Our Time at #4C19

It’s hard to believe it’s been over two weeks since #4C19. We wanted to take a moment to recap our time at the conference, especially since we met for our first ever SIG.

During Wednesday’s afternoon workshop, our group traveled off-site to Contemporary Craft. We started with some reflective time to view the current exhibit TRANSFORMATION 10, which featured art created from found materials.

Afterward, Dr. Melissa Rogers, a local educator and artist who works with Pittsburgh arts organizations and nonprofits, helped lead us through a weaving-themed making activity centered on the question of what we want our art to do in the world. Each participants created an item that was woven into an upcycled picture frame. The final product was displayed in the conference center for the duration of the conference.

Thanks again Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse (PCCR) and Contemporary Craft for all the help with the workshop!

For Thursday’s SIG, we focused on what kind of big dreams we had for the future of Handcrafted Rhetorics by focusing on the following questions:

  1. What is the social/practical role of handcrafts/DIY in the field?
  2. What are your future dreams for handcrafted/DIY comp/rhet collaborations/proposals/publications/conferences/websites/classroom stuff, etc.?

In maker-fashion, our dreaming manifested into 1-page zines (featured below) and lots of good conversations. Thanks to everyone who participated. We can’t wait to see you next year!