I Met Mighty Ugly Author Kim Werker

My last event of this crazy past weekend was on Monday night October 20^th in Washington, DC. An author talk and book signing on Craft Activism at the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum in the heart of DC next to Chinatown. I was dreading the long trip via car and subway. But I kept reminding myself it would be so worth it and I would be happy I went and here’s why.

I went to meet a woman named Kim Werker who I know from my online world. An incredibly smart creative driven kooky woman who written a book called Make it Mighty Ugly. I can not tell you how much I admire her and am inspired by her work.

I got off the Metro at the Chinatown stop. I had mused the idea of grabbing some food there but I was thwarted by some really sweet 20-year-olds working the corner on behalf of an Ebola do-good program. And decided to head for the museum and eat at the café there.

Once I’d hit the loo, I then treated myself to a sandwich, bbq chips, and a tea totalling $16.78.

And after I took the picture of the most expensive cafeteria food ever, I heard a woman talking really loudly behind me. It was Mighty Ugly author Kim Werker. And when I approached her and said I had heard a loud woman…who I knew must be her, she almost apologized for her loudness before she realized it was me, one of her Maryland IG stalkers. And she invited me to sit down and join her and her fellow authors and talkers Betsy and Leanne. I went ahead and made her sign my book and pose for the picture. She’s on the left and I’m on the right.

Hello stalker. But I did give her a gift too. So a little better.

Kim conceived and created a workshop that challenges people to create. Especially people who say they “could never do that” about making stuff. And her angle is to make it intentionally bad. Mighty Ugly. Because in our journey for perfection, we’ve devalued the importance of our negative experiences. They make us better at being us and yet we avoid them. And we just don’t make anything.

“Talking about ugly allows us to be ourselves”, said Kim. Her book and it’s support is exactly what I need now. Calling out the fears and the demons and doing whatever I want anyway. I had bought the book and hadn’t allowed myself to really delve into it until two days earlier. And boy how much it blows my mind to see what an amazing amount of work went into it. Her publishers were perfect for her. They helped her to step up. And made this book a work of art.

Kim was accompanied on this book tour by two other authors whose work as “capital ‘C’ crafters” lead them to interview quantities of people and compile books on craft and related causes and themes. Betsy Greer is a superstar in DC. She has made a career of focusing on craftivism, the altruistic use of crafting to better the world. Her book is called Craftivism : The Art of Craft and Activism.

And Leanne Prain, a Canadian and author of the book Strange Material: Storytelling Through Textiles. Stories that you may not expect to be told and crafters who challenge the dogma on crafts as demure women’s work. Yarn Bombing? So very interesting these three women and their books. This was their last night together at the end of their book tour.

And they each shared their crafting superhero poses.

Betsy’s was the Eye of the Needle

Kim’s was the Crochet Hook.

And Leanne’s was the Cross stitch.

They are all extremely smart driven knowledgeable women who have definitely taken knitting, crocheting, and sewing to the next level and I’d say, out of the box and into a totally new arena.

And they are also approachable and lovely.

I came away feeling like crafting is really whatever you make of it.

The trick is to make it. And if you are passionate enough, to talk and make workshops and write books about it.

I met Kim and it was a bookend for me as a blogger who considers herself crafty.

And I certainly will be sharing my discoveries as I read her book. And I feel certain it will only make my life a little less ugly.

 

If you enjoyed what you read, subscribe, via the subscription box in the sidebar, to my thrice weekly posts via your emailbox. And visit me on Instagram to see my daily pictures, friend me or like my page on Facebook. Or come find me on Twitter or Pinterest too. I am always practicing Intentional Intouchness so chat at me please. I live for conversations.

And, as always, Thanks to you for your visit.