Happy Giving Tuesday! We're 66% Funded and We Need Your Help!

It's giving Tuesday! We love supporting Central Arkansas Library System, Celebrate Maya Project, The C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference, Women's Foundation of Arkansas, and other organizations promoting literacy for all and strengthening women (especially in their creativity).

Crystal C. Mercer's Kickstarter for her book From Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair is an incredible way to support a Black woman artisan in her craft--an entirely hand-stitched children's book representing 467 hours of sewing love. With 80 believers, it's 66% funded! But it's all or nothing and your support means everything. There are loads of handmade rewards at all levels to thank you for backing this project that is unique in all the world. Hope you'll spend a few minutes with "Auntie CC," to see a couple of book pages and learn more!

And whomever you choose to give to today, may you be awash in joy and appreciation for your gifts!

Women Makers of Arkansas, Interview #1: Ceramicist Dawn Holder

After a rough start to the day realizing that my digital camera was broken, Et Alia intern Victoria Mays came to the rescue . . . ends up we both have the same Nikons, could interchange lenses, and were off and away on our road trip to Clarkesville, AR, to meet and visit with 2017 Delta Award winning ceramicist, Dawn Holder in her studio at the University of the Ozarks.   

We got right to the heart of everything as Dawn shared her two current projects with us as she prepares for their exhibitions. First, we toured and talked in her studio home at University of the Ozarks and then headed to her home studio. She sent us home filled with excitement for her upcoming exhibits, a deeper understanding of how hard she works for her art, and with hands full of plants to root back in Little Rock.

Look forward to learning more about Dawn's current projects, her advice to emerging creatives, and how she sometimes tricks herself into the hard work that it takes to be an artist in the Women Makers of Arkansas book project, forthcoming Spring 2019 from Et Alia Press. 

A huge thank you to Dawn for opening her studio and home to us and for getting this project started with thoughts of strength, fragility, and radiance. 

In the video below, hear Dawn speak about her porcelain glass projects. and look forward to hearing about her current work in the Women Makers of Arkansas book project, forthcoming Spring 2019 from Et Alia Press.