Behind The Scenes

Our shop is pretty hectic (and in need of a good tidy) these days. Here are a few pics from behind the scenes.

Calling all Seattle-area illustrators/models...

Are you going to be in the Seattle-area October 24th? Interested in art, design, photography, modeling, feasting, visiting beautiful Bainbridge Island and/or just helping us out over here at Grain?

We are in the process of re-launching our Ty Recyclable Shower Curtain and its new sister: Ty DIY which is a 'draw your own design' edition. To get ready, we are hosting a shower curtain photoshoot and we need artists and models to make it happen.

Anyone interested in being one of the new faces of Ty and helping Grain out in a MAJOR way, please let us know if you can make it by October 5th by emailing us at info[at]graindesign.com.

Here are the details for our shower curtain/photoshoot/feast:

Saturday October 24th

12:20pm Take the ferry to Bainbridge

1:00pm Have a refreshing cocktail; Get a Ty DIY shower curtain and markers to illustrate; Draw your heart out

2:00pm Have another cocktail or two; Get photographed with your custom Ty DIY

3:00pm Have a feast in your honor!

Added bonus: You get to take your new custom Ty DIY curtain home with you to keep forever! Thanks in advance for your support!!

Ty at Perch in San Francisco!

We shipped off a box full of Ty's to Perch in the Glen Park neighborhood of San Francisco this morning! Perch will be our first retailer in San Francisco (first in California, actually) so we are super excited. Perch is "focused on an eclectic mix of modern and vintage products," which actually includes one other Bainbridge Island artist, Susan Najarian.

If you are in San Francisco, Perch is on Chenery Street between Castro and Diamond. Otherwise, you can visit their website here.

Bazaaro

James and I took a break from the office/studio today to meet some of our neighbors and sell our Ty Recyclable Shower Curtains at the Indie Bandita Bazaar on Bainbridge Island. We signed up on a whim and weren't sure what to expect, but it ended up being a fun day full of shower curtain conversations and sales. Our chic booth (pictured above) dazzeled passers by, and some even recognized us from the Bainbridge Review...

Tomorrow, Saturday June 6th 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, my little brother/budding entrepreneur, Tyler, will be "manning the booth" with some of his friends from Woodward Middle School. Come by after the Farmers Market and check out all the local wares!

UPDATED 06/09/09: Below photo is of our "sales associates" working the booth.

Grain in the Bainbridge Review

Thanks to Dennis Anstine, Editor of the Bainbridge Review, for the nice article on Grain today! Check it out here. Photo of us with our Ty Recyclable Shower Curtain by Brad Camp. 

Ty - Recyclable Shower Curtain

We're celebrating the launch of our new online shop and our first in-house product, the Ty Recyclable Shower Curtain!  

Ty is a simple plastic shower curtain. Unlike other shower curtains made of vinyl, Ty will not off-gas in your home (learn more about the problems with vinyl here). Also unlike vinyl, Ty breathes, making it less likely to grow gross mold and mildew. To clean, use soap and water or even throw Ty in the washing machine and air dry (no dryer please). Ty is stronger than vinyl. Ty will last a very long time and then can be recycled. 

Ty is made of 100% high-density polyethylene (HDPE) #2 plastic. Often used for milk jugs, HDPE is the most commonly recycled plastic and is PVC free. 

There is more info available on the shop page.  Tell a friend!

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More on Ferry Terminal Walkway

Here are a few quick images of our model for the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal Walkway:

Day.

Detail.

Night.

Video.

Bainbridge Ferry Walkway Proposal

Update: We've been chosen as one of three finalists!  More info will follow soon.

Grain submitted the above sketch for Bainbridge Island's Ferry Terminal Walkway artist call organized by the Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council. The concept is to drape laser cut sheets of Tyvek from the ceiling forming a fluid structure evoking low hanging clouds or gentle waves.

The structure would use the long perspective of the space as an advantage, providing a fluid experience that changes as the viewer moves through the space. There will be multiple scales of interest to the piece, allowing viewers who spend a longer period of time waiting for the boat to discover new details with each visit. A series of iconic Bainbridge images will be used to cut a pattern throughout each drape. These icons will include emblems such as the ferry, strawberries, fireworks, bicycles, deer, and more! We see these playful icons as an opportunity to honor Bainbridge – both past and present – for Islanders and visitors alike.

The decision to use Tyvek is many. It is actually the same material used for Fed-Ex envelopes, so it is durable, scrub-able and weather proof. It can be easily laser cut and sewn. It is relatively inexpensive. It is light weight and somewhat translucent. It is heat and fire safe – often used for residential insulation. Most importantly to us, it can be taken down and re-used after the installation period. For example, it could be cut and re-used as street banners or made into bags. Finally, once it has seen its last use, Tyvek, as a #2 plastic, is among the most easily recyclable plastics.