Craft-ish Episode 26: Studio MME’s Megan Eckman
A Conversation with Megan Eckman, Artist & Founder of Studio MME
This week Vickie had a great conversation with Portland-based artist and Studio MME owner, Megan Eckman. Vickie first came across Megan’s company’s embroidery kits during a visit to the physical Makers’ Mercantile shop in Kent, WA. She loves a thematic craft, so the Studio MME Seattle Space Needle and Mount Ranier kits were the perfect projects to make while she visited friends in the area.
Months later, and completely coincidentally Megan reached out to Vickie about the podcast. Vickie loves her work, so was thrilled to have her on. During their chat they covered a lot of territory including the culture shock of moving from North Dakota to Silicon valley, art school elitism, how Megan was able to create a full-time career for herself that also allows her to be true to her art, and how even though she owns a craft-based business she considers herself a terrible crafter.
This episode is sponsored by:
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Use code: VickieMakes Offer valid (in U.S. only) until 11/9/16
The infamous, Meowby Dick.
Show Notes:
Megan Eckman designs approachable embroidery for modern stitchers as the head designer and owner of Studio MME. Graduating with degrees in art and English, she turned her talents to helping others embrace their inner creativity through kits.
Mount Hood Embroidery Kit
Her whimsical embroidery kits are sold all over the country and in 2016 she partnered with DMC to create a custom line of embroidery kits for their Commonthread collection.
She currently lives just outside Portland with her husband, Studio MME’s art director, and their cat, the CFO: Chief Feline Officer. And no, she can’t sew a French knot to save her life.
Daughters of the Forest: The drawing Megan mentioned leaving space for the shoes to become what they would.
ENTER TO WIN one of TWO, of Meagan’s most popular, Studio MME Embroidery Kits. Just post a comment on the page with your thoughts on what the difference between art and craft is. (Or, just which kit you’d prefer.)
UPDATE: Winners are Cynthia Brooks and MaryAnn. Meagan will contact you for mailing info. Congrats!
Foxes and Peacock Kit Prizes!
Megan Links:
Mentioned in the Show
How I Built This Podcast with Spanx Founder, Sara Blakely
Credits:
Produced by: Vickie Howell
Edited & Mixed by: Dave Campbell
Music Provided by: Explosions in the Sky
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17 Responses to “Craft-ish Episode 26: Studio MME’s Megan Eckman”
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Sweet! I just recently have gotten back into embroidering. My grandmother taught me years ago and I even helped with my wedding quilt. I really adore the white dandelion on colored fabric. I’ll have to get that one for my new craft studio/guest room. 🙂
The difference between Art and Craft? Art is to be admired. Craft you get to soil your hands with.
To Megan: I have always done most of the needle arts but never took it seriously as a way to support myself or even as a “legitimate” art form. So I went to art school for drawing and painting at a traditional realism based academy. I was afraid of using yarn or thread to create artwork because I didn’t think I would be taken seriously and I didn’t take fiber art seriously. Your work I think has that crossover of craft and art. Have you heard of a blog called The Jealous Curator, an artist who gets jealous of other folks work and wishes she had done those pieces? That’s how I feel about your work, jealous and wish I had thought of those images of yours and transferred them to embroidery, or knitting or whatever.
To Vickie: You are amazing and I try to catch all your podcasts and I wonder how you do all that you do.
Cynthia, thank you so much! I feel like we went in opposite ways. Haha. I started with the academy training and then began fiber on the side and you did the opposite. I think there’s more of an acceptance to the overlap nowadays.
I love embroidery and fun kits! I have been teaching my son and daughter how to do basic stitches, and they love doing basic kits and get a ton of fun and excitement from watching their stitches turn into a beautiful picture or even just a fun pattern on a flour sack towel. Art and craft..they are the same. You create art with your heart and crafts are a medium that you can use. Love what you do!
Ironically I just bought an older class on Creative Live and Megan was a student!! Were you really just starting out selling your art or were you farther along at the time you were a “student”? Either way, I’m glad you are doing so well!
I was working for Tara (and later Megan Auman) as their VA at the time. So I was in the process of switching from art and embroidery to just embroidery when I sat in on the classes. Really, Tara just needed a butt in the seat and I lived nearby. Haha.
I’m really enjoying this podcast, Vicki! Thank you for expanding the conversation around art, craft, creativity and modern times. I no longer think there is a real difference between art and craft and it’s the creators prerogative to call it whatever he/she wants it to be.
Joining the super stitchers’ club now! 🙂
I really enjoyed this episode, and Megan’s candor. Thanks, Vickie.
I think the perceived “debate” as to what is art and what is craft is a distraction to creativity in general. It is human nature to attempt to categorize and label human activities and erroneously elevate some activities over others. Let all make on and enjoy themselves and enrich life for themselves and others; my opinion is leave the labels behind or at least ignore them.
I think of art having originality and creativity, without taking functionality into consideration, while craft is based on traditions and has a goal of making a useful item. That said, we have a local craft museum which seems to chose their items based on the materials used, so during a recent visit they had items like mosaics made from cut up credit cards, tapestries, and intricately carved wooden bowls.
Hi Vickie, thank you for interviewing one of my new favorite raft designers. Megan is so talented and sweet. I love all her work. Honestly I feel that all crafts are art. The appreciation for different types of crafts is what makes them an art form for the creator. Thanks for the chance to win one of these beautiful kits!
I don’t think there is a difference between craft and art. I think when you are crafting, you are creating art. I would love to win the FOX embroidery kit! I’m thinking of doing one of my girls rooms in Foxes since she is a big fan of them and that is so cute! I never seem to win in these giveaways but I will always try. 🙂
I think I use the terms interchangeably. Mostly because so many times crafting can be an art, and art requires crafting. I am not an artist but I would like to think a little bit of me is due to the crafting I like to take part in to keep me happy 🙂 I LOVE the peacock project, btw. All on Megan’s designs are so inspiring. She helps keep my desire to create a priority 💖
I don’t tend to call something “artwork” until it’s not functional in any way, but I do see a lot of art in craftsmanship. It really is a fine line.
It is really hard to distinguish between art and craft. Something can be a craft but also art but i am not sure that things labeled as “art” can be craft. I think craft has a functional use even if it is never used for the purpose intended. Art has a use but it is more emotional than functional. Of course there are always pieces of both that totally debunk this thought ! The peacock would be my choice. Thanks for the podcast- it is great and has introduced me to so many new talents.
I don’t think arts and crafts have to be different. You can have one or the other, or both at the same time.
To me, craft is something that can be done in one sitting, perhaps, a finger painting project with a group of children. That’s not to say it’s not art as well.
Dance is a form of art, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a craft (maybe it is)….
Does that make any sense? Probably not, but I mostly knit and I consider myself an artist and a crafter!!
BTW I love the peacock kit!!
I had to think about it for a minute but my take on art vs. craft is that art comes from within and is born from natural talent while craft is something with instructions. Craft can definitely become art when you add your twist to it.