Goldstein Museum of Design

Communications Assistant Sharlene Balik says Goodbye

2013-05-23T18:29:04Z

Each year two graduate students are given the opportunity to work at GMD. I was lucky enough to have the position of Communication Assistant at GMD for the past year. Before working at the Goldstein, a career involving museums never crossed my mind. However over the past year I found that I really enjoy being a part of all that is required to maintain a museum.

As the Communication Assistant my main responsibility was all things associated with the PR for the museum, which encompassed a wide range of tasks. I started my experience at GMD with a crash course in designing labels for the exhibition Quest for the World's Best Baskets. The exhibition included over 300 baskets and the InDesign software was crashing about every hour, creating some panic on whether they would be done in time. I then took part in the planning and execution of GMD's fall benefit Mad About Design while being able to wear a dress designed by Lily Pulitzer. I also produced three magazines, designed numerous items for the museum, and tried my hand at web design among many other things.

I have truly enjoyed and consider myself fortunate for the time I had at GMD. Beyond the tasks that I accomplished the people I was able to work with were beyond wonderful and helped me grow and learn in my position and also in the classroom.

I am sad to go yet excited to see how the next chapter in my life unfolds and how my time at GMD will help me in my future.

-Sharlene Balik, Master of Arts in Graphic Design

Successful Backstage Tour and Tea!

2013-05-16T15:58:41Z

May 2 and May 4 were busy days at the Goldstein. The GMD staff, membership committee, and several lovely student volunteers joined forces to present a spring Behind the Scenes Tour and Tea. We planned, curated, baked, ironed the linens, polished the silver, and worked together to transform the fireplace room in the College of Design into a pretty restaurant-like setting for the English Tea.

The event attracted dozens of new members who enjoyed all they saw going on at GMD. They visited our storage facilities, spent time viewing our current exhibit in the gallery, and studied a small collection of exquisite 1920s clothing and objects presented by Jean McElvain, Assistant Curator of GMD.The event was topped off with a delicious tea service of scones, clotted cream, tarts, pudding, sandwiches, and five kinds of tea! Lin Nelson-Mayson closed the event with an introduction to GMD and a slide presentation for our new members highlighting the Museum's collection. Everyone left energized by the event and enthused about the organization they now belong to!

We loved the clothes, shoes and hats so much! It was very inspirational... We really enjoyed the specific pieces that were pulled for display, and our group had a lot of questions. It was so much fun to go into the wardrobes and see the rows of cabinetry, and our leader who pulled out a few pieces to explain them to us was knowledgeable and interesting. Our group was full of interesting people with in-depth questions, wanting to see the lining, stitching, detail and noticing every little design and layer, hem length and button, and asking questions about hair styles and eras and all.

...it brought out the child in me that I had to keep admonishing "look with your eyes, touch only with your eyes."

The beautiful linens and gorgeous china were as sweet and delectable as the treats that accompanied them - it was fun.

--Attendee Comments

Redefining Redesigning Fashion Goes Viral!

2013-05-09T19:28:28Z

Our current exhibition Redefining Redesigning Fashion: Designs for Sustainability has been a hit! Our attendance for the exhibition has been great but if you have not seen it yet, you only have 2 more weeks. It will be closing May 26th. I highly recommend seeing all the wonderful objects in person if you are able. But if for some reason you cannot make it here before it is gone you now have the option to view the exhibition online! Check out this new link on our website! It features the winning designs with descriptions and images of all the objects. It also informs you about the themes that were used to define how the objects are sustainable.

Click here for the website.
Click here for the website exhibition link.

Fashion Redefined: A Day to Celebrate Eco Fashion!

2013-05-01T15:33:22Z

Fashion Redefined on Saturday, April 6th was an exciting all-day event dedicated to eco fashion! The event focused on innovative ideas presented by the current exhibition at the Goldstein Museum of Design, "Redefining, Redesigning Fashion: Designs for Sustainability," co-curated by Marilyn DeLong, Barbara Heinemann, and Kathryn Riley. This exhibit explores the creation of sustainable clothing by designers who respect environmental, economic, and social concerns.

Saturday, April 6th was a day of workshops and presentations for people of all ages. The opening ceremony brought everyone together for a warm welcome and included an interactive story by guest presenter "Auntie Beverly" as well as a discussion of the five themes of sustainability by the curators of the exhibit.These themes are: Emotional Connections, Repurposed Materials, Valuing Resources, Alternative Construction and Techniques, and Versatility. These themes were celebrated in different ways by each of the workshops and activities of the day.

There was a "Sustainability Boutique" filled with fun designs for sale by the workshop instructors and University of Minnesota graduate students. There was a clothing swap and mid-day fashion show sponsored by Sol Inspirations, a local non-profit organization that advocates responsible and sustainable practices.

The diverse offering of workshops ranged from Bengla (mud) dye techniques to a "Project Upcycle" sewing challenge to a discussion focused on sustainability in the industry and much more!

Everyone who participated in our "Day to Celebrate Eco Fashion" had the chance to learn new creative skills and ideas focused on sustainability and its importance. They also were able to find new ways to incorporate sustainable practices into everyday life. And they also, certainly, had fun!

Honoring the Career of Lilly Pulitzer

2013-04-24T15:19:31Z

1. Dress with belt, 1965-1969, cotton, Gift of Sybil Roberts Seay 2001.014.008a-b
2. Caftan, 1970-1979, Gift of Felice Wender 1994.007.004
3. Dress, 1960-1969, cotton, Gift of Margot Siegel 1978.020.005

In honor of fashion maven Lilly Pulitzer, who passed away on April 7, 2013, the Goldstein is celebrating her iconic floral print designs. Pulitzer, born Lillian Lee McKim, lived a privileged life amongst American "royalty." Herself an heiress, she eloped and moved to Florida with Herbert Pulitzer, Jr. in 1952. In 1959, for something to do, she opened a juice stand in Palm Beach. Needing a dress to camouflage juice spills, she had one made in colorful citrus tones. The dresses met with such enthusiastic comments she soon began selling similar designs at the stand. Priced at just $22, these dresses were, according to the New York Times, "accessible to most, but really wearable only by the few who were so rich that they could afford to have bad taste."

While some "Lillys" certainly raise eyebrows (see the gregariously-patterned caftan above), most are charming little sundresses, ideally suited for hot and humid Florida summers. The playful use of floral patterns and innovative textiles paired with simple, clean silhouettes produced a modern look that feels just as fresh today as it did in the 1960s. In fact, the Goldstein's own Communications Assistant, Sharlene Balik, recently had the opportunity to wear a vintage Lilly Pulitzer dress. In keeping with the theme of the Goldstein's fall benefit party - Mad About Design - guests were encouraged to wear 60s-inspired fashions. Of this experience, Sharlene writes:

"Circa Vintage, a boutique that has clothing from the 1900s-1970s, offered Goldstein employees the opportunity to wear their clothing for the night. I went to Circa Vintage and found a Lilly Pulitzer dress that not only fit me perfectly but also the "Mad Men" theme! The dress was covered in a pink-and-green floral pattern and trimmed with lace around the collar. The dress fit me like a glove. I loved the feel and it worked well for all the movement I had to do while helping run the party. Looking back at images from that night I have to say that the dress looked even better on me than it felt. It hugged the right places while disguising the not-so-good places. It was a blast to see everyone in their 1960's attire and I enjoyed fitting right in wearing Lilly Pulitzer."

Mallory Johnson and Eric Lagergren (Volunteers), and Sharlene Balik (GMD's Communication Assistant)

-- Natasha Thoreson and Sharlene Balik

Goldstein Student Wins Competition and Tour of Target Corp.

2013-04-11T19:54:04Z

I am Hannah Bartz, a sophomore Retail Merchandising major here at the College of Design and staff member of the Goldstein. Last semester I took a Visual Merchandising class and we partnered with Target for the second half of the semester, which included a project competition, where my partner and I received second place. The Visual Merchandising class focused on displaying merchandise once it is in stores to encourage customers to purchase the items. The project for Target involved using software to create a digital version of the Merona brand women's wear sales floor. The problem we faced was an underutilized back wall and we were required to use specific fixtures to hang the merchandise on the sales floor, as well as specific amounts of various merchandise. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, our floor pad included outfitting each fixture with a sign of how to accessorize the garments and we placed feature tables at the front to hold accessories that were highlighted in the signage. We received second place overall, for our design and presentation, which focused on convenience for shoppers. We received a monetary scholarship and the opportunity to tour Target Headquarters on April 3rd.

On Wednesday, April 3rd, my partner and I arrived at Target on Nicollet Mall and were greeted by two Merchandise Presentation Business Analysts who lead us to their department and then took us on a tour of the building, including the top floor to see the view. After viewing all the wonderful amenities Target employees have access to, we proceeded through the skyway to the Target store a block away. We viewed the Business Analysts' areas which included menswear and women's wear and then returned to their offices to see what steps were taken to reach the finished product. This was one of my favorite parts of the day, especially when I learned that Target uses the same software that is used in the Visual Merchandising class. The day ended with a lunch with the rest of the Merchandise Presentations Department for Apparel and Accessories. It was a great chance to speak with the other members of the department and learn about their roles and their favorite reality TV shows. It was a wonderful experience and I am so grateful for Target's partnerships with the University.

Mini-Exhibitions in McNeal: Sharing the GMD's Collections with the Campus

2013-04-03T14:39:21Z

While our current gallery exhibition "Redefining, Redesigning Fashion" focuses on loaned objects, a number of works from the GMD's collections are on display in the offices of McNeal Hall. Each year, a series of "mini-exhibitions" are featured in locations throughout the University of Minnesota's design facilities. These exhibitions focus on often-overlooked aspects of the collection.

Design, Housing, and Apparel Administrative Offices, McNeal 240 -- VICTORIAN MOURNING WEAR (left)
When her beloved husband Prince Albert died of typhoid in 1861, England's Queen Victoria entered a 40-year mourning period, unwittingly inspiring an international fashion trend. Black, representing the absence of light and life, was chosen to reflect the mourner's loss. In addition to black dresses, mourners wore black hats, gloves, shoes, handkerchiefs, and jewelry. Though commonly made from jet, such jewelry was also made from locks of the deceased's hair. These morbid fashions were supplied by mourning warehouses - empires built on strict social etiquette and superstitions regarding the bad luck brought by recycling mourning apparel.

College of Design Administrative Offices, McNeal 32 -- SECRET AGENT WOMAN (center)
A Rolex with built-in garrote. A rocket powered cigarette. A dagger-toed shoe.These are among the many gadgets that kept James Bond ranked among the world's deadliest spies. But why should Bond have all the fun? For centuries women have secretly amassed their own collections of gadgets.Tucked away in tiny clutches, these gadgets were designed to both kill and thrill. One never knew what a night on the town might require: a blowtorch inspired lighter, a clandestine notepad, or a pocket knife in the shape of a shoe.

GMD Administrative Offices, McNeal 364 - HERE BY DESIGN (right)
This collection of digitally fabricated letters was featured in the 2007 exhibition, "Here by Design III: Process and Prototype," which explored the effects of digital fabrication on the creative process and design production in Minnesota. This was the third of a three-part exhibition (2001, 2003) highlighting local design ingenuity. A careful look reveals that these letters spell out "Here by Design." Designed by Rob Tickle and Dave Hultman, the letters were created with the latest in design technology at the Minneapolis-based firm, Industrial Art and Design.

-- Natasha Thoreson

Students' Unique Access to Vintage

2013-03-27T14:57:49Z

Screen shot of Hannah Barts's presentation

My name is Hannah Bartz and I am a staff member of the Goldstein Museum of Design. I am a sophomore Retail Merchandising major with an apparel emphasis. This past weekend I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Dean's Reception, which is a day of welcoming prospective freshman into the College of Design. I spoke about the Retail Merchandising program and all the benefits of the program. One of the best resources that we use is actually the collection from GMD. Not only does it have its wonderful exhibitions but I have also analyzed pieces from the collection in the Textiles Analysis class, Softlines analysis class, and Fashion and Ethics class.

In the slide that accompanied my presentation I included photos from the Goldstein's new online database of their collection. One of the most amazing experiences I have had was the honor of handling (with gloves!) the Dior skirt (pictured above) from the groundbreaking New Look collection! The collection pieces offer a chance to see garment details that are no longer produced or are only incorporated in designer garments. This skirt had extremely beautiful, deep pleats that added even more fullness and draping to the wool fabric. As a design student, it is incredibly exciting to have the chance to examine beautiful couture clothing and see the quality and exquisite details that make "high fashion" so special.

Being able to tell next year's freshman that I have had the opportunity to work with Dior 1948 couture was great. It was also great explaining that the Goldstein isn't just the Gallery but an excellent resource for all design students. I enjoyed being an ambassador for the Retail Merchandising major and the Goldstein Museum of Design, and hope I recognize a few freshman next year from the reception.

Images from left to right
Bill Blass Evening Dress, 1986, Gift of Bill Blass Ltd.
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel Jacket, Camisole and Skirt, 1955, Gift of Lois and Ed Schlampp
Christian Dior Dress with Belt, 1947-1948, Gift of Kathleen Catlin

GMD's Collection, a Useful Tool!

2013-03-13T14:50:14Z

A couple weeks ago, we answered a phone call from Jennifer McHughs, an UMN alum, who was interested in viewing our complete set of the Émigré magazines. Émigré is a unique and cutting-edge San Francisco publication which published 69 issues from 1984 to 2005, under art directors Rudy Vanderlands and Zuzana Licko.

Jennifer wrote about her visit to GMD:

"On a recent visit to Minneapolis I was searching for information on design activities in the Twin Cities area. One thing led to another and I discovered the Émigré Magazine Index housed at the Goldstein Museum of Design. What luck! After contacting the Museum staff, they arranged for a visit to their collections library. I invited a friend to join me, who works in the field of interior design and textiles production, and we enjoyed this interesting afternoon together.

"Kathleen Campbell and Sharlene Balik gave us an introduction to the library with an explanation of its collection, history, and proper handling procedures of the materials in conservation. We were able to browse through the entire collection of Émigré graphic design magazines, taking notes and asking questions. In particular, this has been useful for my research on the archiving of graphic design materials, the importance of a graphic design magazine like Émigré (which is no longer in publication) to the industry, and the significance of 'collecting' contemporary design in general.

"I greatly appreciate your swift and generous attention and thank you for a productive and thought-provoking visit. It was the highlight of my day."

We are very happy that Jennifer and her friend could visit GMD and that our collection assisted her with her studies. We encourage everyone to keep GMD in mind when doing research. Our collection of great objects could help you with your research in the future. Click here to search our collection online. If there are certain objects you would like to see in person, please contact our Assistant Curator, Jean McElvain, at 612.625.2737 or jmcelvai@umn.edu to set up a time to come and view them.

Hope to see you soon!

----

Jennifer McHugh is a researcher in the history of arts, design and cultural heritage. She is a pre-doctoral student focusing on the intersection of communication through graphic design and typography and its place in contemporary cultural heritage. She has recently completed a Masters degree in Management of Cultural Heritage at the Universitat de Girona in Spain. Her previous studies include International Relations (University of Sussex) and Spanish (University of Minnesota).

Goldstein Museum of Design Director Recognized for Leadership in Making the Case for Museums In Washington and Beyond

2013-03-06T17:31:13Z

Left to Right: Jada Hansen, Brenda Raney, Abraham Lincoln, Lin Nelson-Mayson

5 March 2013 ─ Lin Nelson-Mayson, director of the Goldstein Museum of Design, was honored at the 2013 Museums Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., Feb. 25th. The award recognized Nelson-Mayson's five years of service as a citizen-lobbyist, one of only 17 who participated in all five years of Museums Advocacy Day, an event organized by the American Alliance of Museums.

Nelson-Mayson has been a part of the concerted advocacy efforts for museums on Capitol Hill since the inception of Museums Advocacy Day in 2009. Over that time she has met with many members of the Minnesota Congressional delegation, recording a total of 39 visits to Congressional offices. Nelson-Mayson was presented the award at a reception at George Washington University in Washington.

Museums Advocacy Day brings museum professionals from across the country to Washington to make the case for America's museums on Capitol Hill. This year's event was Feb. 25-26. These citizen-advocates represent the breadth and scope of the museum field, coming from all types and sizes of museums, and this year representing 45 states. After a day of intense issue briefings on February 25th, the amateur lobbyists met with Members of Congress and their staffs throughout the day on February 26th.

"Lin has been at the vanguard of our Museums Advocacy Day efforts from the beginning," said Ford W. Bell, president of the American Alliance of Museums. "The museum field needs leaders such as Lin, now more than ever. We must make Congress aware that museums bring tremendous value to communities everywhere. Certainly the Goldstein Museum of Design is a community anchor at the University of Minnesota and in the Twin Cities."

Among the facts Nelson-Mayson and her colleagues presented to Congress on Feb. 26th were:

• Museums invest more than $2 billion in education programs annually, serving Americans of all ages

• Museums welcome more than 90 million visits by schoolchildren each year

• Museums welcome more than 850 million visitors each year, more than all major league sporting events combined

• A study cited by the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that, for every $1 municipalities invest in arts and culture organizations, including museums, $7 are returned to city coffers

• Museums are a major part of the $192 billion cultural tourism industry in the United States

In addition, the Minnesota advocates reported the following about the state's museums*:

• There are nearly 600 museums in the state, at least one in every county. The Twin Cities metro alone has more than 50.
• Minnesota museums attracted an estimated 14 million visitors in 2011. Compare that to 5.9 million attendees to Twins, Vikings, Lynx, Timberwolves, and Wild events COMBINED in 2011.
• In 2011, museums directly infused $337 million into Minnesota's economy. Including indirect impacts, museum wages and spending contributed $690 million to the state's economy.
• Minnesota's museums directly employ over 1,700 full and part time workers, paying $80 million in wages. Yet museums do more with less; the average museum in Minnesota has just two paid staff members.
• Volunteers in Minnesota's museums annually contribute an estimated 1.1 million hours of work to our state's cultural life.
• About 12% of all museum visitors are tourists, travelling over 50 miles. Tourists visiting museums contributed $53 million to the state's economy.

-American Alliance of Museums

*From a 2012 survey by the Minnesota Association of Museums in partnership with the University of Minnesota's Tourism Center

Gallery Staff Hits the Catwalk!

2013-02-28T20:52:30Z

Aly Gates wearing Ashton Frith. Image courtesy of Rod Hasse Photography

My name is Aly Gates and right now I'm a freshman in the Apparel Design program at the U, and I also work at the Goldstein Museum as a gallery staff member. I recently had the incredible opportunity of modeling in the annual Senior Fashion Show for designer Ashton Frith. At 6 AM on the day of the show, an Aveda stylist started to pile and tease my hair into a Marie Antoinette inspired hairstyle, dust bright purple powder onto my cheekbones, and glue rhinestones all over my face. After about 2 hours the look was completed, and I had about a 10 hour wait before the show started, which was filled with photo shoots, runway practice, and lots of sitting around. I became quite familiar with my beautiful pink dress, whose corset back was tightly laced around my waist and whose enormous layered skirt required 3 others girls' help just for me to move.The whole runway experience was an exciting blur, but I remember in detail how empowered I felt walking down the runway to bumping music under the bright lights with hundreds of eyes carefully watching me. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I'll never forget, and I couldn't have been happier to showcase Ashton's amazing work!

Textile Project

2013-02-14T16:15:23Z

One of the most exciting aspects of my Goldstein assistantship is working with the museum's 4,500-piece textile collection. Still, it is not always easy. The collection has outgrown its storage space.

The Goldstein was recently awarded an NEH Preservation Assistance Grant for Small Institutions, designated for the implementation of a new textile storage system. The grant paid for new shelves, archival storage boxes, tissue paper, and additional storage supplies. These materials will help transform a cluttered cabinet like this...

... into a well-organized cabinet like this.

Ann (left) and Marj (right) - volunteers extraordinare - are responsible for the great success of this project. After a cabinet has been cleared and the textiles re-sorted, Marj and Ann take detailed notes regarding each object. They take measurements and photographs, record weave structures, and identify finishing techniques. Their next step is to carefully fold each object, padding these folds with tissue paper to avoid creases. Some textiles can be stored rolled on tubes. Folded or rolled, the last step of the process involves placing the objects in new acid-free storage boxes. The boxes are each labeled with photos of the textiles housed within.

My job is to enter the data Marj and Anne collect into our digital database. Thanks to them, we have been able to fill in a great deal of missing information about our textiles. This information will be shared with patrons via our online collections website, furthering our goal to make the Goldstein's wonderful collections accessible to a world-wide audience.

Natasha Thoreson, Collections Assistant

4H Students Experience Sustainable Fashion at GMD!

2013-02-06T15:54:10Z

Redefining, Redesigning Fashion
Goldstein Museum of Design Exhibition - January 19-May 26, 2013
Guest Curators: Marilyn DeLong, Barbara Heinemann, Kathryn Reiley

Last Saturday, 7 through 18 year-olds of the 4-H Urban Youth were part of an exciting and fun morning of activities, planned just for them. They gathered at the Goldstein Museum of Design to visit Redefining, Redesigning Fashion, an exhibition which explores how apparel designers and apparel consumers (everyone else) need to think about environmental, social and economic issues in clothing design and choices to help save the earth.

First, the 4-Hers had a scavenger hunt through the gallery to see how designers from around the world have conceptualized the future of apparel design. They learned about the themes of sustainable fashion design, as highlighted through the exhibition:

Encouraging the human connection by valuing culture and heirlooms;
Adding value through up-cycled clothing and accessories;
Serving multiple needs with versatile garments;
Valuing local and personal resources;
Integrating alternative constructions and processes.

After the tour, they discussed how sustainability helps build a healthy and happy Earth. The students participated with comments and ideas.

Then, the 4-H youth picked one of three "Studio Classes." The Studio Class options were T-Shirt Playtime, Eco-Style Design, and Go-Green Accessories. Each class was just full of young designers!

In each Studio, 4-Hers were introduced to ideas, activities, and fashion-related crafts to ignite their imaginations about how sustainable choices can lead us to exciting ways to create clothing and individualized design ideas.

At the end of the day, the youth walked in a "Project Show" and struck a pose with their newly created eco-designs on the runway!

Nominate Nominate Nominate!

2013-01-31T21:59:52Z

There is still time to nominate your favorite emerging designer for a $2000 award! Deadline for submissions is February 28, 2013

The annual Margot Siegel Design Award recognizes emerging designers for excellence and innovation in his/her field.

The winner will be invited to Miami, Florida to speak on his/her work and will receive $2000 at the award ceremony.

Please nominate a designer for this award. See the attached document for details and for the nomination form. Contact me at lnelsonm@umn.edu with questions.

This exciting new program honors emerging designers with good ideas that can shape the future.

Yours in design,
Lin Nelson-Mayson, GMD director

Images
(top) Circumstantial Evidence exhibition opening October 29, 2012 in the HGA Gallery
(bottom) 1929-1950 Mies Van Der Rohe Gift of Pink Supply Company

Thank you to our Sponsors!

2013-01-16T19:06:21Z

Fashion Avenue, Wet Paint, and Treadle Yard Goods Sponsor GMD's Exhibition on Sustainable Fashion that opens with a reception on January 18, 6-8 PM

For the exhibition Redefining, Redesigning Fashion: Designs for Sustainability, the Goldstein Museum of Design is pleased to have the financial and marketing support of these three popular Twin Cities retailers. Although occupying different niches, each is the "best of category" in the Twin Cities, each focuses on quality (an essential criterion for sustainability), and each has outstanding staff and service.

About the Exhibition

• Please come to the exhibition opening on Friday, January 18, 6-8 PM, McNeal Hall, Saint Paul Campus of the University of Minnesota. Free; Refreshments.

• Features 46 clothing designs by 30 different designers. A panel of judges chose from 200 entries the ones that best represent techniques for achieving sustainable fashion design.

• Designs range from whimsical (a dress made from colored pop-top tabs) to wearable (a little black dress made with no cutting and no waste of fabric).

• The exhibition is up through May 26. Gallery hours and directions: www.goldstein.design.umn.edu

• Lecture: on Thursday, February 21, Sandra Black, a noted sustainable fashion expert from London, will speak at 5 PM, 33 McNeal Hall. Free.

About the Sponsors

Fashion, Avenue the exhibition's Lead Sponsor, has two locations: 50th and France in Edina, and Lake Street in Wayzata. As the Twin Cities' leading upscale resale consignment shop selling only high- quality brand names and designers, Fashion Avenue is the opposite of "fast fashion." Its gently used selections are always current fashion and include clothing, handbags, purses, shoes, outerwear, jewelry, and accessories. The website describes their stores as "...not only a smart way to buy designer wear but to sustain the environment as well." www.fashionavenueresale.com

Wet Paint is an independent art materials store that has been on Grand Avenue in Saint Paul since 1976. Known for its huge selection (30,000 items) of high-quality materials that support art and design activities, Wet Paint is a resource for information about art and design events and classes in the Twin Cities and a locus for such groups as the Metro Sketchers. www.wetpaintart.com

Treadle Yard Goods Also on Grand Avenue in Saint Paul, Treadle Yard Goods is an independent retailer established in 1976 that specializes in beautiful natural fiber fabrics, unique buttons, notions, and patterns. Treadle also offers sewing classes and sewing machine repair. www.treadleyardgoods.com

Would you or your company like to explore sponsorship of a GMD exhibition? Go to www.goldstein.design.umn.edu and click on Get Involved/donate/sponsor.