Keeping Pace with a Changing Workplace // An interview with Jason Goodman

The other day, All That We've Met, a blog of ideological interviews with influencers, met with our Executive Director, Jason Goodman. Click here to read the whole interview, and below for some choice insights on our vision, values, and building community for a modern age.

On what we think about everyday.

A lot of it is [about] having a deeper understanding of what [3rd Ward] is doing. When we started off, we were focused on the base needs that we were providing to people: giving people access to [creative] facilities. And then we thought, well, there's something beyond that....The key to surviving [as] 3rd Ward is to really listen to our members, meet their basic and higher needs, and never ever stop innovating.

On providing new ways of problem-solving in a changing world.

One of the reasons why 3rd Ward is so successful is because we enable people to step out of the companies and work for themselves.

Going from 10% freelance in the ‘90s, 30% of the country is freelance today. 50% in the next ten years? We see that trend happening. It's probably not going to stop, and we want to provide the resources that the company used to provide to all these freelance innovators. The challenge is keeping up with a restructuring, work society.

On taking risks.

I think what’s underappreciated is that failure is part of progress, in that there is real danger in being a success. As New Yorkers, we’re really success focused. The problem with success-thinking is that you got to make sure it’s going to work. If you make sure it’s going to work, you better not do anything different. You better do what you know is going to work. That’s what makes success. So fuck success.

On building 3rd Ward's community.

Everybody talks about community community community; it’s a buzz word. You cannot just add water and magically have community. Especially not a good community. Community is a living, breathing thing that never stops moving. So the most important thing to maintaining one is to remain constructively adaptive.

Want to learn more about 3rd Ward? Come take a tour and see first-hand what Jason's talking about.

Provocation // Barnett Cohen in a Group Show at powerHouse

Don't be alarmed if some people react with anger to my nude image...Provocation // A Juried Photo Invitational

powerHouse Arena

37 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Opening Reception: March 26, 6-8pm //

On view Until April 17

Barnett Cohen (Member since '10) will be showing his work at Provocation, an invitational event juried by Sophie Morner, the Publisher & Editor of Capricious Magazine, Jessie Wender, Associate Picture Editor at The New Yorker and Sam Barzilay, the Festival Director of The New York Photo Festival. 

Barnett's piece is titled "Don't be alarmed if some people react with anger to my nude image. The older and the younger have no social right to nakedness, especially to the obese who have a difficult time with self image."

It is part of a work-in-progress that is currently titled: The Curious Life of Oliver Hurt and focuses exclusively on Oliver, a southern eccentric who lives in a clapboard house in Cordele, Georgia. He reads voraciously, loves his Miller High Life, and prefers to spend his time in the nude.

See this work and the rest of the salon-style show at powerHouse. For more information, click here.

On Art & Current Events

When we planned this show in February, we were drawn to the immediacy of Steven Brahms’ work. THE SURVIVAL PROJECT is a story of contemporary man's battle with nature. Our primal knowledge. The before and after of the captured dramatic moment.

Steven’s work has now become oddly prescient, as the earthquake in Japan has brought to mind many of these feelings.

Looking at Steven’s images and the news and back again, it becomes even more clear why we like Steven’s art in the first place. The interpretations are many, but for us, it asks us to deeply consider what we know, what we see, and what we fear. These are deep questions that are even more relevant now.

It is the task of contemporary artists to consistently engage with social and cultural dialogue in ways that investigate, explore and sometimes even provoke new perspective. We invite you to this conversation, this Friday, March 18th. 

CLICK here to learn more about THE SURVIVAL PROJECT and RSVP.

CLICK here to read Steven Brahms' Artist Statement.



Shot at 3rd Ward // Chiun-Kai & the World's Top Asian models

It's not every day that the world's top Asian male models come together for a shoot. But Chiun-Kai Shih (member since '08), did just that -- shooting seven of them and their distinctive personalities for WINQ Magazine here at 3rd Ward.

Scroll down for some behind-the-scenes shots (shot with the Chunky lens, of course), including Japanese actor, Tet Wada, rising star, Noma Han, and David Chiang, hot off the heels of a VOGUE Hommes Japan spread, shot by Steven Klein.

Karl Lagerfeld once called David "a really beautiful Chinese girl."Noma Han has burst on the scene, already landing campaigns with Tommy Hilfiger and Benetton.Seijo Imazaki was discovered by Bruce Weber and is making his modeling comeback after a 10-year hiatus. Jemy Dayrit with actor and high-fashion model, Tet Wada.Time CharoenthaitaweeNoma Han, Jae Yoo & David Chiang

Shot at 3rd Ward // Behind-the-Scenes with Burdastyle

We've been loving all the shots Burdastyle took in Studio B the other week, including this wild cardi and this Pendleton cape. There's always so much energy in their photos, and now we know why -- they have fun! See below for a behind-the-scenes video of their 3rd Ward shoot and how Burdastyle brings their fashion to life.

Wanna get sew-savvy? Sign up for one of our Sewing Classes (Level 1 here and Level 2 here) -- taught with Burdastyle's beloved patterns.

Print & Pass! Class Collabs in DIY Printmaking

Duchamp, Breton, Man Ray, and Joan Miro played it. Now 3rd Ward Instructor, Christine Garvey has introduced her own version of that surrealist parlor game, Exquisite Corpse to her very popular DIY Printmaking class.

Print & Pass is a simple game with surprising results: You get a piece of paper and make a mark with the block, stamp or stencil you made in class. Then, you pass to the right, and the next person must respond to all the stamps that came before. You never know what will turn up.

Check out what February’s DIY Printmaking class made on their last day and sign up for your own DIY Printmaking class here.

 Meghan gets her blocks ready for printing.Two students have made their mark. Jamie passing it for the finish. Voila! A finished, team-effort print.

Member-Made // Working some of the world's finest wood

Typically, Michael Wong (Member since ‘09 and owner of ETHER Atelier) receives a huge piece of wood to work with, but this piece of Claro Walnut was an exception. His client, The Red Threads, gave him a single slab and one task: to let the beauty of the material shine.

Michael carefully planed, leveled and sanded the top, showcasing the wood's natural richness and color variation. The live edge sides with hard-scrubbed with steel wool. In 10 days, he came up with this stunner.

Interested in your own custom table? Michael and ETHER specialize in products with elemental and powerful connections to the material. Email membermade@3rdward.com for more information. Price upon request. When you buy a table like this for your home or office, expect tons of comments.

"Claro" means "bright" in Spanish. We can see why.

In our shop, all oiled and ready to be delivered to the client. Email membermade@3rdward.com for more info.

Make This // Turn a logoed bag into something yours

Banish logos for your own custom floral design.So you need a new spring bag? 3rd Ward Instructor, Kat Roberts, has a great way to spruce up an old tote with some easy and pretty flowers you can easily make at home (no sewing experience necessary).

1) Start off with a sturdy bag. This second-hand American Eagle was perfect, from the color to the shape to the size -- it's just a matter of concealing the words. Thrift stores tend to be packed with cheap logo-ed items, so look there for materials! 

2) To make the flowers:

-- Choose contrasting fabrics and cut them in shapes of varying diameter, from 2" to 4". If you want, use a circle template, or cut the flowers freehand for a more oblong bloom.Sew a running stitch around the perimeter of each circle.

-- Sew a running stitch around the edge of the circle edge, making sure to leave a couple extra inches of thread when the stitch comes back to its origin point.

-- Finish the flower by pulling the thread tight so the circle bunches in on itself. Tie it off and there's your first flower!

-- Repeat with as many flowers as you like and hand sew them onto the tote in a cascading pattern, trying to conceal the stitch marks as much as possible.

3) Finishing touches:

-- Replace any uninspiring straps by Have fun with colors, textures and shapes -- it's your bag.just cutting them off and replacing with strips cut out from an old leather belt.

Congratulations! You've made your own custom tote. Learn some more smart, fashion-forward up-cycling techniques at Kat's website here.



Today, Culture STOPS! // Support & Sign here

Have you noticed dimmed lights, dead-end messages, or website "error" messages this morning? That's no mistake. Today, March 10th, cultural organizations across the nation are showing the world what could happen when Culture Stops!

Creative thought is the lifeblood democracy. If you want to get involved in this important movement, please sign this petition and let the President and Congress know that proposed budget cuts could have a devastating effect on the cultural, economic and entrepreneurial vitality of American life.

Today's actions might be an act, but there could come a day when writers put down their pens, artists put down their brushes, debate is supressed in our universities and our symphony halls are silenced.

SIGN HERE to protect the future of creativity, imagination and thought in American life.

Moving soon? Connect with others with Roomates Wanted NYC

http://roommateswantednyc.com/You know the game. Troll Craigslist. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Looking for an apartment is not easy -- especially in NYC.

Roommates Wanted NYC organizes mixers to get your living situation figured out simply, swiftly, and with some fun, too. Find a place to live or a person to rent to without worrying about no-shows, waiting games, or scams.

Now until the month of May, 3rd Ward Members get into all events for free (typically $5 with RSVP, $10 without). Click here for the event schedule and happy apartment hunting!