together Love/Hate, an interactive art show at Blackbird Attic. Think Post Secret, but on a local level. Everyone gets a chance to bare their deepest truest emotions and secrets, whether love or hate, and best of all, it can be completely anonymous.



We have a typewriter available for use at 442 Main Street in Beacon. Letters are also accepted (secretly slid under the door or placed in the box inside) at this location up until Thursday, February 7th.
You can also submit anonymously online here.

Get creative! You can also hand in photos or collages (smaller sizes preferred).

Opening reception will be held at Blackbird Attic 442 Main Street from 5 – 8pm, in which all the letters and art will be unveiled. After the artshow, we will be hosting a dance party at 159 Fishkill Ave, just a few blocks away from Blackbird Attic, to dance the love/hate away. Refreshments will be served at both locations.




Schedule of Events:

5-8pm- View letters at Blackbird Attic, 
442 Main Street

8pm- Walk over to 159 Fishkill Ave

8:30pm- Our version of "The Dating Game"

9pm- Dandy Lions live

9:45pm- Brown Bread & Von Holt live

10:30pm- Moar Dance Music

“There’s nothing in this world so sweet as love. And next to love the sweetest thing is hate.”—H.W. Longfellow

New Art Show and a New Window

I have a new art show every month here at Blackbird Attic. The opening is always the second Saturday of each month, from 6-9pm. On this night, Beacon becomes it's liveliest self, with lots of events (and free wine!) all down Main street. If you've never been to Beacon, this is the day to visit. Beacon Arts and Beacon Citizen are good sources to find out what's going on, but you pretty much just need to start at one end and walk your way down to the other. The middle gets a little iffy, but definitely make your way to the east end and you will be paid off with the majority of galleries, antiques, an awesome art covered building and a waterfall!

I could talk forever about how awesome Beacon is and is becoming,
but let's talk about my shop again ; ).

 

So tomorrow, the opening of Julianna Swaney's 'Secret Messages' art show is happening. You can RSVP and get more details here, but basically around 6:30pm I line a table with goodies like wine and cupcakes and along with that, you get to enjoy a little art viewing and a little shopping! I hope to see you; but either way here is a teaser of her work!

Also, how awesome is my intern Ngoc? She is both talented in the tedious side of a consignment shop and the fun-crafty-artistic side. I finally decided on a window theme and she is the perfect person for the job..  Here's a little preview of what's to come:

Enveloped, Art by Joanna Matuck at Blackbird Attic

"There was a search involved with these pieces, understanding my place in love gained and love lost, and finding room in my heart for loving myself." - Joanna Matuck

These pieces are painted with watercolor, gouache, and acrylic and ball-point pen on printmaking paper.

Snacks and wine to be served at the opening reception, Saturday October 8th from 6 to 9pm.

Joanna Matuck resides in Worcester Massachusetts. She graduated from Montserrat College of Art in May 2009 with a BFA, Concentration in Illustration. Her illustrations are a unique blend of technical illustrations and the technologies at hand. She plays with mediums including ball-point pen, graphite, acrylic, monotype printmaking and digital with an understanding of the Adobe Creative Suite. She recently received her certificate in Graphic/Web Design From Boston University's CDIA program. She organizes sketch nights for local artists in her spare time and has shown her work in over a dozen gallery exhibits across New England over the past year.

http://www.joannamatuckstudios.com/









RSVP Here

Tricks That Girls Can Do

The Disaster Life show opening was this past Friday. Tricks That Girls Can Do explores the themes of life, death and life after death in works of pen, ink and watercolor. The show will be up for purchase and viewing till May 12th.

Catching Up

Hello everyone! I have been a bad blogger.. so let's catch up..

Recently my sister has come to Beacon to help out at the shop. With the extra hands I've finally achieved my goal of getting more things online. Right now there are a variety of vintage purses and dresses on my etsy. There are a couple items on eBay at the moment as well, including two Marc Jacobs tops. I also took pictures of a bunch of the women's tops and men's top that are in store. Everything is available for shipment. I'll be putting things on etsy (vintage and handmade) more frequently now and also try to have a photo inventory of many of the items in the shop on my facebook page. If you would like to be updated on this, 'like' my fb page.



I've marked a lot of things down in store for a spring cleaning sale. I'm also doing a written questionnaire in store, if you stop by and fill it out you have the chance to win a $30 gift certificate! I'll be doing more promos in the upcoming months including a frequent buyer card.



We changed the windows up a bit, adding a lot of little birdhouses to one window, and hanging some clothes in the other. Something fresh and fun for spring. You'll be seeing some adobrable little kitties in the windows in May for our annual adoption event. Our store is also going to be used as a location for a short film and we're hoping to get a promo video out of that as well.







On Friday Aril 8th, I am having an art show called Tricks That Girls Can Do by The Disaster Life. You can RSVP here.



Also important to mention! Our one year anniversary is this May! There will be an event for this..more details to come..

Lastly, just wanted to let everyone know that we are taking in items on consignment. We're looking for items for spring and summer, styles you'd find at Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, or designer pieces. Also Vintage that is pre 80's, unique jewelry and accessories, and cute homewares/decorations. You can bring things by any day (except Tue/Wed), between 12-5pm.

Love / Hate Event

This past weekend we held our Love / Hate event. We accepted anonymous letters and put a typewriter out for use in accomplishing this task. Weren't exactly sure how to display the letters, but (seen below) is what came to play the night before. Worked out very nicely. It's so fun reading the different letters. I would love to do another similar event in the future. This was one of the more unique events I've held, and now my brain is ticking, thinking of new ways to top it. Feel free to comment if you have any event ideas!

One thing that is in the works is a one year anniversary event. Yes. I have been here almost one year. I cannot believe it either. So much has happened, yet I feel somewhat in limbo. I guess a business is always improving and changing though. But can you believe I don't have a proper logo yet? It has to be just right! Just right is tough though.. I think I need to start pestering my boyfriend (who can draw) so we can sit down and come up with something, because it's about time.

Anyway, now that i am outing myself as a bad business owner, enjoy the photos of the event below. I am waiting on some shots from the dance party that was held at The Coffee Shoppe. I present.. the letters:













Rearranged the shop a bit. That's a Liberty of London Shawl on the shelf. Below are a few gold clutches and these lovely fur collars that someone found in their mother's old hope chest. Variety of vintage purses on the shelves.



Not the best shot of these, but I (and some friendly-friends) labored over sewing the heart garland seen above. I used Valentine theme scrap book paper and old newspaper. It's a nice mix to go with the light/dark theme.



Apologies for the angry look, but here I am taking a non pink and red approach on valentine's day, while still keeping with the cutesy theme. I am wearing a vintage gold heart with floral print necklace (no close up shot, but it's one of my heirloom pieces), a black sheer polka-dot top over a tank top from Urban (bought years ago, but still holding on to), a floofy (sorry, I like this word) ballerina skirt from Forever 21, some cute tights with a bow print (Etsy), plus my vintage black boots and a cardigan to stay warm.

Hope you enjoyed the post! Come check out the show if you're in the area. I don't have an event planned for March, so I may be keeping this up till at least 2nd Sat in March.

In the Works

I have a couple events in the works.. first:

BLACKBIRD ATTIC, in association with THE COFFEE SHOPPE proudly present a fantastic, interactive, proactive evening of art, romance, mayhem, and exposition of the soul, in which your courage to tell that special someone how much you really love them, or your need to stick it to that someone who makes your skin crawl with hate, is our focus and product. The best part of it all, they don't ever have to know its you.

If you find your...self seething with joy or despair, elation or depression, butterfly kisses or middle fingers, then we have an outlet for you. We're here to help you craft a work of passion, be it hate or love; an anonymous proclamation of yourself through the magic and mystery, and nearly lost art called "typewritten word".

Wander into Blackbird Attic and The Coffee Shoppe February 6th through the 10th to participate. We will have type-writers and paper ready and at the go. We're inviting you to stop by, sit down, and pour it out like they did before the interwebs, through a letter. Straight and forward narrative, avant garde, poetry, or anecdotes, everything goes.

You can let them know what you've always wanted to let them know with out letting them know that you're letting them know.

Submissions end on Thursday, February 10th.
All letters will be collected, and displayed on February 12th.

Opening reception will be held at Blackbird Attic 442 Main Street Beacon NY from 5 p.m - 8 p.m. in which the all the letters will be unveiled. Then, after decking yourself out in some of Blackbirds serious threads, stretch and limber up, and join us at The Coffee Shoppe as we celebrate, read a few selected entries, and dance the love/hate away.

"There's nothing in this world so sweet as love. And next to love the sweetest thing is hate."

---h.w. longfellow

And a sewing class!

Blackbird Attic, the Coffee Shoppe and local designer Allyson Vermeulen are excited to announce a very affordable opportunity to enhance your sewing abilities.

We will be sewing a wrap dress, following Collette Patterns Crepe Dress pattern. If you know how to sew but have never followed a pattern before, this is a great place to start! You will learn basic principles of garment construction, interfacing and finishing techniques.

Students will come to class with pattern pieces already cut from their fabric of choice. (The instructor will be available during studio hours or by appointment in the 2 weeks prior to class to assist and answer questions for this part of the process) There is an alternate pattern available for men (Collette Negroni Short Sleeve Button-Down)

Basic sewing knowledge and a portable sewing machine are required.

Class Fee -$75 For two 3 hour sessions.

March 7th 7-10pm
March 14th 7-10pm

$38 deposit is required at sign-up. Space is limited. Please bring deposit to Blackbird Attic 442 Main St, Beacon NY. ASAP.

E-mail info @ blackbirdattic.com with questions or for more information.

More Important Information:

Please purchase pattern (*and tools/supplies listed on pattern envelope) online prior to class:
http://www.colettepatterns.com/shop/crepe
Alternatively- http://www.colettepatterns.com/shop/negroni

Fabric should be light to medium weight cotton.

Studio Hours:
Monday 2/28, Tuesday 2/22 and 2/28 from 7-10, and Saturday 2/26 from 11-1, or by appointment.

Sarah Blank Artshow Opening

This past weekend we had the show opening for Sarah Blank. I love the use of different frames and that the pieces were created by using different techniques, the textures adding a level of interest. My favorite is 'Seafaring Heart'. At first glance it reminded me of my boyfriend's grandma as it looks like her when she was younger. There are cardinals flying away from her and his grandma loves/collects cardinals. On top of that, her brooch is of a ship and there are ships/sea in the background (her husband who passed recently was a navyman). Each piece seems to tell a story. All pieces will be available for purchase in store and select pieces will be available online.

Sarah Blank Artshow at Blackbird Attic

This upcoming Second Saturday in Beacon, I am pleased to announce the show 'Wandering in the Wintertime' by Sarah Blank. The show will be up from December 11 to January 7.

A reception that is free and open to the public will be held on opening night from 6pm to 9pm. Blank's artwork will be available for purchase.

"My inspiration for the show came from daydreams during long winter walks," says Blank. "In my work I am influenced by myth, fairy tales and personal experiences in the natural world. I am constantly on a treasure hunt for subject matter."

Her whimsical paintings are usually created from a combination of oils, watercolor, and mixed media.

After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, Blank pursued a Master's degree in Art Education from Montclair State University. She is now the proud mother of a beautiful baby boy.


Artist, Sarah Blank

Fumi Mini Nakamura Show Opening

Last night was the art opening for Fumi Mini Nakamura's show, 'I Want to be Your Favorite Hello and you Hardest Goodbye'. Pieces are available on my web store until December 13th. To make the event a little extra special, I got cupcakes made by Let Them Eat Cupcakes. I was happy with the turn out and steady flow of customers throughout the night! Special thanks to my intern for bringing all her friends, haha. I also got to meet the artist, Fumi, who traveled up from New York City, not far from the neighborhood I used to live in. I was curious what she would think of Beacon and she loved it.. and we would all love to have her move up here and add to our community of artists ; ). She is very sweet and I am so happy that she wanted to have a show at my boutique. Thank you Fumi!