Tag: carter studios

Posted on by

Carter Studios Table Is Heading To The Philly Works Exibition

carters-philly-works

I just got an email from Jess Carter of Carter Studios at the Dye Works.  Remember the table they put together out of a factory wall? Well it’s heading to the Philly Works exhibition at UPenn.  The event is open Oct 7,8, and 10 with an opening event on Friday October 9th 5:30 to 11.  And is a showcase of locally crafted goods.  Check out phillyworks about page:

Philly Works is an exhibit and installation of functional objects of all scales, quantities, and production techniques that are made in Philadelphia and the region. Philly Works is a survey of design, manufacturing, and craft exhibited through a showcase of prototypes, limited editions, and mass-produced goods. Along with the objects, Philly Works will include documentation of the production spaces and the people who make the objects on display. As part of the opening night event, the show will include a “corner store” where some of the many items can be purchased.

This is an interesting theme developing around East Frankford.  That once thrown away buildings are being refurbished into light industry shops.  STUFF IS GETTING MADE HERE.  Way to go Carters, I am impressed.

[link] Carter Studios

[link] Philly Works

Posted on by — 5 Comments

Mike and Jess Carter Of Carter Studios

Meet Mike and Jess Carter, founders of Carter Studios at Frankford’s own Globe Dye Works.  Married almost two years they’re current residents of Port Richmond, former residents of Fishtown and 2004 graduates of Philly’s own University of the Arts.  And while it’s easy to define what our Jason Roberts is up to during his stay in our part of town, it’s more of a challenge with the Carters.  They work with clay, with wood, and metal.  They paint.  They turn factory walls into tables.  In the corner sits industrial plastic dye rollers waiting to be turned into…. I don’t even know, the idea for what they’re gonna be probably doesn’t even exist yet.  I asked them what their motivation in coming to Frankford was, and Mike pointed out two things, “Space and Money”.  The Dye Works affords them the creative freedom to follow where their artistic visions wherever that may take them without being tied down to producing in order to afford exorbitant rent.  Mike followed up with saying  “for us to have this much space elsewhere, it just wouldn’t happen” and they “get to use the space for whatever they want, whatever we can do to make a living.”  They envision further growth into furniture making and interior design, kinda like a “do something with space” kinda crew.  Very nice.  Like those rollers and old factory walls, thank God someone is using Frankford for something useful again.  Below are some pics of my visit.

Mike and Jess Carter

Carter Studios

painting space export

below: this is a before and after pic of a wall from the Seal-Tite factory up on Tacawanna.

table before and after exported

closeup of table exported

below: these dye rollers will be??

dye rollers exported

horns exported

below: only peripherally related to this story is the Carter Studios ceiling, I just love rafters

i love rafters exported

below: Crosby man!

David Crosby and Mask

[link] http://claywoodsteelspace.com/

While it’s easy to define what our friend Jason Roberts does, it’s much more difficult with Mike and Jess Carter.  The name of their website(under construction) gives us a clue.  Clay, wood steel and space.