No Products in the Cart
Featured: Reconsidered Goods
We interviewed Paige Cox from Reconsidered Goods here in Greensboro, NC, a 501-(c)(3) non-profit that takes donated materials from manufacturers and individuals and helps divert them from the landfill and instead, puts these items and materials into the hands of artists, makers, teachers and kids to create something new.
Why do you do what you do?
Paige: I have always been involved with environmental causes and the arts. This just seemed like a natural progression for me. Our mission is to divert items from our local waste stream, but we do it just as much to make our customers happy.
How long have you been doing it?
Paige: I quit my corporate job in January 2016 to start the non-profit and we opened the store in October 2016.
What does it mean to you to be Mindful?
Paige: To me, it is being mindful of how you treat others, being mindful of how your choices affect the world, and being mindful on how your choices make you feel as a person. I love the term "leave no trace". That should apply to everything if you are being mindful.
How are you Mindful in your craft?
Paige: We are mindful here at RG by paying attention to what can be reused. Breaking down things that will be appreciated by others and making them available to those that can create with them.
What do you love about Mindful Supply the brand?
Paige: I love the positivity. Daily reminders of thoughtful living are what we need more in the world. I will always support companies that do it the right way versus the easy way.
Where is your studio located and please share your contact info for sales.
We are located at:
2805 Patterson Street
Greensboro NC, 27407
Our hours are:
Monday 10-5
Tuesday 10-5
Wednesday 10-7
Thursday 10-5
Friday 10-5
Saturday 10-5
Sunday 12-5
We interviewed Parker White from Backpack Beginnings, a 95% volunteer 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to delivering child-centric services to feed, comfort and clothe children in need. BPB helps over 7,000 children experiencing hunger and trauma in our community. They serve children in need in 52 Guilford County Schools and 22 Child Assistance Organizations in Guilford, Forsyth and Alamance Counties.
Why do you do what you do?
How long have you been doing it?
Parker: I started working on BackPack Beginnings around 2009 and distributing the first food bags the end of 2009/beginning 2010. What started in my dining room serving 50 children has grown to over 7,500 children.
What does it mean to you to be Mindful?
Parker: One of my favorite words is intentional, and I try to live my life being intentional about where I spend my time, money, resources, energy and more. Being Mindful and Intentional go hand in hand for me.
How are you Mindful in your craft?
Where are you located and how can people get in touch to help out?
Our nonprofit is located at:
3707D Alliance Drive
Greensboro, NC 27407
Main contact is Parker White at parker@backpackbeginnings.org
Want to get involved?
For volunteer opportunities Click Here: https://bit.ly/2PdTFn4
We interviewed Chris Shelton from Hook Mandolins in Level Cross, NC.
Why do you do what you do?
I have always been interested in how things work. As a kid I was impressed with many people and the skills they had. Whether it was my uncle playing the piano, my brother playing basketball, or my Dad working his rear end off everyday, I watched and I learned and I tried to mimic what I saw. Most of the time I was successful. Woodworking kind of came later.
I got into managing rental properties and had to learn rough carpentry skills real quick. I was self taught initially and then later worked with some professionals and found that I fit right in. I met and became friends with a “real” woodworker. He built (and still does) fine wood furniture and other wood art. Here again I was impressed and learned all I could from him. We would occasionally play music together. He played guitar and I played a cheap 2 point mandolin. I remember telling him, “I want one of those mandolins with the scrolls, but they are so expensive!”
He looked at me and said, “Why don’t you build a mandolin. You have all the tools you need.” I guess I took that as kind of a challenge and about a year later I finished my first F style mandolin. Needless to say I was very proud to play the instrument I made.
I soon got to thinking that maybe I could do better on the next mandolin so I made another one and so on and so on. I recently completed my 50th instrument. Hook mandolins are spread pretty much all across the country. They have been on stage with some of the biggest names of country music and bluegrass. I hear instruments I made on the radio now. Thats what keeps me going.
How long have you been doing it?
I have been wood working for over 20 years. I still have all my fingers so I guess I have a knack for keeping them out of the way. At least for now.
What does it mean to you to be Mindful?
I try to put myself in the other guys shoes. I have realized that what I do or say always has a direct affect on who I am dealing with. In my best moments I am able to take this into consideration before I act or talk. I certainly don’t get it every time but I try my best to be mindful.
I remember specifically one instance a man was interested in ordering an Octave Mandolin. He had been trying to find one for a few weeks and was unsuccessful. (These aren’t in your average music store) We had talked on the phone several times and had his custom build all laid out but he hadn’t yet pulled the trigger.
Then one morning he called and said, “I just saw an Octave Mandolin (Name Brand) listed on a listing site. It is a really good price. I have been struggling with this decision. What can you say to help me make a decision on which mandolin I should get?”
I thought for a moment and said, “I am sure the mandolin that was listed is a good one and a good price. I don’t know if the one I will make will sound any better, but I can tell you that I will make it just for you.” He immediately said, “That is exactly what I needed to hear.” He went ahead with the order.
How are you Mindful in your craft?
What do you love about Mindful Supply the brand?
I have talked with the owner. His passion is in this business. It isn't all about the money. It is about quality, respect and vision. That is what it takes to start and keep a business running. It isn't easy. You never stop reaching. I see this in Mindful Supply.
Where is your studio located and please share your contact info for sales:
I work out of a home shop in Level Cross, NC. I also post some videos and photos on my Hook Mandolins Facebook Page.
We interviewed two of the great folks at STARworks for this interview (Erin Younge, Clay Studio Director & Bill Jones, Production Potter):
Why do you do what you do?
How long have you been doing it?
What does it mean to you to be Mindful?
Erin Younge: Savvy consumers probably watch their food more often than anything else, but as craftsman, clay makers and ceramic material researchers, we pay close attention to where our materials for our craft come from.
How are you Mindful in your craft?
What do you love about Mindful Supply the brand?
Erin Younge: What I find to be the most exciting thing about the Mindful company and their brand is that it is so inspiring and familiar. At STARworks we sell handmade pieces of ceramic, glass and textiles, and each time we interact with a customer we can tell them who made it, where they’re from and encourage them to meet or find the artist. And in most cases we can say that the work was made at STARworks and the majority of the ceramic pieces were made out of STARworks clay, which is so exciting for us. The fact that Mindful Supply takes the same approach to craft and consumerism makes us want to support what they are doing and partner with them in any way possible. Watch what you consume, get it local and be able to love the story behind it too.
Where is your studio located and please share your contact info for sales.
Why do you do what you do?
I have always had an obsession with fabric and all kinds of printing processes. There's nothing like seeing an idea materialize though the process of dye saturating fabric. Digital fabric printing is a really exciting process and makes me happy! I am very fortunate to share this process with a wide variety of artists creating things like silk scarves, linen hand towels, even velveteen for upholstery, all from original works of art. Working with artists to help them see their vision translated into surface design is one of my favorite things to do, adding value to the value of being creative.
How long have you been doing it?
Red Canary began in 1998 as a silk screen studio. I was hand placing screens on rolls of fabric using a huge table my husband and I built. In 1999, I learned about digital textile printers being used by the textile industry to reduce the cost, waste and effort of sample runs. I fell in love with the technology and have been at it ever since, 18 years later.
What does it mean to you to be Mindful?
A customer and friend, Amy Gates, made this great woodblock print that says, "Slow down. Pay attention". To me that says it all, especially now. Being mindful means being present and aware, socially and environmentally, being tolerant and loving, being respectful and kind to everyone.
How are you Mindful in your craft?
I find that I am most mindful environmentally with my printing process. The direct to fabric digital printing process uses much less dye, water and energy than traditional processes. I recycle all paper I use in production and I take all my scraps to Reconsidered Goods. For something that is digital my reactive dye printing process is very hands on and I am mindful of the time and patience it takes to produce high quality prints for myself and my customers.
What do you love about Mindful Supply the brand?
Mindful Supply is a comfortable, affordable brand that is great quality, environmentally friendly and completely American made. It doesn't get any better than that! In this time of fast fashion it is refreshing to see a company slow down and take time to care about the environment and about being transparent with every step of production.
Where is your studio located and please share your contact info for sales.
My studio is located in downtown Greensboro in the South End at 506 B South Elm Street. It's such a great block with so many creative minds/makers! I'm currently updating my website!
Anne Schroth
www.redcanarystudio.com
anne@redcanarystudio.com
336.379.7571
Why do you do what you do?
At this point I no longer have a choice. It's who I am. It's my identity. My affiliation. It's how I relate to and understand the world. It's what I know and do best.
How long have you been doing it?
I began doing this seriously and full time in 1996. Wow, so 20 years.
What does it mean to you to be Mindful?
It's a very unique experience to spend ones days in work of this nature. Creative and intensely physical work. It is simultaneously very focused and singular as well as free and loose. It's truly a zen state. In my work as I dive deeply into the day I achieve a prolonged meditative state and can be totally present and capable of contemplating big picture questions, you know, the meaning of life stuff.
How are you Mindful in your craft?
As I became more skilled and adept within this modality, something I feel very lucky to have found, it opened up a pathway to a deeper life. And now I no longer have a choice as work and life have melded and become one. Mindfulness is a matter of integrity and responsibility and service to something bigger. Something outside one's self.
What do you love about Mindful Supply the brand?
Firstly I love the design. Straight up, just cool stuff. But to go beyond just cool stuff and pay respect to a greater cause and take full responsibility for all phases and aspects is an all too rare business model. I hope more will come to realize that profitability goes well beyond a P&L report and spreadsheets. Collateral factors must be considered and Mindful Supply seems to be proving that ethics and compassion can create a banging product and a profit.
Where is your studio located and please share your contact info for sales.
My studio and home are all one located in NW Geeensboro. You can see my work at jeffreybarbour.com.
Jeffrey Barbour
jbarbour61@gmail.com
336.254.6434
Why do you do what you do?
I do what I do because it is my escape from the “everyday”. My studio is the island where I am truly my creative self. The opportunity to experiment with materials and forms is a release and a welcome challenge. I do what I do because I wouldn’t be sane otherwise; the outlet of building and making is how I process the world around me and make sense of it and come to terms with it.
How long have you been doing it?
While I’ve been building and making “things” and art my whole life, I’ve had shop/studio workspaces in Greensboro for 15 years in various forms
What does it mean to you to be Mindful?
To me, being ‘mindful’ is to be aware, observant and perhaps even critical in thought. It implies a sense of respect and an observance of regard for other things and other people.
How are you Mindful in your craft?
To be mindful in my craft means to be aware of a number of variables at once: materiality, form, experience, process and, of course, the end user. In my studio, being mindful is to consider how and why the material responds the way it does and how that materiality informs an object’s design. It means to be fully aware of how the physical process of converting raw materials into valued objects can influence the very outcome of that object, intentionally or otherwise. It means taking responsibility for the user experience that will invariably result from your work and striving to make that experience the most unique that it can be.
What do you love about Mindful Supply the brand?
In a culture of material disposability and environmental disregard, what I appreciate most about Mindful Supply is the conversation that the brand has created and the model that the brand is establishing. Much like an artist working diligently in a studio, Mindful is working with real and tangible materials and creating value HERE and not allowing the experience of their craft to be removed and cheapened by sourcing dubious materials with distant origins. Mindful is HERE and not elsewhere; thus, Mindful is REAL, just like the work of an artist or a craftsman.
Where is your studio located and please share your contact info for sales.
I have a studio location at 205 Collaborative, Greensboro's only multidisciplinary collaborative studio environment located at 205 Lyndon St. in downtown Greensboro, NC.
Adrian Boggs
adrianboggs@gmail.com
www.adrianboggs.com
919-608-1642
Why do you do what you do?
Working with clay comes from an inner compulsion to create. I have had this creative need since I was a child. In adulthood my creative passions touch many parts of my life but have settled deeply in my hands as they work in clay. Working with clay has become a part of the deeper journey of my heart. I love the process of being with myself in front of the endless possibilities creativity brings. I enjoy thinking about where my pieces will go, who will hold them - drink coffee from them, what conversations they will be privy to at dinner tables among friends... hopeful of the joy they will bring. I love that through art we are able as human beings to express personal thoughts and feelings to one another.
How long have you been doing it?
I have been working in clay part-time for about 6 years and fulltime for almost 3 years now.
What does it mean to you to be Mindful?
Being mindful is an awareness beyond myself but including myself. It's the big picture. It is the human landscape that includes us all. It is slowing down to breathe in the moment and enjoy it, not just pass through it.
How are you Mindful in your craft?
I think I am mindful of the human connection that can be made through art. I have always felt that art is alive... in some way art has been given its own soul when the artists breathes life into the work. As I start my day in the studio I try to cultivate an awareness about what will flow from me into the pieces I am creating. As I create I become more aware of myself and others in my community and the world as I go through the processes of my art. My connection to humanity has grown through art.
What do you love about Mindful Supply the brand?
I love when I wear a Mindful Supply t-shirt and get a compliment on the great design that I can say it is made here in North Carolina. I love the company slogan “from dirt to shirt” and what it means. I love the fact that I can rave that the beauty of the shirt is not only is in its apearance but in the environmental sustainability it stands for. I also love the fact that I can say, "Yes, I have met the guys that started this business and they are really great!" I appreciate buying local and really appreciate meeting the people who are doing it... it brings it down home and personal.
Can you share the major focus to your designs and contact info for sales?
Creating Artistic and Soulful Goodness through Functional Ceramics. All pottery is handmade in a groovy little studio in Greensboro, N.C.. Pottery is handformed, handthrown, handpainted and carved one piece at a time. Each piece boasting images of birds, flowers, leaves and more all in beautiful colors with a folk art flavor.
Christina Brown
christina@moonbirdpottery.com
www.moonbirdpottery.com
336-601-9111
Studio visits always welcome!
