by: taylor bruce

wildsam field guides: american south leads travelers into the most authentic experience of this american region, working closely with an eclectic team of trusted locals. contributors include social justice activist bryan stevenson, pitmaster flora payne, poet beth ann fennely, jazz band leader ben jaffe, fishing guide moe newman and writer daniel wallace, among others. topics in the handsome volume include bourbon, literature, civil rights history, alabama folk art, barbecue icons, tabasco, florida springs, herschel walker, recording studios and more.

*paperback

by emma yau, raina lampkins-fielder, rebecca bray

a wide-ranging survey of black art in the american south, from thornton dial and nellie mae rowe to the quilters of gee's bend

for generations, black artists from the american south have forged a unique art tradition. working in near isolation from established practices, they have created masterpieces in clay, driftwood, roots, soil, and recycled and cast-off objects that articulate america's painful past--the inhuman practice of enslavement, the cruel segregationist policies of the jim crow era and institutionalized racism. their works respond to issues ranging from economic inequality, oppression and social marginalization to sexuality, the influence of place and ancestral memory.
among the sculptures, paintings, reliefs and drawings included here--the majority from the souls grown deep foundation in atlanta--are works by thornton dial, lonnie holley, ronald lockett, hawkins bolden, bessie harvey, charles williams, mary t. smith, purvis young, mose tolliver, nellie nae rowe, mary lee bendolph, marlene bennett jones, martha jane pettway, loretta pettway and henry and georgia speller. also featured are the celebrated quiltmakers of gee's bend, alabama, and work from the neighboring communities of rehoboth and alberta.

*hardcover

theorists and artists from jack halberstam to peter rehberg consider the fruitful cross-pollination of video, punk, queerness and gender politics

since the 1970s, the medium of video has been closely associated with subcultural and countercultural movements. art and music videos in particular have showed great subversive potential, as artists and musicians use the medium to explore and transgress social norms and gender stereotypes. the essays in this publication consider artistic strategies in the context of the history of punk and its offshoots, combining scholarly opinions from the fields of art history, queer theory, media studies, gender studies, postcolonial studies and cultural studies alongside field reports from the practice of alternative archives and visual essays.

authors include: kathrin dreckmann, marina grzinic, jack halberstam, josefine hetterich, angela mcrobbie, jennifer ramme, peter rehberg, marion schulze, elfi vomberg and katharina wiedlack.

*paperback

meet the original duck umbrella, sustainably handmade and built to last.

each canopy is made of 100% recycled plastic bottles. this compact umbrella fits into any backpack or tote bag, making it a convenient travel companion. you can rely on its sturdy build to keep you dry during any downpour.

innovative materials - waterproof coating, r.PET canopy made from 9 recycled plastic bottles, sustainably sourced birch wood handle

key features - wind resistant, automatic open button, high-strength steel frame

compact size - length: 35cm/14”

about the brand |

original duckhead umbrellas are handmade in china by a small family run factory committed to ethical and environmentally responsible practices. original duckhead is a member of 1% for the planet.

this refill pack contains 30 beeswax candles, each meticulously crafted to burn for 20 minutes. made for the 20-minute meditation clock. brass plate not included!

the 20-minute meditation clock embodies the simplicity of ancient timekeeping and the tranquility of fire meditation, offering a subtle, serene way to mark time with the quiet burn of a single flame.

product information

beeswax candles dimensions: 2.3" (5.84 cm) high x 1/4" (0.63 cm) diameter.

burn time: 20 minutes per beeswax candle

modern love note, designed and hand embroidered by birmingham-based artist smallwoods studios. 

a wink and a nod to “live, laugh, love” — and an acknowledgement of my southern snark and impatience. - tamara

black embroidery floss on natural seeded quilting cotton, framed in a 6” wooden hoop, finished with twine for easy display.

modern love note, designed and hand embroidered by birmingham-based artist smallwoods studios. 

you’re the one I want next to me when you’re on your phone and I’m on mine.

ah, true love.

black embroidery floss on natural seeded quilting cotton, framed in a 6” wooden hoop, finished with twine for easy display.

“you are a low effort acquaintance in my life” is honestly one of the nicest things that a person can say. it’s a nice compliment, as aren’t we are all low on energy? a person that requires “low effort” might even be pleasant to be around. the acknowledgement of fact that “you are” (indeed) “in my life” is a heartwarming reminder to be sure.

birmingham-based artist tamara has teamed up with jordan, who says hilarious stuff all the time. tam writes some of it down and hand embroiders it.

original art by smallwoods studios. 

this piece is framed in a 5” embroidery hoop with red & white twine for easy display.

“you’re neat” is honestly one of the nicest things that a person can say. because don’t we all feel messy sometimes?

birmingham-based artist tamara has teamed up with jordan, who says hilarious stuff all the time. tam writes some of it down and hand embroiders it.

original art by smallwoods studios. 

this piece is framed in a 3” embroidery hoop with red & white twine for easy display.

“you are generally tolerable” is honestly one of the nicest things that a person can say. because most people are gross, you know? ick.

birmingham-based artist tamara has teamed up with jordan, who says hilarious stuff all the time. tam writes some of it down and hand embroiders it.

original art by smallwoods studios. 

this piece is framed in a 5” embroidery hoop with red & white twine for easy display.

light up your space with the enlighten the occasion color tip matchsticks! these colorful matches will add a spark of joy to any moment- with many vibrant color options. the corked vials are hand-filled in their studio and come with a handy match striker on the bottom of the glass so you can light up your favorite occasion anytime. 

there are 40 matches per vial. vials are 1.2 W x 2.4 H.

made in the untied states.

the 54 celsius taper candles are a great decor option to help set the mood during your next dinner party. these candles are designed to match perfectly with the rocket candle holders.

they come in a pack of 4. 

made in the united states.

the rosa candle from village apothecary is woodsy, intimate, and a new age twist on a classic scent profile. it is the ultimate rose fragrance for people that usually hate rose.

woc-owned and located in birmingham, alabama, village apothecary candles are hand-poured into reusable jars with lead-free wicks, 100% natural coconut wax, and quality fragrance oils; and they are always made phthalate and cruelty-free.

scent notes |

top: coriander, rose water
middle: sandalwood, guaiac wood, light musk
bottom: african violet, rosewood

9oz: 60-65 hour total burn time

4oz: 15 hours

can crochet explain the complexities of non-euclidean geometry? how does the 1804 jacquard loom relate to modern computing? radical fiber celebrates the overlap between art, science, interdisciplinary creativity and collaborative learning.

for centuries, fiber arts have influenced sciences as diverse as digital technology, mathematics, neuroscience, medicine and more. radical fiber explores this relationship through contemporary art and historical artifacts that address five key themes: shape, machine, body, brain and community. how did the accidental discovery of synthetic mauveine dye in 1856 pave the way for modern pharmaceuticals while also generating toxic waste? why do we respond differently to a woven photograph than a printed one? these and other questions reframe the fiber/science intersection and ask how the medium can be used to improve our world for the future.

the offbeat sari celebrates these innovations in sari design, with photography of pieces by leading contemporary designers. commissioned essays by notable indian writers such as pragya agarwal and sonia faleiro explore ideas such as gender fluidity, politics, sustainability, female empowerment and the self-image of india, alongside interviews with the designers whose work illustrates each theme.

carrie mae weems has often confronted the uncomfortable truths of racism and race relations over the course of her nearly 40-year career. in The Shape of Things, she focuses her unflinching gaze at what she describes as the circus-like quality of contemporary american political life. for this new work, weems created a seven-part film projected onto a cyclorama―a panoramic-style cylindrical screen that dates to the 19th century―where she addresses the turmoil of current events in the United States and the “long march forward.”

drawing on news and tv footage from the civil rights era to today, elements of previous films such as the madding crowd (2017) and new film projects that bring us into our tumultuous present, the films in The Shape of Things combine documentary directness with poetic rhythm to create an enveloping experience.

carrie mae weems (born 1953) has received numerous awards, grants and fellowships, and is represented in public and private collections around the world, including the metropolitan museum of art, new york; the museum of fine arts, houston; and the museum of modern art and the museum of contemporary art, los angeles. weems lives in brooklyn and syracuse, new york.

an exploration of the visual corollary to didion’s life and work and the feeling that each generates in her admirers, detractors and critics―including artists from helen lundeberg to diane arbus, betye saar to maren hassinger, vija celmins and andy warhol.

arranged chronologically, the book highlights didion's fascination with the two coasts that made her. as a Westerner transplanted to new york, didion was able to look at her native land, its mores and fixed rules of behavior, with the loving and critical eyes of a daughter who got out and went back. and from her new york perch, didion was able to observe the political scene more closely, writing trenchant pieces about clinton, el salvador and most searingly the central park five.

this beautifully designed clothbound book brings together the 'Palabrarmas' series by the chilean-born artist, poet and activist cecilia vicuña (born 1948).

images of these works―each a powerful juxtaposition of color, poetry and politics―appear alongside new essays and historical references chosen with the artist. palabrarmas, a neologism that translates to "word weapons" or "word arms," imagine new ways of seeing language. taking the form of collages, silkscreens, drawings, poems, fabric banners, cutouts, mixed-media installations and street actions, vicuña’s palabarmas bring together her work in poetry, activism and visual art. each one unpacks and deconstructs single words to reveal other words hiding within them, allowing new meanings to emerge.

the artist began making these visual anagrams while in exile in london and bogotá after the pinochet-led coup of 1973 in chile, and has always seen them as a form of liberation―as a way to "open up minds by opening up words," as she puts it. the palabarmas have taken on new relevance in today’s political climate, and appeared on the streets during chile’s 2019 revolution as protest signs. this book presents a range of palabrarmas in color for the first time, with new essays by mónica de la torre, carla macchiavello, cecilia vicuña and jeanne gerrity, and reprinted texts by rené daumal, robert randall and simón rodríguez.