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Suspended above reflective surface mimicking a dark body of water, “Distance” comprises large-scale crocheted sculptures.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article With 125 Volunteers, Choi + Shine Crochet the 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac appeared first on Colossal. More
Carpenter’s work is on view in three concurrent exhibitions opening in January in Pennsylvania.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article In Clay, Syd Carpenter Explores Nature, African American History, and the Land appeared first on Colossal. More
Cotton thread and foraged leaves converge in a study of strength and vulnerability.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Meticulously Stitched Leaves Transform into Tender Sculptures by Susanna Bauer appeared first on Colossal. More
Adrienna Matzeg captures the delights of a roadside diner in nostalgic stitches.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Adrienna Matzeg’s Embroideries Serve Up the Nostalgic Charm of the Greasy Spoon appeared first on Colossal. More
This June, explore the innovative work of Peruvian makers in Murmur Ring’s Immersion in the Sacred Valley.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Immerse Yourself in the Creative Culture of Peru’s Sacred Valley with Murmur Ring’s Unique Program appeared first on Colossal. More
All images courtesy of Murmur Ring, shared with permission
Immerse Yourself in the Creative Culture of Peru’s Sacred Valley with Murmur Ring’s Unique Program
November 25, 2025
ArtCraftDesignPartner
Murmur Ring
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Experience design firm Murmur Ring, in partnership with Empathy and the Institute of Design, invites artists, designers, makers, and creatives of all kinds to join the Reclaiming Value: Sacred Valley Design Immersion from June 15 to 19, 2026, in Peru’s Sacred Valley. The Colossal team previously joined Murmur Ring for a transformative week-long immersion in Oaxaca, Mexico, and looks forward to joining this excursion, as well.
This is not a tourist program. Mumur Ring’s Immersions are creative exchanges born from years of research and relationship-building. Intimate site visits with Peruvian makers and innovators offer rare, behind-the-scenes access to the perspectives, techniques, and community-centered models shaping the region’s most visionary work. Participants will find new inspiration, forge collaborative relationships, and leave with ideas that will transform their practices.
In the coming weeks, Colossal will highlight several of the Peruvian makers whom participants will meet during the immersion, including Awamaki and Cerámicas Seminario.
Awamaki—named for the Quechua word meaning “made by hand”—helps women weavers of the Andes access global markets, develop business skills, and build financial independence to sustain their communities for generations. Murmur Ring’s immersion will venture into the mountains to see this social enterprise model in action and:
Meet the women weavers in their home communities
Learn how raw fibers are harvested and naturally dyed using plants, minerals, and methods perfected for centuries
Receive hands-on instruction in ancient weaving techniques, guided directly by master artists
Share a home-cooked meal prepared by the artisans
Purchase textiles directly from the cooperatives, ensuring 100% of payments go to the makers
Since it began as an individual arts practice over 30 years ago, Cerámicas Seminario has evolved into a thriving studio blending ancient artistic language with a bold, contemporary visual style. The family-run business stands not only as a celebrated center of innovation in Peruvian ceramics but also as a powerful economic engine for its surrounding community. The immersion will allow participants to:
Meet founders Pablo Seminario and Marilú Behar for a studio tour and Q&A
Learn about their path to success from early explorations in clay to their commitment to building a community-centric enterprise
See artisans at work, shaping, carving, and firing ceramic pieces
Experience a hands-on ceramics workshop, where they’ll learn ancient techniques that inspired the studio’s signature style
A place where food, land, art, and ancestral knowledge converge, MIL Centro is far more than a restaurant. It is an innovative research lab dedicated to preserving traditional Peruvian crops, restoring endangered agricultural practices, and sustaining the communities who have lived on and worked with this land for centuries. Theirs is a model that honors tradition, empowers community, and pushes the boundaries of what food, and art, can be. During a visit to MIL Centro, participants will:
Forage for native plants alongside local land stewards, learning how each species functions as food, medicine, and craft
Discover how Andean communities protect their local ecologies
Use foraged plants to hand-dye and weave natural fibers
Enjoy a multi-course meal, inspired by eight distinct Andean microclimates
Early bird reservations are available through November 30, 2025. Apply now to secure your spot at the exclusive rate, and join us for an unforgettable journey into the creative soul of the Sacred Valley.
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We’ve curated everything you need to be named Best Gift Giver of the Year.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article The Colossal Shop’s 2025 Gift Guide: Gift Like an Artist appeared first on Colossal. More
The Colossal Shop’s 2025 Gift Guide: Gift Like an Artist
November 6, 2025
ArtBooksColossalCraft
Jackie Andres
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The end of the year is quickly approaching and so is the season of giving. By choosing to shop with us this year, you’re supporting independent publishing and allowing us continue to share important stories every day.
This year’s Colossal Gift Guide highlights some of our favorite art and design products. From world-renowned artist tools and one-of-a-kind calendars to quirky bags and detailed monographs, we’ve curated everything you need to be named Best Gift Giver of the Year.
Grouped by each unique recipient—whether it be your creative sibling, grandkids, or that one uncle whose vibe is impossible to identify—there’s something here for everyone on your list.
Grab a cup of tea, get cozy, and happy shopping! Thank you for supporting Colossal.✨
For the Studio Rat
We all know and love a studio rat who never clocks out—yes, we’re talking about that special someone with a paint-stained wardrobe and a desk that’s more clay than surface. From pencils and pastels to supply sacks and art theory, this collection is dedicated to artists, design nerds, and critical visual thinkers alike.
For the Game Night Host
It’s time to gather the crew! Show your friend group’s designated game night host some appreciation with an elegant deck of cards, an artful puzzle, and more. (If you’re into introverted brain-teaser time, that works too!)
For the Young Artist
It’s never too early to encourage young ones to get creative. From specially-crafted wooden toys to unique crayons and imaginative books, finding an encouraging gift for that mini maker in your life has never been easier.
For the Art Book Buff
Beautifully bound, striking, and compelling in thought, our collection of books is curated for creative minds. Including monographs, design and architecture surveys, visual and social theory, and even children’s books, there’s something here for everyone.
For the Tastemaker
Matchboxes, prints, and coffee table books galore! Explore our selection of creature comforts for the homebodies who treat their space like a carefully curated gallery.
For the Crafter
Know a DIY devotee who can’t resist a good embroidery kit or crochet project? Show them how much you support their lovely handmade creations with a new craft, a handy bag for their supplies, and more.
Don’t forget: Colossal Members always receive 15% off in the shop, and from now until the holiday season is over, get free shipping on all U.S. orders over $150.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.
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Pieces from the ‘Nesting’ series. All images courtesy of Natalie Ciccoricco, shared with permission
In ‘Nesting’ and ‘Wrapped,’ Natalie Ciccoricco Collages Reflections on Nature and Grief
November 4, 2025
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
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Delicate geometries and organic forms combine in the elegant works of Natalie Ciccoricco. Often working with found materials, the artist threads multicolored string through handmade paper. In her ongoing Nesting series, the fiber envelops small twigs that gently interrupt the otherwise meticulous shapes—redolent of the way that trees themselves have the ability to grow around fences and other obstacles in their way.
Ciccoricco has also recently been working on a series called Wrapped, a poignant exploration of loss and grief. Small panels collaged with colorful imagery are then wrapped tightly with bands of thin yarn.
The collection emerged as a deeply personal response to the sudden loss of her son, literally encompassing emotions and experiences that art makes it possible to describe. “These are not somber artworks, but rather an expression of radical acceptance and a surrender to both love and grief,” she says in a statement.
The artist has long been interested in the wide variety of ways that paper and fiber interact, from collaging found photographs with yarn details to hand-making paper in bespoke shapes. Lately, she has been focusing primarily on commissions, including pieces from the Nesting series at a Big Sur, California, hotel called Alila Ventana.
“Between my own personal grief and the state of the world, I feel my art practice has become an important anchor in my life,” Ciccoricco shares. Her practice—and by extension, her pieces—channel a sense of calm, order, and harmony. “It’s both a tether to something beautiful and familiar, as well as a quiet resistance against all the fear, hate, and violence we are witnessing right now.”
Find more on Ciccoricco’s website and Instagram.
Pieces from the ‘Wrapped’ series
“They Are the Sun and the Moon”
“Still Silently Watching”
Details of the ‘Nesting’ series
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.
Hide advertising
Save your favorite articles
Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop
Receive members-only newsletter
Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms
Join us today!
$7/month
$75/year
Explore membership options
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