Beaches Toronto Canada- Spring 2013
Repair Cafe was conceived in Amsterdam in 2009 as a way to help reduce waste. Initially run by volunteers it is now The Repair Cafe Foundation who received a grant from the Dutch government and raised about $525,000 in support from foundations and small donations, all of which pay for staffing, marketing and even a Repair Cafe bus.
Toronto’s first Repair Cafe thanks to Wai Chu Cheng and Paul Magder with be held May 25, 2013 at Skills for Change 791 St. Clair Avenue West from 10am - 2 am. The Torontoist spoke to Cheng and Magder who say that “so far, people have been very enthusiastic about the idea of a repair café, but it’s been hard to find enough volunteer technicians to do the repairs.”
Manufacturer’s claim by way of a warranty that they will repair or replace our products. By definition a warranty ”is a guarantee given to the purchaser by a company stating that a product is reliable and free from known defects and, without charge, repair or replace defective parts within a given time limit and under certain conditions.” At the same time as making these claims manufacture’s plan or design a product with a limited useful life known as planned obsolesce in order to create a demand for more products.
How can we “the purchasers ” encourage manufacturer’s to operate Repair Cafes and what would make them want to, given the current direction of only selling more products that do not last?
Teatro Nacional de Cuba - Havana 2013
Infinite growth of material consumption in a finite world is an impossibility.
—E. F. Schumacher (via an-endless-knot)
Francis A, Johnson a farmer from Darwin Minnesota started his ball in 1950 and to achieve a 7,900 kg. 4 metres diameter ball of twine he spent 4 hours a day, everyday for 39 years.
People say they don’t have time to do the things they want but I read that Canadians watch on average 4 hours of TV a day and or social media so what can one accomplish if they wanted to with even an hour a day for an extended period of time?
Photo by Todd Hido was on the cover of the Placewares 1988 Catalogue Collection.
Brand Culture through experiential design - Anthropologie stores do not advertise, instead spend on the store experience. They are a curated retail experience.
Through a mix of new, vintage, hand made, one of kind art and furniture, in store living wall, window displays with social messages they take you on a journey which differentiates them from other retailers. According to Ron Pompei, Founder and Creative Director of Antropologie Stores”The simplest way to describe this transition is that retail environments will become places for people and the emerging brand culture rather than only places for product.”
General Sewing Machine Co. work room
Cat Steven with Vintage Sewing machine
- Toronto, Canada 2013
I found an industrial machine on the sidewalk and took it to General Sewing Machine to repair … works like new.
Women hold up half the sky.
Mao Zedong
One of a series of 50 sky photographs as seen from different parts of our world.
People fixing things…air conditioners, cars, shoes, metal chairs and car parts.
Havana, Cuba 2013.
“Came out of a clear blue sky”
One of a series of 50 sky photographs as seen from different parts of our world.
I’m an introvert… I love being by myself, love being outdoors, love taking a long walk with my dogs and looking at the trees, flowers, the sky.
Audrey Hepburn
One of a series of 50 sky photographs as seen from different parts of our world.
Excuse me while I kiss the sky.
Jimi Hendrix
One of a series of 50 sky photographs as seen from different parts of our world.
Kathleen Wicks - Memory (2013)
50” x 50”
paper, acrylic, pastels on canvas
This Autobiographical work incorporating collected pieces of paper; ID cards, airplane tickets, jean tags, attendance slips, newpaper articles, movie passes, dance tickets, post cards, bank book, event tickets… make up the base layer of “memories” in my former life as Kathy Simpson… maiden name. I question self identity, bound by time vs. the soul, absolute, eternal and timeless.
Necessity is the mother of invention - Havana, Cuba 2013.
The Cuban people use and or fix absolutely everything. I love the combined use of two chairs that individually would be useless.
The store Antropologie is selling something similar for $1,800.00
Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening
Coco Chanel
One of a series of 50 sky photographs as seen from different parts of our world.
