040 Ambassador of String: Gretchen Du Prè

Angelica, it is why I do what I do.  I love this city.  I love Austin, and that’s honestly my career goal, is to make Austin beautiful, though public art, through landscape design, through public projects if I can be involved.

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That’s Gretchen Du Prè.  Fiber artist, landscape designer, musician slash singer, mother, and beautifier.  Gretchen’s own string theory is: if there’s a way to knit it, play it, draw it, or sew it, she wants to get her hands on it.  If you see her around town and compliment something she made – watch out, you might be wearing it home.

Public Art:

She and Austin Outdoor Design had a entry in the recent Fortlandia, called Hamaca de los Flores, at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

She also had a project in Creek Show, a temporary light installation over Waller Creek in Austin.

Music:

Singer and musician for the band, Honey Punch, for 10 years, a daytime fun band.  The intro was “Anarchy in the UK” ; the mid-episode sample was “Being Mir Best Du Schon”, and the outro was “Fallen for You.”  Follow them on Instagram and check out their website for shows and delights!

 

 

 

003 Crafty Storyteller: Kate Caldwell

What I love about storytelling is…going to places with myself, and my own experiences, that I don’t necessarily explore if I’m not trying to explain them to somebody else.

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That’s Kate.  Storyteller, writer, actor, and yarn-worker.  Kate is a powerful orator, and she assembled the team that gave birth to Testify, Austin’s monthly storytelling show.  She sat down to chat about building a creative institution, shaping stories, savoring the dynamic exchange between a performer and audience, and knitting in public.

Testify’s performances take place on the last Thursday of every month in at Spiderhouse Ballroom at 7:30pm (in Austin, Texas).  There are different themes each month, and you can submit your story HERE. You can also find @testifyatx on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter, or become a supporting member via Patreon.

Have you been to a Testify show to perform or watch?  Tell us about it in the comments or write to us on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #chattycrafties.  We’d love to hear about your experience!