EAST Interview: Beth Hempton of The WonderCraft

East Austin Studio Tour
Saturday, November 21 - Sunday, November 22
Various Venues (Austin)
Free, Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm
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It's the type of thing indie film dreams are made of: four girls, all crafters, long to open their own craft studio. Girls pool their money for an Airstream trailer. Girls move in with crafts. Girls take "craft trailer" on the road, teaching children and adults alike the joys of coil baskets, stampmaking and bookbinding. (Shhh - did you hear that sound? That's the sound of Drew Barrymore purchasing film rights!)

The WonderCraft is the real-life lovechild of Austin crafty ladies Beth Hempton, Albrecht, Jen Bryan and Kim Sae-Eua, whose mobile craft trailer "Stella" makes her debut this year at East Austin Studio Tour. Stella will be parked at 628 Allen St. as guests of Courtney Gray/Creative Side Jewelry Academy (stop 45 on the E.A.S.T. map).

As a special E.A.S.T. bonus, The WonderCraft is having their Third Thursday Mix & Make crafty hour at the trailer tonight, Thursday 11/19, from 5-9pm: Sip a lovely drink with one hand, craft an upcycled t-shirt with the other. Co-founder Beth Hempton gave us a preview on all The WonderCraft's goings-on during E.A.S.T.

How did The WonderCraft come about?

The WonderCraft grew out of a conversation we had in a parking lot after an EtsyAustin meeting. Beth Albrecht and I were the first officers of EtsyAustin, and after a meeting in March, wandered out to the parking garage with members Jen Bryan and Kim Sae-Eua. We chatted about our dream of having a crafting studio and realized that we could come together and actually make it happen. Jen had a friend looking to sell a big Airstream trailer and we got moving on the idea the very next day.

You all own and operate a "mobile craft studio." Tell us about some of the craft classes you teach inside of it?

As we've been getting our Airstream, "Stella," ready we've been partnering with local businesses like Paper Place, Creative Side Jewelry Academy, and Waterloo Icehouse to host our classes. We have been bringing Stella out to various events where we teach make and take crafts on the spot like upcycled t-shirt accessories, cardboard wallets, paper mosaics, mask-making, and even mustache and beard-making. Our most popular classes have been simple mold-making, bookbinding, rubber stamp carving, print making, artistic photography, resin, terrariums and altered books.

How did Stella earn her name? Where are some of the places you've taken her?

Stella means "star," and our logo is a rocket ship, so she reminds us that the sky is the limit with crafting. So far we've brought her out to the Beauty Bar, Alamo Drafthouse South for the Handmade Nation film premiere, Jerry's Artarama and the Get Your Art On kickoff party at Wooldridge Park. We'll also be bringing her out to E.A.S.T., EtsyAustin's Craft Riot!, and Cherrywood Art Fair. We're also in negotiations for a more permanent location where people will be able to come visit her, takes classes and attend events held in the trailer.

You ladies teach a wide variety of craft courses - from bookmaking to t-shirt upcycling. You also sell handy little craft kits. What are some of your most popular courses / kits?

Our upcycled grunge flower kit is our most popular for sure. As far as classes, see above, but we also have been offering a fun class for little ones ages 3-6: Storytime crafts, that's been popular. Also, our Mix & Make happy hours have been a blast!

What are some of the "customized parties" The Wonder Craft can do for groups?

We can do fun make-and-take baby shower items like designing onesies, or help a bride get ready at a bridal shower and make all her center pieces. We can also do Girls' Night Out jewelry-making, or a housewarming party to make tea towels or pillow shams. In addition, if a group comes up with an idea, we can customize a party to make any craft they'd like. That's the benefit of having four multi-talented crafters running things!

What excites you about the Austin craft scene?

We love how diverse it is; there is always someone doing something new and amazing. It's also very inclusive and friendly; everyone tries to help everyone else out. The network is so fun and beneficial to be a part of. Austin also seems to be a major craft hub, teeming with super-talented and influential folks like the Austin Craft Mafia, a lot of local artists featured in Handmade Nationand local blogger Rachel Hobson, a contributing writer for the Craft blog, so it feels like a place that people look to for what's happening in the crafting world. And with Austin being so local- and indie-friendly, people here like and appreciate local businesses and handmade items.

What is your favorite part about E.A.S.T.?

Our favorite part of E.A.S.T. is being able to see such a wide variety of work available right here in Austin. Meeting the artists creates a more memorable experience with the studios than a gallery setting typically does, and overall, it's just a really exciting celebration of art and artists alike!

What can visitors expect when they stop by your studios during E.A.S.T? What is this group sculpture we've been hearing about, and which make-and-take projects can visitors try out?

Stella will be set up like a gallery/boutique featuring work from each of the WonderCraft gals as well as some of our talented pals from the EtsyAustin team, and we'll have a big mixed-media rocketship sculpture people will be invited to add to. Our make-and-take projects will be a variety of upcycled crafts, including our fun cardboard wallets and mustaches-on-a-stick, and we'll have our ever-popular button maker out as well for folks to design their own pinback buttons.

Oh we'll be there, Beth. Making some mean pinback buttons.

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