BKLYN DESIGNS Is This Weekend

Torrential rains marked the opening of BKLYN DESIGNS this morning, but that did not stop visitors from making their way over to the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint.  And indeed, what better way to spend a cold, rainy day, than exploring wonderful works made in Brooklyn.

The show is equal parts aimed at industry (architects & interior designers) and residents – the goal is to inspire, to allow people to make connections, and showcase fellow Brooklynites.  Some – like the family-owned JMP Wood –  have been in the business over 40 years, others – like Still Alive Lights – will be celebrating their first anniversary tomorrow. They live and work in Brooklyn – from Canarsie, to Bed-Stuy, to Red Hook and Gowanus to Greenpoint and Williamsburg.

It’s very much worth a trip out to Greenpoint. The Textile Arts Center has looms working in one corner and will have weaving, printing, macrame and other demonstrations throughout the weekend, there is a market selling American designed goods, and a series of talks in the lecture hall off the main space. Here’s the schedule:

Saturday, May 6

• 11:00-1:00pm
  Maker’s Lab
  Textile Arts Center Workshop: Macramé Plant Hanger
  Macramé is a textile-making craft using knotting rather than weaving or knitting. In this workshop led by Sonia Kim, students will learn some of the basic knots used in macramé, while creating a plant hanger. Sign up here.
• 12:00-1:00pm
  BKLYN DESIGNS Theater
  Real Renovations in Brooklyn: Mixing the Old + the New
  Homeowners share their experiences of creating spaces that marry historic charm with modern style. See amazing before & afters and hear expert renovation advice in a panel moderated by Jean Brownhill, founder of free renovation matchmaker Sweeten.
• 2:00-3:00pm
  BKLYN DESIGNS Theater
  Luxury Finishes and other Worthwhile Investments to Increase the Value of Your Home
  Glenn Gissler, President of the NY Metro Chapter of ASID, hosts a conversation with members Erin Fearins (Fearins | Welch Interior Design) and Kathryn Scott (Kathryn Scott Design Studio) about design decisions that can maximize the market value of your home.
• 2:00-3:00pm
  Maker’s Lab
  Pratt SCPS Workshop: Fragrance Development and Sales
  How do you brand a fragrance? Bring it to market? Identify potential customers? Explore these topics with global fragrance expert Alexandra Hegeler in this one-hour workshop hosted by Cinquieme Sens and Pratt’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. To sign up, email Pratt SCPS Program Director Suzanne de Vegh: sdevegh@pratt.edu.
• 3:30-4:30pm
  BKLYN DESIGNS Theater
  Designing a Better World: Architecture, Interiors and Representing Social Justice in Physical Spaces
  Genevieve Gorder (Interior Designer, OXFAM Ambassador) and Clay Miller (Bergen Street Studio, Architect for Village Health Works) sit down with Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason of AphroChic to discuss how architects and designers are creating projects that transform lives globally.
• 4:00-6:00pm
  Maker’s Lab
  Textile Arts Center Workshop: Fabric Marbling
  Marbling is a ancient printing technique that yields magical results. In this workshop led by Natalie Stopka, students will learn the basics of marbling on fabric including how to set up a marbling bath, prepare fabrics, and the best inks to use. Sign up here.
• 5:00-6:00pm
  BKLYN DESIGNS Theater
  Brooklyn’s Emerging Architectural Scene
  Josephine Minutillo, Features Editor at Architectural Record, sits down with SO-IL, nARCHITECTS, and Young & Ayata, three innovative architecture firms that are changing the Brooklyn landscape.

Sunday, May 7

• 11:00-1:00pm
  Maker’s Lab
  Textile Arts Center Children’s Workshop: Suminagashi (Japanese Marbling)
  This class is a fun and exciting introduction to Suminagashi, an ancient Japanese marbling technique. Children will learn the basics of Suminagashi and how to create and pull Suminagashi monoprints on paper. Additionally, they will learn simple bookbinding techniques to compile all the prints into a take away journal. Sign up here.
• 12:00-1:00pm
  BKLYN DESIGNS Theater
  Designing for Kids
  Learn how to create a fun and functional space for children of all ages during this conversation with Aimeé Wilder (Aimeé Wilder Designs), Roberto Gil (Casa Kids) and Adam Zimmerman (OT/TRA by Zimmerman Workshop) moderated by Vanessa DeLeon (Vanessa DeLeon Associates).
• 1:00-2:00pm
  Design Against Hate Lounge
  Products for the People: Activism and the Global Marketplace
  Actor and activist Gbenga Akinnagbe (ENITAN) and third-generation rug designer Ariel Basalely (ELIKO) discuss products at the intersection of culture and modern design that are shaping today’s most popular trends, moderated by Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason of AphroChic.
• 2:00-3:00pm
  Maker’s Lab
  Pratt SCPS Workshop: The Technique and Language of Perfume
  Experience a voyage into the world of perfumes, test your sense of smell, and learn about how scents are classified in this one-hour workshop. Hosted by Cinquieme Sens and Pratt’s School of Continuing and Professional Studiesand led by renowned perfumer Raymond Matts. To sign up, email Pratt SCPS Program Director Suzanne de Vegh: sdevegh@pratt.edu.
• 2:00-3:00pm
  BKLYN DESIGNS Theater
  Brooklyn’s Creative Hubs and Role in Industry 4.0
  Amy Plitt, Editor of Curbed NY, sits down with Isa Rodrigues (Textile Arts Center), Daniel Kent (Pioneer Works) and Daniel Pittman (A/D/O) to discuss the borough’s role as a world-renowned incubator for art and design and its place in the next industrial revolution.
• 3:30-5:30pm
  Maker’s Lab
  Textile Arts Center Workshop: Block Printing
  In this workshop led by Aimee Mclaughlin, students will learn the basics of block printing, including how to carve a rubber block and print their own design into a tote bag. Sign up here.
• 4:00-5:00pm
  BKLYN DESIGNS Theater
  Taking Designs to Market
  Design industry experts including Bonnie Mackay (Bonnie Mackay Consulting), Kiel Mead (American Design Club), Annie Block (Interior Design Magazine) and Christine Abbate (Novità Communications) give advice on how to successfully take products to market from retail and licensing to PR and marketing.

BKLYNER is media partner of BKLYN DESIGNS