T.E.S.T. Interview: NeverwaresOnEtsy

We hope to introduce you to all the great Etsy sellers to be found right here in Toronto. Here at the T.E.S.T. blog, we plan to interview them all. This is the 92nd in our series and is with Never Poplar of NeverwaresOnEtsy.  

I think I’ll start off by asking who/what informs your aesthetic. Your website and work evoke a sort of William S Burroughs’ Naked Lunch met Terry Gilliam’s Brazil; a sort of future retro, if you will. Would you call yourself a Luddite?

I adore machinery, and taking things apart to see what makes them tick, literally. ;) I'm inspired primarily by the detail of craftsmanship I find inside. If you open up a pocket watch from the early 1900s you'll not only find a fantastic set of intricate movements, you'll also find elaborate engravings on most of the pieces. I like to find these pieces, make them into something wearable, and show off all the work that went into creating them. I am definitely not a Luddite. I adore technology and the chances for progression that it affords society.  

Tell us more about Neverwares. Where are you from and does this influence your work, how did you get started taking apart typewriters? ;)

I was born and raised here in Toronto, Canada. I don't think it really influences my work at all, except that maybe our disposable western society provided a lot of junk for me to experiment with. I got my start taking things apart when I was a young teen. I'd find old broken electronics out on the street and wanted to see what was inside. I then moved on to analogue machines such as typewriters and broken watches.  

You refer to yourself as a metalsmith. A majority of your work employs found objects; gears, type-keys, buttons, watch parts. How do you curate the items used in your work, where does the metalsmithing take place (do you make your own findings, settings? Do you hand form the rings used?) Tell us about your process.

My process begins with each new machine I acquire. I have a wide variety of sources including friends, antique stores, yard sales, ebay, etc. I'm always on the look out for broken bits to transform. The most joyful part of the entire journey for me from machine to finished jewelry pieces is the disassembly, the discovery. I adore opening things up and discovering the workmanship inside, whether it be the mechanisms in an old typewriter, or the intricate engraving inside a 1920s pocket watch, I see the beauty and potential in all of it.

Once I have all the pieces apart the clean-up begins. Depending on the state of the machine when I receive it this part of the process can be quite time consuming. I have become very proficient in the removing of rust and machine oil. Then comes the design portion, where I lay everything out on my work bench in front of me and move pieces around until I find a pleasing configuration. I find I use my metalsmithing skills throughout the entire process. I have hundreds of hand tools and know how to use them all. I adore cold connections and use rivets to join many things together. As well, I often saw out of metal the pieces I imagine in my mind.

Is Neverwares a full time gig for you, or do you also have a day job? If so, what do you do?

I am thrilled that Neverwares has become my full time job. I recently completed an entrepreneurial course here in Toronto and wrote my business plan. With that clarity in mind I am able to fill in the gaps between creativity and business acumen.
  
Where do you see Neverwares in the next 5 years, what's in store for your fans?

Design wise, in the next 5 years I see an expansion of my men's line Machine Age. My goal is to marry my goldsmithing skills with my love of old machinery to create timeless heirloom quality pieces. Neverwares' mission is to invoke a sense of nostalgia and to showcase the exceptional craftsmanship of vintage machinery by giving people a wearable piece of history. I intend to continue to fulfill that mission.

Check out more of Michelle's work in her NeverwaresOnEtsy Shop! 

THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 2016 You can find Neverwares at the Bazaar of the Bizarre
11am - 8pm
Pia Bouman School
 6 Noble street, Toronto

You can also keep up to date with her here: 
Website: neverwares
Facebook: neverwares
Instagram: @neverwares

Interviewed by Tosca of Nanopod, March 22, 2016 in Toronto.

Vendor Call: Nanotacular

A message from T.E.S.T.'s own Tosca of nanopod:
The Nanotacular Spectacular Art + Craftacular
Join us for an underwater ultra-space holiday shopping bonanza featuring local artists, designers, and crafters and their one of a kind & limited edition jewelry, toys, knitted creations, screen-printed shirts and scarves, music, glasswork, handmade paper products, and more.

Time & Space: Saturday, December 15, from noon to 11 p.m
nanopod: hybrid studio• 322 Harbord Street, Toronto (Between Clinton & Grace)
647. 780. 4478 nanotopia@me.com •

Holiday treats, cider and cocoa will be served
Join us for our OtherWorldly evening soiree featuring video projections, specially created soundscapes, and cash bar! 6-11pm

A run of 2500 postcards are being off-set print for this event.

Sellers are not expected to be there for the entire event unless they wish (space constraints). No commissions are being taken, etc. Artists sell their own work through their own cc machines, Paypal or cash (or however they wish) IF artists choose to sell through the studio's cc machine then there will be a small fee (what the card companies charge).
If you are interested in participating, further details, etc., please convo me through Etsy or email me directly, nanotopia@me.com

Nanotacular Facebook page

Craft News: Wonderlandish by nanopod

Via the Toronto Craft Alert


NANOPOD: HYBRID STUDIO
www.nanopod.tv
322 Harbord Street
647.780.4478
nanotopia@me.com

Wonderlandish
December 10 (11:00am-6:00pm) & 11 (1:00am-5:00pm), 2011
a nanotopian installation
Sound + Vision by Andrei Gravelle & Tosca Teran

TEST's own nanopod: Hybrid Studio is taking part in this year’s City of Craft!
Not only will they have a booth where you can purchase signature nanotopian one-of-a-kind & limited edition gifts & special holiday gift certificates towards their metal + glass workshops and courses they are currently ‘elving’ away creating, Wonderlandish. A special installation taking place at the Theatre Centre during The City of Craft. Sneak peeks and experimentations of what’s in store are up daily on the nanopod blog.

T.E.S.T. interview: DinosDiedOfBoredom

We hope to introduce you to all the great etsy sellers to be found right here in Toronto. Here at the T.E.S.T. blog, we plan to interview them all. This is the 23^rd in our series, just in time for Hallowe'en, a monster-filled interview with Sheena of Dinos Died of Boredom.

When I first read your shop name, Dinosaurs Died of Boredom it evoked for me a sense of playfulness. Upon seeing your work besides the obvious, that you like to explore interpretations of well known iconic images. I would like to ask;

Describe your process:

I start off by finding a nifty person or monster that would look cool in watercolours. Then I make some tea. I paint said subject while drinking said tea. Wait for it to dry. Photograph the painting and then post on etsy. I will often put a notice on my facebook and tumblr pages about the ‘fresh off the easel’ painting and then probably have another cup of tea. Since I already mentioned the social media outlets, why not do a a bit of shameless plugging?
my dinosdiedofboredom facebook
dinosaurs died of boredom tumblr
Dinosaurs Died of Boredom Blog


What inspires you and draws you to working with iconic imagery?

I have an absolute obsession with retro. It started as a little kid bopping around my living room to Elvis and watching Leave It To Beaver when I came home for lunch. The first two CDs I ever bought were Elvis and The Beach Boys. As a teenager I started wearing vintage clothes and growing more of an appreciation for the cultural significance of the past several decades. I was always watching TV shows from the 50s-80s (loved The Munsters, Brady Bunch, Three’s Company, ALF…). I could always spend hours in a thrift or antique shop. When I was about 16, I read Frankenstein and Dracula and that set me on a path of deep love for monsters (which continues today, as can be seen by my mostly monstrous collection of paintings). Life moves horrifyingly quickly and shows/items/relics/images from an era gone by are like pieces of the past frozen in time.


Do you feel your work is a continuation of the pop art aesthetic of such masters as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein?

I’m going to go ahead and say yes. I certainly could never compare my pieces to the likes of Warhol and Lichtenstein, but I will attest to the fact that without pioneers such as them, who knows if there’d be a place in the landscape of art for quirky and kitschy paintings like mine. The pop artists of the 50s/60s really helped breakdown the distinction between high and low culture, revolting against what was typically considered fine art. As can be garnered from my lament of all things retro, I’m a big fan of pop culture (mostly from the 20s-80s). I watch a lot of film and TV (my day job is actually in film and TV) so, like Lichtenstein and Warhol, my inspiration is heavily drawn from sources of popular culture in music, movies and television.


What criteria do you use when selecting your images?

First, it has to look good in the style that I paint in (a lot of negative, white space).
Next, the subject matter has to be awesome. I love the classic monsters, so I tend to feature those creatures quite frequently. I also lean towards historic figures who have made my life a little better or more enjoyable in some way, whether it be a scientist, an actor, a musician or an artist.

It seems that you are using 'Dinosaur' as a metaphor for something that is past its time much the way we refer to, "dinosaur rock bands' for example.
How did you arrive at, Dinosaurs died of boredom?

Interesting way of looking at it. I suppose we can harken back to my aforementioned love of retro if we want to create a metaphor with the past. I never quite thought of it that way, but I like it.

“Dinosaurs Died of Boredom” actually came from a book… I have this very old book called “Strange Stories, Amazing Facts” and it is full of just what the title implies. One of those strange stories/amazing facts is the theory of Paleoweltshmerz that expresses a possible explanation for the extinction of dinosaurs. It claims that dinosaurs became so disillusioned with their ancient world that they died of boredom. I think that that is such an interesting and hilarious theory that I use it as a daily philosophy to live my life. Don’t die of boredom.


Please further define Paleoweltschmerz regarding your paintings.
Well, essentially I started painting so that I don’t die of boredom (as the dinosaurs may or may not have).

Biggest artistic influences:

Two influences who I think got to me subconsciously are Basil Gogos and Alex Pardee. It wasn’t until after I opened my etsy shop that I looked back on some of those gentlemen’s art work and I realized how they both, unbeknownst to me, crawled into my head and truly impacted my style. Gogos was an absolute master of monster art. In the 60s and 70s he painted bold portraits of ghastly ghouls, monsters and horror film actors. Most of his work was for the cover art of monster movie magazines. His dazzling use of colour and dramatic lighting create the effect that these creepy creatures are about to crawl out and get ya. He paints these ghouls in vivid colours, creating a neat juxtaposition between macabre images and happy colours, which I tend to do. Alex Pardee is in the new generation of monster artists. He also uses bright, jovial colours for his spooky drawings and there is a terrific sense of humour that comes through his art. The paint dripping off the page is an effect which he frequently employs, as do I. Again, it wasn’t until my shop was up and running for a few months that I looked back on some of Pardee’s work and I was astounded to see that, without consciously realizing it, I most likely swiped that idea from him. That’s part of the thing about pop culture, isn’t it? It’s so invasive; it penetrates your thoughts and ideas without you having any idea that it’s actually happening.


Working on now:


I’m working on a blog that I’ve started up. Seeing what the action is on this crazy blogosphere I’ve been hearing so much about. In terms of upcoming subjects for my paintings, I recently saw an excellent rendition of The Crucible performed by Ryerson University students and it has reminded me of how much I love Arthur Miller, so I think I’ll add him to the roster.

You can find more of Sheena's work at the aforementioned Dinos Died of Boredom Etsy shop, the dinosdiedofboredom facebook, dinosaurs died of boredom tumblr, and the new Dinosaurs Died of Boredom Blog. She was interviewed by Tosca of nanopod, in October, 2011.

T.E.S.T. interview: nanopod

We hope to introduce you to all the great etsy sellers to be found right here in Toronto. Here at the T.E.S.T. blog, we plan to interview them all. This is the 15^th in our series, an interview with Tosca of nanopod.

My first thought while perusing through your shop was Jules Verne meets Darwin. You have this incredible way of creating a magical, whimsical piece that has a scientific backbone. Can you tell us more about the way you merge these two, generally opposing worlds?

I am actually very much interested in the work of Leopold and Rudolf Blashka, who represented the natural world in their glass works as well as the drawings of Ernst Haeckel. I don’t necessarily think of my work as whimsical but perhaps like any scientific theory I may someday be proven wrong. ;)

There is a great deal of biological, anatomical and geological aspects to your art. Where does this come from? Do you have a background in science? And then can you elaborate on how you became an artist?

If we look back in Art History at some of the great masters (I am not saying that I am a master! Or great!), they were virtually inventing the sciences, in aide of accurately depicting the Human form and nature around them. To be an artist has not always been an exclusive pursuit of mine. I do not know how to elaborate on how I became an artist but I’ve always done exactly what it is that I’ve wanted to do!

I understand you have your own studio – is making art your full time job or do you specialize in anything else?

I teach metal + glass workshops and courses out of my studio. I am also a resident artist at the Ontario Science Centre, where I teach monthly workshops. So, yes I suppose I am a full time artist. As far as specializing in anything… Thank you though I'm not sure I've gotten there yet.

Some of your pieces come with a book and CD of music – I am so curious to know what’s in the book and what kind of music goes along with your art! Can you tell us more or is it a surprise for the buyer?

Well, the book & CD are for sale. ;) Andrei’s music is available on iTunes.

There is always music playing at my studio: electronic, ambient soundscapes, techno, classical, etc. Music influences my work; my work influences new musical collaborations. I've been incorporating music/soundscapes into my singular work and installations since the mid 90's.

I created an installation for Digifest 2003, at the Toronto Design Exchange called, Transgenic Morphosis. It was at this point Andrei and I started to collaborate musically together. Andrei understands where I am striving to take viewers, listeners with my work, and the landscapes I hear. For this installation Andrei and I also worked with artists Steve Storz and Lily Yung creating visuals and sound bytes.

The book & CD you reference were created for, An Unnatural History. This work was featured during SOFA, NY09.

The music is synergistic with my work; think of it as a soundtrack.

How on earth do you come up with such unique ideas? Where does your inspiration come from?

Thank you!

It's said, Nothing original exists because every thing has already been done...
Maybe. Though concepts, ideas and inspirations can be reinterpreted, re-imagined. I aspire to bring people into the worlds I see, and sometimes inhabit. Cellular, nanotechnology, biomechanical, String theory, astronomy, lucid dreams, tardigrades, Eno, Klaus Schulze, Max Ernst, Haeckel, movies, books, the crazy world I inhabit is full of constant inspiration.


You’ve been on Etsy for some years now (since 2006) and have been quite successful. Tell us more about your experience with Etsy over the years, and any insider tips that have brought so many buyers to your great shop (i.e.: how do you promote yourself?).

When I first heard about Etsy I recall thinking, "Etsy, what does that mean?" I quickly googled it, went to the site and joined. Back then I think there was something like 20,000 Buyers & Sellers. Initially I viewed it as 'gallery' of sorts. A place to possibly network.

Several months passed and I thought nothing would sell, as my prices were higher than most of the other Sellers. My first item sold for $300+ to a Buyer that has grown into a collector. I gradually added items that sold for under $100, $50, $30
And sales started to increase.

I've found the Showcase a great venue to promote work. Generally the Jewelry category is sold out so I've purchased via ‘mediums used’ or in the Sculpture, Art and Geekery showcases, which rarely seem to fill.

My work started getting blogged in the States, throughout Europe and else where!
Commenting on other people's Treasuries, even when you aren't featured, can often bring new people to your store.

Use an Avatar that will grab people's attention.

Anything you want to share about any up and coming plans?

An installation is in the works for Nuit Blanche. I hope team members
make it over to nanopod: Hybrid Studio to check it out!

You can see more of Tosca's work at the nanopod site, the nanopod etsy store, and on her nanopod: hybrid studio blog.

The Etsy blog, the Storque is featuring the 'Handmade Portrait' short film and a blog post about Tosca and the nanopod: hybrid studio! We include the embedded video below.

Interviewed by DinosDiedOfBoredom in March, 2011.

Handmade Portraits: Nanopod from Etsy on Vimeo.

Valentine's Day in the City

Less than a month away till Valentine's Day. Show your love with great handmade items from T.E.S.T., like new member HeyRube's I Heart You Card.






Just in time for Valentine's, get the Love Spells - Love Spell type Roll on Perfume by bubbletub







Give a one of a kind heart with THE Heart of Glass by nanopod








Give a tiny piece of art like the Bunny Love ACEO by ivaart








Encourage her dreams with Sterling Silver Pink Pearl Charm Bracelet by josoriginals







Keep your loved one warm with a Crocheted Flower Hat by slcaldwell225







For the reader: Stitched Cotton Heart on Natural Oatmeal Linen Bookmark by eyespotdesigns







Give kisses to your love with the Smooches Handkerchief by avrilloretti








For the fashionista: give the romantic pink silk hair band by tweek by ilovetweek






Earrings - Pink Heart Valentine by alisonsyer would make a great gift.








Show your love with the The Elizabeth Barrett Browning Collar - Red and Cream - Reversible by wintergarden







For the zombie fan or anatomist, get the Thinking of You Valentine IV - Multimedia Linocut Car by minouette








Show you're linked with the Black and red chainmaille ring by IvoryMorgan






Give the Fabienne Love Extra Long Necklace by 72studios









Beautiful housewares work for all occasions. Surprise her with the Kimono Pillow by gracedesign







For the music lover: Feel the Music by kellykrushel







Keep your lover warm through the cold winter with gauntlets by Dylaniumknits







Give the Golden Heart Handmade Card by SepiCards








Jewelry is always a good choose. Give the romantic fire red fan necklace by amandadelacruz








Does your friend have a great sense of humour and want a new boyfriend? Give the hilarious Larry David Sham Boyfriend Material Series by wolfieclothing

Naughty or Nice - A Grown-Up Christmas

Who says Christmas is just for kids? Need a gift for your partner this holiday, and need to be sure it arrives in time? Shop for great handmade and vintage items, right here in Toronto, with the Toronto Etsy Street Team. This list is like Santa's list, except the grown-ups might be rewarded for being Naughty. Well start with the Nice (just in case the Naughty might be NSFW -not suitable for work).

Things to get your Nice sweetie:

Necklace, Amethyst, matte finish, rice shape, by Cocosjewelry






Lace Me Up by 70popes







Fresh Water Baby Radiolaria ring by nanopod






The Poppies Linocut by minouette







Tears of Venus - ADJUSTABLE Sterling Silver Necklace with Lemon Quartz and White Topaz by princesstingting




headband with white bow by bakeapplejam






Shepherd's Hook Bookmark Millefiore Dusty Rose Glass by TesoroDelSol





Vintage Book Journal Notebook Sketchbook Scrapbook Old Blue Recycled Upcycled Repurposed 'The Top of the World' by coverstories



Dew Drop Bangle in Beige Copper - Small by wintergarden






2011 Fine Art Calendar 3.5 x 2.5 by tgilmartin






Urban Mitten Clip -- for big kids--blue buttons and recycled bike tubes by dervish





Snowman Mittens Turquoise Blue with Sequins by kittensmittensshop







Things to get your Naughty lover


Ladykiller - Vegan Mineral Loose Eyeshadow by KillerCosmetics.






Vintage 1980's Danier Crocodile Leather Crop Jacket. M/L from aneyeforvintage





Vampira - Horror Hostess - original watercolor painting by DinosDiedofBoredom





Revolver Gun Necklace by hibouacceosiries






Crocheted Nipple Pasties - Black with sequins and tape by SexOnAStitch





1940s Pink Silk Full Slip by missquitecontrary






Floral Wallpaper Couple Screenprinted 1 inch Pin Set by Geneviève Joduoin





THC Molecule Necklace - C21H30O2 by slashpile






We Ain't Friends Buttons set of 3 by aintfriends






Hungry Heart modern day Graphic novel English edition by ezhilin