Anthology n. 1. A collection of literary pieces, such as poems, short stories, or plays, usually suggesting a common theme; 2. Any collection of works of art, such as paintings, based on a specific period, theme, or subject. [New Latin anthologia, from Medieval Greek, from Greek, "flower gathering," a collection.];
3. A Madison, Wisconsin original owned by sisters Sachi and Laura Komai, featuring fine papers, craft kits, handmade goods, workshops, instruction and inspiration; 4. A journal kept by Laura Komai to share the store and the stories: inspiration, ideas, thoughts and plans.
Welcome to my world! Well, a little slice of it anyway. Some people consider it chaotic -- the list of things to do is long and I like to have something pretty or interesting wherever my eye happens to land. But I feel joy & creativity & energy in the life that is. I'm hoping this will be a way to share that with you. The store that I share with my sister is new but in many ways is a simple continuation of the path that we've been on.
The mission, my mission, is to facilitate creativity in the world: by sharing our own creations, by providing a space for other artists to sell their creations, and by giving others the time & opportunity & space to work on their own artful projects. I hope through this blog to share more information about the store and about myself: what inspires and motivates, what we do and what we see. I hope you'll find something that translates into your own creative journey. Thank you for visiting!
p.s. a customer informs me that this blog doesn't at all do justice to our store... and I agree. There's really no way to capture it in pictures or words but I hope you find this little taste to your liking, and perhaps tempting enough to warrant a trip to see it all in person.
Anthology
218 State Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53703
608-204-2644 * Anthology@tds.net
Winter hours: Monday through Saturday 11 am to 6 pm; Sunday noon to 4 pm (end of December - middle of March)
Regular hours: Monday through Saturday 11 am to 7 pm; Sunday noon to 4 pm (start of daylight savings time to the end of December)
"The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created some thing." Kurt Vonnegut
Around the shop:
A sampling of our many craft party projects:
Products made by local and/or independent artists and craftspeople:
Crafty supplies for your own creating:
And some examples from our collection of local and regional imagery, and political commentary (we love our state!):
