NEW MEMBER WELCOME // Say Hello to Cinematographer Clemens Krüger

We're excited to introduce cinematographer Clemens Krüger, who has arrived in New York and at 3rd Ward alongside his frequent collaborator, Vincent Urban (more on him here). Like Urban, Krüger got started by making skateboarding and snowboarding movies, but he then moved on to work on short and feature films in Germany.

Lately Krüger has been working with Urban on commercial productions as well as a new passion: travel films. Last year they shipped their friend's Land Rover to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and spent two months traveling through Thailand, Laos and Cambobia, capturing the trip on their DSLRs. Check that video out here.

The pair have also been supporting themselves by editing short tourism clips for the region of South Tyrol in Northern Italy. They are looking to connect with other filmmakers in New York, so check out their stuff and get in touch!

Here's Krüger's terrific showreel (feast your eyes on more over on his Vimeo page):

ENAMELING UP CLOSE // Learn to Make Sgraffito and Plique-à-jour Jewelry This Summer

Previously, we took a look at the magic behind champlevé and cloisonné, jewelry-making techniques that you can learn in our Enameling 2 class. Now we'll round out our series with the class' other two processes, sgraffito and plique-à-jour.

Sgraffito is an approach that also exists in painting, drawing and decor (it was particularly popular in the Art Nouveau movement), but with enameling it involves applying and firing a base coat of enamel on a piece, followed by a thin layer of sifted, powdery enamel of a different color. The top layer is then scratched off in the desired shape or pattern, revealing the base coat. Another firing in the kiln preserves it. To the right you can see a matching necklace and earrings made with sgraffito enameling by Kira Scott. For more on sgraffito (which is derived from the same Italian word as graffiti—graffiare, "to scratch"), check out this tutorial.

Plique-à-jour (French for "open to light") is the technique of creating different sections of translucent enamel that are divided and supported by a metal framework. Think stained glass, but with enamel and metal rather than glass and lead. It's also similar to cloisonné, but without a base surface supporting the enamel. For an idea of what plique-à-jour pieces look like take a look at some images on Flickr.

OK, enough explaining! Just sign up for Enameling 2 this summer and make your own sgraffito and plique-à-jour jewelry!

--John Ruscher

Sewing Volunteers needed at BurdaStyle's Renegade Booth

Our friends at BurdaStyle are looking for a few crafty volunteers on June 11 & 12th at the Renegade Craft Fair at McCarren Park. Burdastyle will be teaching people how to sew easy drawstring bags. Any crafters, sewing enthusiasts, or BurdaStyle fans are welcome! They will need assistance with set-up, break down, teaching sewing, distributing info cards and promoting sewing to all attendees. Available shifts are between 11am and 7pm on both days. Email Susan Juvet, susan@burdastyle.com for more info.

Not able to volunteer? You can still learn from Burdastyle by taking one of our sewing classes.

Click here for Sewing I and here for Sewing II.

NEW MEMBER WELCOME // Filmmaker Vincent Urban Makes the Jump from Munich to Brooklyn

 

Drum roll please... It's time to introduce you to one of our newest members, Vincent Urban.

Urban is a filmmaker working mostly in editing, post-production and directing, and he comes to 3rd Ward after moving to New York from Munich, Germany with his frequent collaborator, Clemens Krüger (more on Krüger shortly.) Urban got started in filmmaking by putting together amateur snowboarding and skateboarding movies on VHS, but that work soon grew into a full-time gig producing professional snowboarding films. Lately he's been working more on commercial productions and travel films.

During a vacation to New York, Urban and Krüger were so taken with the city that they decided to take up shop here indefinitely. "Two days later we had our new apartment in Brooklyn and found out about 3rd Ward while looking for a co-working space online," Urban says. "It's just perfect for us here, as it's a very professional and artistic environment, there's good people, there's coffee and it's just a couple of blocks from the new home."

Urban and Krüger have quickly found the city to be a rich environment for their work. "Whenever we are not in the office, we are somewhere in the city, trying to capture the look and feel of New York with our little DSLRs."

Can't wait to see what they put together! For now, hit the jump to check out a travel clip of Urban and Krüger's recent trip to Southeast Asia as well as one of Urban's travel/skating/snowboarding edits. For even more head to Urban's Vimeo page.

Makerbot Make-A-Thon // 3D Pics are Up!

BarnettDid you come to our Makerbot Make-A-Thon and get scanned? Here are some of the 3D scans that were taken by resident Makerbot artist, Kyle McDonald. Click on each image and you can rotate each image in 3D! Plus, click here for the full album on Thingiverse.com.

And this is just the beginning. You can start with a face... but can add or subtract anything you want. Add some glasses, a quarter behind your ear, or a salt shaker balancing on nose. Poke around Thingiverse and see what else you can find.

TJSaira

Crest Fest 2011 // June 18!

Crest Fest 2011
Saturday, June 18
1:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Crest Hardware // 558 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn

Join our friends at Crest Hardware on June 18th for Crest Fest; the official launch party for the Crest Hardware Art Show! This year’s program will include a live music stage, two DJ booths, local, creative art & food vendors and additional involvement from surrounding businesses and community organizations.

The group art show includes 100+ works from various artists of different mediums and will be installed throughout 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, including a 5,000 sq ft urban garden.  Plus, enjoy food from local vendors and live music performances by The Suzan, EMEFE, Gunfight! & Little Victory. DJ sets by FAT & EZ, Nick Catchdubs, Lucas Walters, Dom Rocket, Rok One, King Cut, Synapse, Peter Hale & Krunk Pony.

For full details, including performers, artists and how to get involved, head here.

Wind Up // Photos are Up!

Thank you to everyone who came out for our first networking Wind-Up! New friends were made, old friends were reunited, and that elusive, awesome thing called "community" was here in abundance.

See below for our favorites from the night and check out the 3rd Ward Facebook Page or Flickr to see more member presentations, tacos and Camarena Tequila.

The next Wind Up is Thursday, June 30. Come grab a drink and mix and mingle with the 3rd Ward community!

Birthday BBQ // Photos are Up!

Thanks to all who came out to celebrate 3rd Ward's 5th Birthday! See below for some selects from the day and visit the 3rd Ward Facebook page  or Flickr to see the entire album.

If you didn't make it out for the Birthday, you can still enjoy delicious eats, live music and dancing at 3rd Ward! Mark your calendars, our 4th Annual Pig out is July 18th! 

© Liz Clayman

© Liz Clayman

© Liz Clayman

© Liz Clayman

© Liz Clayman

© Liz Clayman

Congratulations to our Open Call Winners!

GRAND-PRIZE WINNER: Maurice Mbikayi

Graphic, gritty, with a lingering beauty that digs under your skin. Our 3rd Ward Open Call judges were awestruck by the socially-engaged work of Maurice Mbikayi, whose mixed media works combine history, technology and identity with a rare intelligence and wit.

Based in Cape Town, Mbikaya draws his inspiration from provocative socio-political boundaries. The result is an eclectic body of work consisting of paper, large-scale installations and site-specific performances. His work has been critically acclaimed by the art community in South Africa, and now Mbiyaki will bring his exhilarating vision to 3rd Ward.

CLICK HERE to see Mbiyaki's full portfolio and stay tuned for news on Mbiyaki’s 3rd Ward residency and solo gallery show, which will incorporate installation and performance specifically created for 3rd Ward.

Early Entry Deadline Winner: Mark Ingham 

Also, congratulations to Early Entry Deadline Winner, Mark Ingham, whose ambitious video installation caught the eye of our judging panel with its inventive use of homemade projectors and audience participation.

... And Our Top 25

 Click on each image to learn more about each artist. And congrats to everyone!     

Angela Zammarelli	Aranzazu Gayosso	Bruno Martelli	Catherine Lane	Cheryl Willruinyourlife
Chris Mckee	Dana Haim	Esther Ruiz	Evelyne Leblanc-Roberge	Heechan Kim
Hyemmi Cho	Ilaria Ortensi	Karen Asher	Leah Tacha	Maria TnT
Melanie Loew	Rosa Chang	Sara Le Roy	Sara Zin	Stephanie Liner
Suzanne Sattler	Virginia Echeverria	Willem Besselink	Yasuaki Onishi	Zoe Williams

MEMBER PURSUITS // Robin Grearson Makes Her Curatorial Debut with "Stay Gold"

 

The fifth annual Bushwick Open Studios is happening this weekend and there's one showcase that you absolutely must not miss: "Stay Gold," an exhibition at Curbs & Stoops put together by 3rd Ward's own Robin Grearson.

Grearson is primarily an essayist (she's been published in the New York Times and Brooklyn Rail), but since moving to Brooklyn last year she's been branching out to collaborate with artists and explore other creative processes. "I've discovered a complementary relationship between writers and visual artists that's been very inspiring for me, particularly painters whose work is nonlinear," she says. Last year she teamed up with street artist Quel Beast and back in February her visual story "Blind Date, Brooklyn" decorated King's County.

Now Grearson will make her curatorial debut with "Stay Gold," which features five Bushwick-based artists that have inspired her: Criminy Johnson, Don Pablo Pedro, Nathan Pickett, Quel Beast and Vahge.

"To me, the work in this exhibition reflects Bushwick right now: talented, creative, young artists who have each developed a voice and visual vocabulary of his and her own," she says. 

"Stay Gold" will be on display at Curbs & Stoops during Bushwick Open Studios on June 3, 4 and 5, and there will be an artist reception on Saturday, June 4 from 7-10pm, featuring live painting by Nathan Pickett and Veng/Robots Will Kill.

After the jump check out pieces from "Stay Gold" by Nathan Pickett and Criminy Johnson, along with Grearson's insightful take on each!

"Nathan Pickett's 'Prey' is a complex nonlinear narrative rich with familiar and unfamiliar figures and characters and conveys a sense of multiple dimensions."

"Street artist QRST, who's been getting some attention lately for colorful animals wheatpasted around town, is exhibiting his oil paintings, under his 'non-street art name,' Criminy Johnson. His paintings portray scenes that are deceptively familiar but which he describes as 'strange and bent places.'"