Sarah started cross-stitching at the age of ten, thanks to being taught by her aunt. While she found it immediately addictive, she was ultimately unsatisfied with the teddy bears, angels and biblical quotes. In college, she discovered a wonderful book called Subversive Cross-Stitch that proved cross-stitch needn’t be nice or cute. With this newfound knowledge, she soon began to design her own patterns.

The pieces in this show combine traditional patterns with modern day pop culture references. They seem to adhere to the strict rules and rigid structure of cross-stitch, drawing from the traditions of Russia and Scandinavia to Victorian times and early New England. What appears to be a treasured keepsake, however, is filled with profanity, hip-hop lyrics, favorite movie one-liners and a bevy of oddities and vulgarities.

“They offer a cathartic experience for the viewer and stitcher alike—A feeling of rebellion against everyday vexations. In the moment, one may scream a list of profanities to purge their frustrations, but taking the time to sit down and s l o w l y stitch the word “Fuck,” while stabbing a needle repeatedly into fabric, offers a pretty and hilarious tangible result for years to come,” offers Sarah.

With her Masters degree finished, Sarah has repeatedly put off the job hunt to participate in indie craft shows and events throughout the Midwest, including Renegade – Chicago and Cincinnati’s own Crafty Supermarket. She’s currently based out of Bloomington, IN, but plans on relocating to the Cincinnati area soon.

This one is absolutely a show not to be missed while partaking in all of the Northside Second Saturdays festivities. Afterword, trickle on down to Mayday for the after-party and Boozing My Religion.

You know the drill and you like it!

*THIS SHOW may be a little racy for the kiddos, so keep that in mind, parental units. This ain’t your grandma’s cross-stitch!

The store has been pretty busy today with new and old faces coming in from the cold.  Someone dropped off a little mystery package for Fabricate in the middle of it all and inside were these gems!  A note inside asked us to pass these little gifts along to our customers as a part of a local Cincinnati’s Joy Project.  Thanks to you for making Cincinnati a little more interesting, surprising and weird in that good kind of way.  Stop by today to get your free valentine handmade by a local artist just for you.

HAPPY NEW YOU is a body of work centering around the ideas of regret and renewal as we enter a season of resolutions. While we take stock, it is important to acknowledge our own accountability in past actions and our ability to create something new.

The term “Construction” is at the center of this work; butcher paper, clippings, wood, torn pages and painted velum serve as the building blocks, and the resulting pieces emphasize the exciting prospect of a refreshed identity. The imagery of long formed minerals, space, ice, and birds highlight the eternal yet fleeting nature of time, and our role in it.

Just as individuals examine themselves in a bathroom mirror, the observer is encouraged to reflect upon each piece and decide if they are witnessing a beginning or an ending.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

James Schenck is a Cincinnati born, New York educated and Los Angeles raised artist. He received his BA from Vassar College and his MFA from University of Cincinnati College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning.

Through both 2-D visual art and installation, Schenck addresses the conditions of the gay male, as well as the role society plays in the construction of identity. The artist’s body of work articulates tactile and gestural expressions of self-examination, the importance of visual balance and clarity, and the numbness in a daily life’s journey for approval.

Schenck summarizes the results of his process as “2-D performance.” The aesthetic should always feel fun and welcoming, while the undercurrent stems from an urgent, honest insecurity.

Please join us for the new art show and potable beverages generously supplied by Mayday.

Afterwards, follow everyone down to Mayday for the after-party and dancing at Boozing My Religion.

Emily Moorhead lives and works in Ohio. In 2010, she received her MFA in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts from Washington University in St. Louis. Moorhead has already been included in various exhibitions including: Time-Sensitive at The Ohio State University Urban Arts Space Gallery in Columbus, Ohio and The Indecisive Moment at the Des Lee Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri. She was honored with the Sam Fox School Travel Grant in 2008 and the CETULA minor teaching project grant from Miami University in 2011. Additionally, Moorhead’s work has been featured in the Art Libraries Society of North America magazine for an installation in the Wertz Art and Architecture Library of Oxford, Ohio. She is currently a visiting art instructor at Capital University and the Gallery Director for ROY G BIV non-profit emerging artist gallery in Columbus, Ohio. Upcoming exhibitions include a solo show at the University City Library in St. Louis, Missouri, and the group exhibition Twenty in their Twenties at Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, Illinois.

We are excited to have her newest exhibition at Fabricate. Join us for the new show, potable beverages and make sure to hop around the neighborhood for the December installment of Northside Second Saturdays!

Afterwards, follow everyone down to Mayday for the Fabricate after-party and Boozing my Religion!

We made it!  Come celebrate with us at the opening reception of our anniversary show.

cin·tes·sen·tial[sin-tuh-sen-shuhl]
adjective
1.
of the pure and essential essence of something utterly Cincinnati: the cintessential chili parlour.
2.
of or pertaining to the most perfect embodiment of something Cincinnati: the cintessential walk to the ballpark on Red’s opening day.
3.
a group art show to celebrate Fabricate’s Two-Year Anniversary, showcasing things that are quintessentially Cincinnati.

On Saturday, November 12th, Fabricate celebrates it’s Two-Year Anniversary with the opening reception of Cintessential.

Cintessential is a group art show comprised of some of our favorite artists from this past year, new artists who we will be showing in the coming year and others that we admire. The new exhibition features artwork showcasing things that are quintessentially Cincinnati: whether it embodies an actual tangible thing, person or place or an intangible feeling that quintessentially represents our city. The collective artwork expresses each artist’s own unique take on Cincinnati in a variety of mediums.

We’re super psyched to be celebrating two years in Northside! It’s hard to believe we’ve been open for two years already! The last two years have been amazing and we have all of you to thank for making it possible. Without all of the creativity of our artists and consigners and all the customer patronage in choosing to support local artists, we wouldn’t be here. Thank you so very much for putting us on the map with all of your shopping, word of mouth and support. We plan to continue offering you a lot more unique, locally handmade and repurposed goods, along with introducing you to bevy of new emerging artists in the future.

Please join us in celebrating this milestone and for the new art show and potable beverages!

It’s also Northside Second Saturdays that night, so make sure to hop around to all the other locations! Follow the Northside Second Saturdays page to keep up with all the new art shows and special offerings at participating venues.

Afterwards, trickle on down to Mayday for the after-party and Boozing My Religion—featuring the best, and sometimes the worst, music of the 90’s.

XOXO

Chris & Aileen

This month Fabricate features the opening reception for “We Are Nowhere And It’s Now” on Saturday, October 8th from 6-10 PM.

Mixed Media Paintings + Sculpture by Lizz Godfroy (Lily In Flux)

In 1998, Lizz Godfroy went on a road trip across the country with her mom. She’d been dying to see the open road and get outta dodge. They drove from Maine to California and back in her pick-up truck.

She was into photography at the time, so she snapped a bazillion pics along the way. When she got back and developed the film, she realized that everything photographed was either dilapidated, rusting or abandoned–not the sparkly lights of Las Vegas or the new attractions of the west, but the dying roadside cafes, bullet ridden vintage cars in half-caved in garages and bleached animal bones along the road side. By the end of the trip, the dashboard was littered with found objects and dead things.

“I’m sure I knew it before, but at this moment I accepted the fact that I was thoroughly obsessed with all things old, broken and discarded,” says Godfroy.

Since then she has been creating work from these old things. Whether it be jewelry, functional objects, assemblage or paintings, it all begins with something repurposed.

“There is so much history with objects and images that have been around the block. The mystery, stories and aesthetic value that go along with these items inspire me like nothing else.”

In this exhibition, the layers of time and materials all add up to a new story.

“One that I hope is at least as intriguing as the original parts,” says Godfroy.

Join us for the new show, potable beverages and Northside Second Saturdays!

Afterwards, follow everyone down to Mayday for the Fabricate after-party and Boozing my Religion!

What was forgotten in a dusty corner of an old bookstore in downtown Cincinnati is discovered once again, breathing life back into the iconic Life magazine cover. Using meticulous stencil design and spray paint, Bluebelles takes images of a bygone era and casts them in an urban medium.

Aaron Cross, a Kentucky native and Northside, Cincinnati local, combines his longtime enthusiasm for street art and early Americana in his newest exhibition. As a child, he honed an illustrative skill for barns, birdhouses and rural landscapes. Now, as an adult, the allure of spray paint manipulation fuses those romanticized visions with a contemporary aesthetic.

“Peeling back the last layer of stencil releases the life of a photograph long forgotten,” says Cross.

Come join us for the new art show, potable beverages and patio hangoutage. This show also kicks off the inaugural night of Northside Second Saturdays, so make sure you hop around to partake in all of the other fun things going down in the ’223 that night!*

Afterwards, follow everyone down to Mayday for the Fabricate after-party and Boozing my Religion!

*’Like’ the Northside Second Saturdays page for more deets!

This month Fabricate features the opening reception for Darling Black-Hearted Boy, featuring works by David Armacost, on Saturday, August 13th from 7–11 PM.

When Armacost was a child he dabbled in art, but wasn’t especially talented or interested at that age. He was much more enthralled with reading and engrossing himself in literature. He had a vivid imagination and could lose himself in a good story for hours at a time. In college, this love of narrative eventually manifested itself in his artwork and has become a crucial component to the process in his current series.

Almost every work of art tells a story. Sometimes it is through a pictorial narrative, and other times through the artist’s hand, as layers of media and mark are built up. David’s work is heavily steeped in both. Some of the works follow the travels of a nameless lone wanderer who encounters various creatures and situations along his path.

“On one hand, they function to mirror a literary story of the traveler that I have been in the process of writing, while simultaneously the works are metaphors for real life encounters or important moments that I have personally experienced,” says Armacost.

“The mediums that I use tend to vary from piece to piece, depending on what kind of overall mood or atmospheric effect that I am seeking to achieve; however, there are certain staples that I find myself relying on often. In printmaking, I find myself returning again and again to drypoint etchings. This is both because of the rich tradition of drypoint in art history and because the tale of the lone wanderer takes place almost one hundred and fifty years ago. The overall appearance of the drypoint gives the works an aged feel of a print made long ago.”

In 2011, Armacost received his BFA from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and now is pursuing his MFA at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Fabricate welcomes you to join them for the new exhibition and potable beverages generously supplied by our pals at Mayday.

Afterwards, follow everyone down to Mayday for the Fabricate after-party and Boozing My Religion!

It is Northside Pridefest 2011 weekend too! So all kinds of fun stuff is going down in Hoffner Park and all our neighborhood bars!

Saturday, July 9th – 7 to 11 PM.

Most people tend to stick to the beaten path, take the quickest route from point A to point B, and strictly obey the signs warning them against entering forbidden zones. Of course, there are a few people out there who have almost a compulsion to find out what lies on the other side of that fence, under that railroad trestle or inside that abandoned factory.

Perhaps it is that same spirit that has always driven the human race to explore and quest to find out “what’s over there?”

Since the earth has pretty well been mapped and trampled upon by humankind over generations, and space travel is possible only for a privileged few, we turn to the re-discovery of places and things time and it’s keepers have forgotten.

Kevin Pogo Curtis is taking us on jaunts to the latter verboten places with this newest exhibition of painting and objects.

“The images here are mostly imagined, but definitely inspired by views from some less traveled areas in and around the city. The found object pieces are made from actual objects I discovered while exploring these random places,” says Pogo.

“Most of the substrates I use are things either found in the trash
or purchased at a re-use store, such as table tops, doors, countertops, etc.”

Pogo was born in Middletown, OH. When he’s not busy being the soup, salad and sandwich savant of Northslice Pizza, he’s constantly creating paintings and showcasing them at various galleries, bars and coffee houses around Cincinnati.

Please join us for his newest collection, potable beverages and lovely patio hangoutage.

Afterward, follow everyone down to Mayday for the Fabricate after-party and Boozing My Religion!!!

Do heed the call of the dance floor.