This is Not Small House,

Edward Burtynsky, Manufacturing #17, Deda Chicken Processing Plant, Dehui City, Jilin Province, 2005

Lets start a conversation about something that is on all our minds as buyers and sellers and general makers of things,

(Fair) Pricing.


Okay. There it is. It's out of the bag, out on the table... open for discussion.

Now there are certain things we will all agree upon regarding this issue. We all know workers should be paid more than mere pennies for their work, along with fair treatment and all. But are we really ready to pay fair prices? Fair pricing should mean quality over quantity and quality lasts. We need to question our own needs for consumption. How ready are we really to give up "things." Within the big picture I have only begun to examine my own wants and needs as a consumer and cannot claim to have any answers. I have however considered some qualities that I myself am willing to pay for.

I will pay for uniqueness. I will pay for handmade. I will pay for made in Canada. I will pay for something that is made to last and to be reused.

Thoughts?


Valerie.

Just so you can say you heard it first...

Samuel Borkson and Arturo Sandoval are a pair of artists and FriendsWithYou, of which I have been a fan for some time now. I was delighted to find out that Toronto's festival Luminato will feature FriendsWithYou with their installation/project that FWY is calling their, "Wish Come True," Festival.

What I love about FWY is their use of colour, simplified shapes and forms. They create their work within a universal language. The simple shapes, colours and expressions can be accessed by all with restrictions like language and age aside. And they are just really, really fun.

FriendsWithYou please transform my Toronto already!


If this June Toronto sees ANYTHING like FWY's "Skywalkers," 2006 that opened Art Basel Miami we are in for a treat!






Or imagine city wide installations like "Dream Maker," 2008 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.




Or something truly tactilely interactive like "Rainbow Valley," a permanent playground installation at Aventura Mall in Miami, Fl.



Until this summer I suggest you get your FWY fix at Magic Pony and pick up some blind boxed Wish Come True figures.

Valerie

What exactly does "made in a pet friendly studio," mean?

I caught our sweet little tabby, Fisher, napping on a pile of shear fabrics a few days ago. His cuteness is hard to resist, and so we wash and rewash materials to ensure they are clean and cat free. What else could we do?

Valerie