"A Thousand Versions of Yourself"

Tonight! Opening reception for Hollie Chastain's "A Thousand Versions of Yourself". If you are in the Chattanooga area come down to Leo from 6 to 9pm. It's going to be fun! The show will remain up through December. So if you miss it today drop by anytime this month.

Kraftwork

Hey Atlanta friends, Come visit Young Monster and Astronette (of Leo Handmade) at Kraftwork this Thursday!!! It's 7-10pm @ Youngblood Gallery & Boutique 636 N. Highland Ave. I have been making tons of new garments & jewelry. You will be the first to lay eyes upon all these new items!! Young Monster will be bringing their amazing posters, screen-printed cards & T-shirts. Young Monster are also bringing their new 2010 calendars! It's going to be awesome. Hope to see you there!

Courtney's Art Show

Monday November 30th come visit our petite booth at Courtney's Art Show. We will be bringing a stash of fabulous handmade jewelry. Everything from darling & dainty to mega bling! The show runs from 2 to 7pm @ JJ's Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. (nonsmoking for this event). So far there are about 10 artists/designers vending their wares. If you make any art or craftyness bring your work & set up a booth! This event is completely free unless you find something rad to buy. There will be deals to be had as well as beer specials. Come drink a pint with me!

Black Friday is THIS Friday! Oh my!

We're having a sale Black Friday! We'll also be open late for your shopping pleasure/convenience. Come by and show your support for all the lovely handcrafters and independent designers this holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

CRG Benefit! Spread the word!

This Saturday November 14th, we are hosting a benefit for the Chattanooga Roller Girls! The CRG will be here selling there handmade merch from 6-9pm. All funds from CRG made goods go straight to the team. This will be a party with munchies & beverages. John Levinger will be spinning records 6-9pm. A percentage of Leo's profits from the day will go to the team as well so stop by anytime 12-9pm & show your support.

Coming soon... CRGs first home bout is December 12th @ the Chattanooga Convention Center on Carter St. Don't miss it!

350 inches of psychedelic sounds

Tonight!  

Listening Party begins @ 7pm. Nathan from Lost & Found Records (Knoxville TN) has brought down 50 west coast 45s from the late 60s. 350 inches of psychedelic tunes!   

A whole notha new wall of original 60s psych posters are up. They look fantastic! I also put out a bunch of new vintage clothing & jewelry, all priced less than 18$.  Sights & sounds go on til 10pm. Eats & wine will be provided.  This event is free!   Then we're all gonna head over to Sluggo's North to eat vegan food & drink beer.  Join us! 

Hey, What's been goin on?

October has been a very busy month. Not only did we decide to transform the back room into vintage under 20 bucks but we've been putting out new handmade apparel, art, accessories, et cetera, every single day!! We've met & added new local artists to the mix. Plus the post man is bringing us packages at a rapid rate & I unwrap them with fervor. Perhaps it is that we know xmas is right around the corner but we are definitely filling this place up more than ever.

There has also been quite a bit of events in this month of October & the month isn't even over! We've been glad to be a part of every interesting opportunity that has come our way.

Here's a bit of the happenings thus far... We kicked the month off with Scum of the Earth playing an in store show. Followed by a lovely opening party for Fred Edgemon's Collection "A Whole New Thing".

October 13th Carole Crews had a book signing for her new self published book about earthen plasters titled "Clay Culture: Plasters, Paints & Preservation". She left us a few copies which are available on the info shop display. It's an excellent resource for natural builders.

For Create Here's "Models in Masks" fashion event I made 2 ensembles with masks! Here are some pics taken by Robert Parker & Cameron Adams...

Upcoming events:

October 24th -

We have a booth with Young Monster on the Walnut Street Bridge for Ocktoberfest. Come check out the radical apparel & screen printed posters & hang out with us over the Tennessee river!!

October 31rst (Halloween)

Come see John DJ a set of soul, psyche & garage records/45s at 901 Lindsay Street (diagonally across the street from JJ's). Forest Magic & Mockinbird will be playing! It's sure to be a fun/wild/ridiculously dressed night.

November 6th

Opening party for "A Whole 'Notha New Thing" Part deux of the psychedelic 60's poster art show. This time featuring posters from Bill Graham's Fillmore West.

November 14th

Chattanooga Roller Girls benefit party. Food/Wine/DJs! Come hang out with the CRG & check out the awesome handmade things they are makin just for you. All funds from their crafts go directly to the team & we are donating 10% of the days sales to the team as well.

A Whole New Thing ~ Psychedelic Poster Art Show

TONIGHT (October 2nd)   7-10pm  We have covered the walls in an AMAZING collection of psychedelic poster art of late 60's. Most are from San Francisco 66-70. This is the curated collection of Chattanooga resident Fred Edgemon.  Join us for the opening/party tonight. This is the first installment of this 2 part show featuring but not limited to the posters of Family Dog posters, protest posters & Kaleidoscope posters. 

Chad (of Chad's Record Store) will be spinning records 7-10pm 

Examples of Family Dog Posters can be seen here >> http://tinyurl.com/Famdog

Examples of Kaleidoscope Posters can be seen here>>   http://tiny.cc/kaleidoscope161 

If you can't make it out to this event, the show will be up til November 5th

Come out to an Early show this Thusday!!!

Scum of the Earth from Gainesville, FL  this Thursday in Leo @ 8pm!!!!!!!!  Bring 3bux for the band!
Check em out here>>> http:​/​/​www.​myspace.​com/​thosefuckingguy​s

Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival !!

This weekend we're heading down to Birmingham for the 11th annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.  John will be introducing the documentary Handmade Nation!  We're looking forward to watching plenty of awesome films. If your in the area September 25th, 26th or the 27th check it out!!  The trailer for Handmade Nation can be seen here... handmadenationmovie.com  Film schedules & More info @ sidewalkfest.com  We carry the Handmade Nation book up at Leo so come by & flip through it anytime!  

Exploding Girl's Alligator Mouth opening night

Thanks to everyone who came out for Emily Effler's art opening!  Thomas spun us some excellent records & Ernie played a few tunes.  Here are a few pics from Saturday.  Plus I wanted to mention that Emily is also an excellent tattoo artist! Her work in that realm can be seen @ American Ink Tattoo  If you didn't get a chance to stop by opening night, her show will be up through October 1rst. 

Check out Angie Johnson of Norwegian Wood in this awesome etsy dress up video. Then come see this talented Montreal designers handmade creations in the real @ Leo!!

 

How can you resist a show titled "Exploding Girl's Alligator Mouth"?

 

ART OPENING!! Come see new art during the Gallery Hop Saturday September 12th 2-9. Emily Efflers new collection is best described as a combination of paste/cut/glue/paint/collage/spray paint.  Also, check out her awesome new line of bronze jewelry incorporating feathers, chains & lockets. So sweet!! Join us anytime Saturday for music & merriment! 

Thomas Dean will be spinning the records 6-9pm

 If you cannot make to the opening... this show will be up Sept. 6th through October 1rst

Trade your Art & Craft Supplies!

We're hosting an Art Supply Exchange!! Come out this Saturday August 29th anytime between 4-8pm.  Bring your cast away art & craft supplies to trade them in for "new" ones.  This is a Free event. Dump as many art supplies as you'd like & take any that you fancy. Paint, yarn, glue, paper, fabric... you name it.  It's a trading party.  I'm making punch.  So come have fun!   

Saturday is also the grand opening of our neighbors shop: Tangerina's. They have transformed the the space below Good Dog into an amazing workshop & gallery for their recycled art!  So come check em out!

Died Young Stayed Pretty

 Young Monster workshop + Film Screening + Rock Show!  This is going to be Excellent!!  

 
We will be postponing our usual first friday art opening to attend the documentary film Die young Stay Pretty: A Movie About Rock Posters!!  September 4th 8pm @ Green | Spaces  

More info about the event here:  http://weareyoungmonster.com/

the 3/50 project

Spreading the word...

Our floor is Blue!

This week Leo got a happy new blue floor! In case you don't recall the other floor... it was an ancient worn tootsie roll brown. We thought we could live with it but we're glad we changed our minds. This new blue is so tite!

Flat Form: Free Flow

Art Opening!!! New works by Caroline Board.   Come join us 7 to 10 pm  Friday August 7th. DJ K789 will be spinning records!  

Here's a sneak peak...

 

If you can't make it out this Friday the show will be up until September 3rd.

This morning is full of packages! Brand New Cometbus is in. Too many zines to name arrived. But here's a few.... diy soapmaking, diy beer making, diy stencil graffiti, a very thorough composting how to zine & each for less than 4bux!!! It's a very "how to" kinda day. 

We have new hours:  

7 days a week  

Sunday & Monday  2-8

Tuesday- Saturday 12-8

Closed for construction!  Sorry folks, It's Just for today (Tuesday July 14th)

RE OPENING Wednesday July 15th  With NEW stuff... 

the new Mule Magazine is out, 25 new screen printed tees,  new Kitty Dearest(cute frilly handmade apparel), Amazing affordable new jewelry & I MEAN SERIOUSLY SWEET Jewelry folks.  See you after today!

Here are a few pics of the cell phone photo art show.  We forgot to take any pictures during the opening. It was too much fun! Thanks to all who sent in their awesome pics!!  &  Thanks to Joshua for spinning excellent tunes. The show will be up until August 6th so come by if you have not yet seen it. 

Submit cell phone photos for our next group art show!!  

Email as many camera phone pics as you like to: leo.handmade@yahoo.com

Include your name & where you are from unless you would like to be anonymous. 

We will do all of the printing!! Size 8x10 glossy. We'll print as many as can fit in the gallery. ALL submissions are welcome! Even if you have never considered showing your work. Even if you think your pictures suck.  Even if your camera phone is half broken & makes 1 pixel photos! 

Send em our way...  Deadline is July 2nd!!  

Thanks everyone for an excellent first week!!!

 

Opening!!!

We've been far too busy too tell you that Leo is OPENING TOMORROW!  Friday June 12th 2-10pm   149 River Street Chattanooga.   Call us if you need directions: 423-634-0440

Good News!

Leo has a door!  We now have an air conditioner!  Plumbing! There are no wires hanging out of the ceiling!  We have electricity!  

The owner of the building says we can come pick up the keys to the new fire marshall approved door & move in on Tuesday!!!  We signed the lease for this spot back in March, so it's been a long time coming.  We are SO Excited to move in!  We've got some painting to do & some light fixtures to add but then we can move in the goods & start setting up displays. YAY!!!!!

We can also be found here...

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Twitter

Hi!

The intention of this blog is to keep all the artists/designers up to date on the progress of the shop's opening. And introduce these artists to our Chattanoogan friends. We'll also let you know when our plans for an opening party are solidified.

Since I keep on hearing "what exactly is it that your opening?" Handmade Gallery? I will try my best to convey the idea here & now... Call it a variety store, an indie/DIY shop, fashion & art venue or whatever you want. We've decided gallery is a good description. Although, Leo will hardly be a conventional gallery, we think that since everything within it will be made by artists/designers/musicians/writers/makers it should probably be deemed a gallery. And we intend to bend the definition as we please.

Here is a little F.A.Q:

What will be in the shop?

Artist made fashion, small publications(like zines & books not available elsewhere in Chatty), ceramics, screen printed wears, adornments & accessories, prints, photography, functional art, totally non functional art, Handmade goods of all sorts made in the U.S.A. & Canada.....

What will NOT be in the shop?

Items made in sweatshops, anything we cannot trace to the individual or collective who made it.

Will there be local Chattanoogans stuff?

Hell yes

How to submit art, craft, a project, et cetera...?

Send Jpegs or links & a small description of the idea or artist bio to leo.handmade@yahoo.com

And the question asked most often... just about everyday...

When will you open? It will be at least 3 more weeks.

So basically, we are looking forward to an awesome summer full of handmade things & creativity!!!!!! If you have any questions send them to Johny or Bridget @ leo.handmade@yahoo.com Thank you to everyone for all the support & encouragement!

Our sweet location (currently under construction) is:

149 River Street Chattanooga TN. (below Clumpies/ facing Coolidge Park)

We look forward to meeting & getting to know you!