Update: We're in the process of updating this section, which is woefully out of date. As of Summer 2011, Make Good has grown to nearly 100 artists, designers, crafters and makers-of-good, from all over San Diego and Tijuana. Keeping this section up to date has been a challenge, and we only feature a few here. A comprehensive list is coming soon though.
Byvik Ink is the husband and wife team of Cristina and Kevin, and they produce some wonderfully hand-crafted letterpress cards and art. They fell in love with letterpress after seeing their Chandler & Price platen press for the first time. Creating a modern product with a machine that has been around for over 100 years is awe-inspiring for them and us at Make Good. They print their work high quality stock made from 100% reclaimed cotton, transforming mere paper into works of art. With Cristina’s background in illustration and design and Kevin’s love of the mechanical, they form the perfect team of creative director and chief of press operations.
Colleen is a self taught jewelry artist who's love of accessories and fashion started with the aesthetic in which she grew up. Her father gifted her with jewelry from local artists, always pointing out the details that made each piece unique, fostering her eye for the art of creating. She is a lifelong vintage hunter, scouring estate sales and antique shops collecting and using vintage pieces to rework into her own designs. Her creations are a reflection of her passion for jewelry and it's origins. She is inspired by the memory of her father, the love of her family, art, fashion and the never ending thrill of new vintage finds. "It's a great feeling when you wear a piece you love and when it's interwoven with vintage finds it holds a mysterious history." You can see some of Colleen's creations here.
Emily has been making things as far back as she can remember, and is constantly looking for ways to reimagine the world around her. She loves the idea of making something beautiful out of what was once literally trash, and we think there's a remarkable picture in that. Each of her pieces are carefully constructed from discarded plastic shopping bags that have been cut, stitched, or braided by hand. See some of Emily's work here.
The husband and wife team of Brooke and Jason Evans form Fire & Flowers, a collaborative effort that results in some very innovative multi-media based works of art. Using as many found materials, recycled, organic and fairly traded items as they can get their hands on, their work reflects both the beauty and harshness in the world. They combine all this into art that is both beautiful and intriguing. You can view some of their work here.
Rebecca found herself learning to sew for the same reason as many others. She was newly married and couldn't afford new curtains or Christmas gifts, so she set about teaching herself. Once she began, she quickly realized it would mean much more to her than just practical applications. Rebecca was drawn by the allure of using her mind and hands to put unique, one-of-a-kind creations into this all too often homogenous and machine produced world.
One of her favorite parts of the creative process is picking out the fabric. "I love bright colors and am particularly drawn to fabrics by Amy Butler and Alexander Henry. I also love re-purposing used items: the tie that is turned into a pouch, or the skirt that is cut up to make wallets." It seems that the more time she spends creating in these ways the more meaning she's discovered in them. "There is something so satisfying when I score a bag of thread, a few pillows that can be ripped open for the stuffing, or a handful of zippers at a thrift store. It feels like a small step of resistance. Resisting the idea that everything has to be purchased new and perfect without any "old" fabric or crooked stitches. To me, those are the parts that make it unique and special. I hope you enjoy some of my creations." You can see some of Rebecca's creations here.
Jon HallJon works as a graphic designer by day, and a closet artist by night. Curious about the possibility of making art more accessible, about cross-border realities, and the oil-and-water mixture of clashing cultures, most of his recent work focuses on the discovery and pursuit of these realities through re-purposing discarded album art. You can view some of Jon's work here.
Lindy paints. She paints pictures. She paints pictures of people. She paints pictures of interesting, intriguing people, on whatever materials she can get her hands on (usually very high quality wood these days, using oil as her primary medium). Lindy's work is inspired by old things, like something discovered in the corner of a musty old attic... maybe an old photograph of forgotten people (the kind of folks we'll be someday). Sometimes her work can have an eerie vibe that history and imperfection sometimes gives people, yet there's also a familiar warmth to her work. Lindy describes her work as similar to "an old album that's been played a billion times and has some skips and pops to it, but not enough damage to make it unlistenable or scratched so much you have to get up and move the needle." We can hear it now... that familiar, warm sound of old vinyl that digital just can't quite deliver. We dig Lindy's completely unique work, and we think you will too. You can view more of Lindy's paintings here.
One-of-a-kind sewn art based on children's drawings.
The works of Lizette Greco + Grecolaborativo are the product of a full family collaboration, a couple creating with their young daughter and son. Their sewn art and artifacts are based on their children's drawings and made using only quality thrifted and recycled materials. Most of their pieces are one-of-a-kind keepsakes and commission requests are welcome for items using other original children's drawings. Their artwork celebrates a child's unique perspective of the world and will hopefully be passed from generation to generation. See some of Lizette's work here.
It all started with a bag of old ties that Sophia's dad gave her as a kid. She turned them into barbie dresses and I never looked back. Sophia grew up with an appreciation for recycling and creating her own entertainment, "I mainly sew and usually do it with something vintage, recycled or thrifted. And now after all these years of creating, remaking and redesigning I've developed a great appreciation for using materials I already have on hand." If you stop by the shop you might see some of her silk tie necklaces, Starbucks coffee bag purses or a purse made from a cashmere sweater. Sophia founded Make Good with the passion of delivering locally handmade, creative wonders to the people of San Diego. She's thankful for this amazing opportunity, and thinks you'll like what you find here at Make Good. You can see some of Sophia's work here.
We first met Tecui at the Entijuanarté arts event in Tijuana (an incredible creative experience, for sure). Both Tecui and his art struck us as something special, work that transcended it's simplicity of shape and form.
Tecui is a prolific creative, designing t-shirts, notebooks, plushies, paintings, sculpture and more. His name comes from the Spanish word "tecia," given him when he was a kid, meaning a skinny piano key (a bit thin as a kid, we're guessing?). The name stuck, eventually morphing into "Tecui."
As a graphic designer/artist living in Tijuana, Tecui uses the beauty of the Baja California landscape as his inspiration. More than just clever art and design though, Tecui's work speaks to the hope and justice he seeks for his people, his world. We think that's pretty good, and are honored to have his work part of little corner of the world.
