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Michael McConnell was born in Michigan, where he used to watch squirrels from the front window.  He studied art at the Columbus College of Art and Design, focusing in printmaking. After graduating from CCAD he packed up a U-Haul and drove across country to the Bay Area, where he currently lives in San Francisco. In the past 14 years he hasn’t found a good reason to leave. Making art is how Michael makes sense of the world and his forgotten childhood. Observing his own anxieties and awkwardness he creates visual narratives that examine the tension between youth and maturity.

Michael is featured in the November 2013 issue:

Favorite creative tool:    Pencil.
Favorite snack:    Coffee.
Favorite toy (now or as a kid):    Kermit the Frog doll.
Dog or Cat?    Dog.
What music are you listening to right now?   Of Monsters and Men (dirty paws)
If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be and why?    Alice, from "Alice in Wonderland" because I would be likely to chase a white rabbit saying "I'm Late."
Pin-back Button story:    My friend Celeste makes button from old ties. I love going to the thrift store and finding good ties for her to use. I have two favorites that she made me, one that has Pink Elephants on it and the other is just white. I get more questions about the white one. I like having cute and  funny buttons that I see in small independent shops to put on the many canvas bags I have.

Hello friends!

Things have been pretty exciting around here at the Button Club Head Quarters. In September, we had a visit from Sutro Sam, the little otter who took up residence in the ruins of the famous Sutro Baths. Check out his dashing swim trunks in the September 2013 issue of Button Club, and learn more about guest artist, Todd Berman in the artist spotlight.

October is pomegranate season around these parts, and I have not been able to stop taking pictures of them! I love the colors and the shapes, and of course the deliciously sweet and tangy seeds. I've also been stockpiling pictures of fruit, so when the post office released apple postage stamps, and I found some puffy fruit stickers, it just seemed like it was destiny to create the fruity cornucopia that is the October 2013 issue of Button Club.

SAVE THE DATE! Join me on Sunday, December 8th for the 3rd annual SFMade Holiday Gift Fair at Fort Mason. You might be thinking, "Lay off, it's not even Halloween yet," but it's one of the best holiday fairs around with the most awesome handmade gifts and goodies that San Francisco has to offer, so you will want to put it on your calendar now.

In puppy news, Bosley is as cute as ever, weighing in at 13 pounds. Whenever I take him for a walk, people like to guess his possible lineage. I've heard everything from Mini Doberman to Mini Rottweiler, Daschund, Chihuaha, and more. (He's a pound puppy, and his mother is some mixture of Corgi and Terrier, but everyone scoffs when I mention the Corgi part. Literally, they scoff, as though I'm deliberately lying! Which begs the question, why would I make that up? If I was going to go that route, you know I would say he's part unicorn.)

Here he enjoys a reflective moment at the beach and/or contemplates a puppy uprising (aka the Puprising). He has not managed to organize a revolution so far, but if you get any emails from me demanding drop shipments of dog treats, you should assume he has taken over this account.

xo
Tanya

artist website

Todd Berman is a San Francisco artist who travels the world and his local community, sketchbook in hand. His art reflects the colorful eccentricity bound within moments and individuals; depicting scenes of people coming together to improve their surroundings. Todd uses art as a tool for exploration and inquiry, and he shares this process with students in San Francisco public schools.

Todd is featured in the September 2013 issue:

Source of inspiration:    The world around me and all the people I meet.
Three adjectives that describe your art:    Expressive, Vibrant, Scribbly
Favorite creative tool:    A good marker with plenty of ink.
Favorite snack:    Cheeeeeese
Favorite toy (now or as a kid):    My sketchbook.
Favorite creative gig:    Turning science, english, or history classes into art classes.
Dog or Cat?    I prefer wild animals.
What music are you listening to right now?   Streaming KEXP
If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be and why?    Emmett Otter's friend Wendell - that porcupine can really blow a jug, and with their new gig at the Riverside Rest, he'll get all the mashed potatoes he wants.
What's the strangest thing you've ever seen?    The landscape of Cappadoccia in Turkey is tough to beat for the wonderfully surreal.
Favorite mythical creature:    I've always had a fondness for Garuda.
Pin-back Button story:    My special-lady-partner-person and I once decorated our Christmas tree with buttons from failed political campaigns. We had naturally gathered quite a few. Run Tom Run!
Upcoming projects:   My paintings of San Francisco will be on display at Mission Pie until October 5 with a reception on Thursday, Sept. 26. I enjoy doing commissions. What would you like me to paint?

artist website

Virginia Poltrack is a freelance artist, designer and illustrator living in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. She has been drawing her whole life, and draws something in her sketchbook every day. She has also built custom websites and designed tattoos. She is a "Glass Explorer" for Google, and has been making drawing tutorial videos which you can see on her website, or YouTube page.

Her work is featured in the August 2013, January 2014, and September 2014 issues:

Three adjectives that describe your art:    Funny, rendered and loving
Favorite creative tool:    Mechanical pencil.
Favorite snack:    Cinnamon Life (hands down. I go through several boxes a week!)
Favorite toy (now or as a kid):    Any Star Wars toy! (I may currently have dozens...)
Favorite creative gig:    Anything where someone says "whatever you think will work and look good"!
Dog or Cat?    Dog. (Jack Russell or Dachshund!)
What music are you listening to right now?    The Band and Otis Redding
If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be and why?    Princess Leia, because she's a bad ass and a princess. Win-win!
What's the strangest thing you've ever seen?    I once ate some soup that had little fish heads floating in it when I was in South Korea. I understand that is something that may be completely everyday for them, but I was not expecting that at all. I was unprepared for the little eyes to stare back at me. Coincidentally, my favorite meals I ever ate also took place there, so it worked out great!
Favorite mythical creature:    I have to go with the unicorn, right?!?
Pin-back Button story:    I do love buttons. The first one I ever got really attached to was my Dribbble button (little pink basketball!) I actually lost it, and had to email them and ask if I could have another one. They probably thought I was nuts. But I love it!
Upcoming projects:    I'm working on some apps for Google Glass, the first of which will be released in beta version very soon. It's odd to go from my sketchbook to working with glass - like, very low tech to very high tech! But it keeps me on my toes! So look for those soon!

The July 2013 issue of Button Club features Guest Artist David Muller. Dave is not only a talented artist, he's also the owner of Outerlands, one of my favorite restaurants. Everything I've tried has been delicious, and I'm especially fond of the freshly baked bread. By Dave's calculations, he has probably made over 62,400 loaves of bread since opening the restaurant four years ago.

Source of inspiration:     Nature.
Three adjectives that describe your art:    Simple, Honest, Drawings.
Favorite creative tool:    Mechanical pencil.
Favorite snack:    It's It Ice Cream Sandwich (mint).
Favorite toy (now or as a kid):    Surfboard.
Favorite creative gig:    Anything that gets me to draw.
Dog or Cat?    2 cats: Fuss T. Buckets and Tuggins Mcgee
If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be and why?    Trying to be myself. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.
What's the strangest thing you've ever seen?    The truth.
Favorite mythical creature:    My daughter
Pin-back Button story:    The best buttons I ever bought were from a dead-head hippy veteran guy in Bolinas. Every one had a rainbow.
Upcoming projects:    Reviving my dormant t-shirt project in the near future.

Dave Muller lives in the Outer Sunset of San Francisco with his wife Lana and daughter Leithian, where they have a family restaurant called Outerlands. Most of his time is spent there making bread and fixing all of the little things that need fixing in restaurants. He spends his scarce moments of free time hanging out with his family, surfing, making music and drawing.

Check out Dave's artist spotlight.

His art is featured in the July 2013 issue:

Hello friends,

Summer is officially here, and nothing captures this magical time more than stars, hearts, and rainbows, right?! You probably already busted out your short-shorts, roller skates, and Olivia Newton-John album on cassette. Which is why you're going to find the June issue of Button Club so, like, totally awesome.

This month's guest artist is Kristin Farr, and I'm super excited to share her new app FARR OUT. It's free AND guaranteed to make you happy and bring you good luck!
Neon rainbow laser beams from another dimension are what Kristin Farr's artwork is all about, and now you can mess around with her magical paintings for free! Add them to your photos or create brand new compositions using funny animals, rainbow diamonds, and super magical energy!

And as if that wasn't exciting enough, I'm also over the moon to introduce you to my new puppy, Bosley! This little rascal has kept me really busy, and has resisted all attempts to learn how to use the button maker, so productivity has taken a bit of a hit around here. Stay tuned for more Boz related updates, as he's already the recipient of at least 20 nicknames, and the star of many puppy-cam shows. It's only a matter of time before he insists on having his own blog.

As always, if you're not already getting really awesome mail every month (or you're looking for the perfect gift), subscribe to Button Club.

xo
Tanya

p.s. Want to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox? Sign up here. 

Hello friends,

It's almost Memorial Day, and just in case you've come down with a case of Senioritis (which of course can be applied to many things long after school is over), please consider this email as one more way to stick it to your to-do list. Speaking of to-do lists, I never was able to cross off "send April Newsletter," from mine, for which I have no good excuse. Except that I had to re-watch every episode of Arrested Development to prepare for much anticipated 4th season. So that's legit, right?!
Thank you, that's what I thought you would say. If you're an AD fan, you must check out NPR's delightfully obsessed guide to gags from the show.

Since we last checked in, Button Club got colorful, (featuring guest artist Serena Mitnik-Miller) and put a bird on it, (featuring guest artist Albert Campbell). If you don't know what I'm talking about, imagine a world where you get fresh, new art delivered to your mailbox every month. Side effects may include unbridled happiness, lucky breaks, and the fulfillment of your wildest dreams.*
(*Okay, so technically I can't promise any of that, but when was the last time a bill, or a "dear occupant" letter got you this excited? I rest my case. Subscribe now.)

Lest you think it's only about buttons around here, check out these new sets of super strong magnets: I love New York, and I love Veronica Mars. I've also been knitting up a brand new line of super soft hats (in adult and baby sizes), made with organic, hand-dyed merino wool and natural alpaca, available exclusively at General Store in San Francisco.

Until next time!
xo
Tanya

p.s. Want to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox? Sign up here.

Source of inspiration:     Classic cartoons and Vintage packaging.
Three adjectives that describe your art:    Retro, Fun, Urban.
Favorite creative tool:    No.2 pencil
Favorite snack:    Power Berries from Trader Joe's
Favorite toy (now or as a kid):    As a kid the Stretch Man Hulk, as an adult my lawn mower.
Favorite creative gig:    Southern Exposure's Monster Drawing Rally.
Dog or Cat?    Dog.
What music are you listening to right now?   Modest Mouse
If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be and why?    Curious George, because I wouldn't have to adjust to much change.
What's the strangest thing you've ever seen?    I thought I once found a dead body (or two dead bodies that is) floating face down in a creek. Ended up they were just "Craw Daddy Hunters." Never knew there was such a thing, or that the way of hunting them is to float like a dead body.
Favorite mythical creature:    Car Key Gnomes.

artist website

Kingsley Nebechi was born and raised in a town called "Poggibonsi" in the province of Siena, Tuscany, Italy, where he initially started to gain an interest in art, typography and architecture. Now he lives in the UK where he designs, illustrates, sketches ideas, paints and experiments to bring life and energy into his artwork.

Check out the artist spotlight on Kingsley here.

His work is featured in the February 2013 and March 2014 issues:

The February 2013 issue of Button Club features Guest Artist Kingsley Nebechi. Kingsley is a UK based artist, who originally hails from Italy. He was incredibly generous with his time, sketching out several possible ideas for the button, and working with me on colors and design. Here, a closer look into his creative genius.

Source of inspiration:     My main sources are Italian Vintage Posters, Comic Books and random things i see out and about.
Three adjectives that describe your art:    Colourful, detailed and bold.
Favorite creative tool:    A mechanical pencil my father gave me 4 years ago. It's my favourite pencil! I sketch 80% of my paper sketches with it!
Favorite snack:    Chocolate is my forbidden pleasure! I can't get enough of it!
Favorite creative resource:    ILOVEOFFSET The talks are brilliant!
Dog or Cat?    Dog.
What music are you listening to right now?   Got two albums on the playlist for today! Friendly Fires and Jay Electronica.
If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be and why?    I'd probably say Batman in the Dark Knight Rises. He gets pretty messed up by Bane, but he picks himself up and exercises to be better and stronger. I feel like I have the same type of attitude towards my work! I love practicing new techniques so I can get better and better.
What's the strangest thing you've ever seen?    This cartoon called "Adventure Time." It's extremely strange but it stimulates my creativity. It's unbelievably weird.
Favorite mythical creature:    Medusa! Anyone who looks directly into her eyes turns into stone? Awesome! haha

Visit his website:    www.kingsleynebechi.co.uk

The January 2013 issue of Button Club features the return of Guest Artist Wendy MacNaughton. She answered a few important questions involving cats, soup and more cats. She now holds the record for answering "cats" to the most questions in this series. Coincidentally, she has a book about cats coming out in the near future, titled, Lost Cat, A True Story of Love, Desperation and GPS Technology.

Source of inspiration:     everything, everywhere, everyone, especially in san francisco.
Three adjectives that describe your art:    hot drink, cold blade, warm bed
Favorite creative tool:    cats.
Favorite snack:    soups.
Favorite toy (now or as a kid):    cats.
Favorite creative gig:    drawing.
Dog or Cat?    cats.
What music are you listening to right now?    thao and mirah.
If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be and why?    nancy drew. duh.
What's the strangest thing you've ever seen?    the inside of a druid's trailer. (not a euphemism.)
Favorite mythical creature:    my grandmother.

let's keep in touch:
http://wendymacnaughton.com/#connect