PDX Profile: Megan Klepp, of Ta-Dah
Submitted by crafty-admin on October 1, 2007 - 8:06am.
DIY Alert Blog | PDX Profiles
I first encountered Megan's work at the Trillium Artisans store - her garden spheres, covered with colorful glass marbles, knocked me out. Megan works with recycled glass and other materials, and transforms them into wonderful stuff. You can see more at her website, blog, and Etsy store.
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Tell us about your work - what kinds of things do you make?
I work with recycled/ reclaimed materials, so a lot of what I make depends on what I have at the time. I make stained glass sun catchers, marble covered bowling balls, glass mosaic house numbers, mirrors made from flattened spoons, and bud vases from reclaimed test tubes.
Why do you prefer to use reclaimed/recycled materials in your work?
When my first son was born, I stayed home with him full time, and the cost of materials was a real issue. Therefore, I started to make things out of materials I already had. I had previously taken a stained glass class and saved a box of all my scraps--as well as the scraps from the rest of the people in the class. I also had a big box of marbles from my grandmother's house and a friend with a seemingly endless supply of bowling balls. The more I worked in recycled materials, the more I learned about the obvious environmental benefits. Now I can't imagine working any other way.
What kinds of things inspire your work?
A lot of my inspiration comes from the materials themselves. I love finding a way to give new life to something discarded. I also get inspired being around or hearing about other creative people, especially other crafty moms. I am always inspired to learn how others balance their work and family.
Tell us how you define the difference between "Art" and "Craft."
This question is a funny one. In college, a pottery professor of mine warned me that my pieces were getting too crafty, as if that were a bad thing. Another time I had a booth at a craft show in Minnesota, and people kept saying my work was too artsy. The words mean different things in different situations, but sometimes they are interchangeable. In general I think of craft as functional and art as aesthetic. What I am certain of is that art is a large part of craft.
What are some of your favorite creative spots in Portland?
I am relatively new to Portland and am still exploring. We are so lucky that there are so many creative places here, even the MAX stops. If I have to choose, my favorites I would have to say the Bins Store followed by the Rebuilding Center.
