Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE and ETSY
Fall always has been one of my favorite seasons -- though it can be a bit sorrowing to see the Trees loosing all their leaves -- the Colors are just Gorgeous and I have always loved that (it is also cooler than Summer)!!
Well, I must not be the only one -- or maybe I should say, there must be quite a few of us who are so fond of the Fall Colors, because it is a popular decorating theme -- and over the years, I have sold quite a variety of my "Designs In Fiber" in Fall Colors.
Pantone is the leading "authority" on the trending colors of any year's seasons - both for Fashion and for Home Decorating, which I have been finding interesting over the last couple of years. See this year's Pantone Fall Color Palette at the end of this article.
Here are two new items available in my Online Shops in the Fall Colors!!
I am not sure of the day or even the exact event when I first knew who Pete Berkow was sometime in the Fall of 1970, but it was at the Red Herring Coffee House in Urbana, IL on the University of Illinois campus. ~~~~~~~ Probably some night when I was there to hear the live Acoustic Folk Music of whoever was playing on stage -- or maybe it was one of those times I was volunteering in the kitchen of the Coffee House - either selling Tea, Coffee and Pretzels - or making a vegetarian Sunday evening dinner. ~~~~~~ But he was there - part of the "whole Coffee House" - sometimes playing music, or laughing or discussing the world -- or trying to figure out what they were going to do for whatever .... oh, well, that was the Red Herring Coffee House, at least to me. ~~~~~ Well - we all went our own ways -- lead our own lives -- played out our parts in the Web of Life -- so I got caught up with Pete recently -- and here is some of what he's been doing, as told by him!!
Places you sell your Craft(s)/Art(s) off the Internet
I sell CDs at concerts, when I perform. That is a rare event, because I spend more time producing other artists
than performing my own music.
What/Who has been the inspiration behind doing your Craft(s)/Art(s)?
The many great musicians I have had the honor to produce have all influenced me as a player too. I guess that
starts with Dan Fogelberg, who showed me many of my first guitar licks in Urbana, around 1969. He was a good
friend, and I produced his first recordings. More recently, I have produced artists such as Tommy Emmanuel, Sam
Bush, and Joe Craven. Joe is especially inspiring, because he joins me on stage when possible. Mr. Craven is a
force of nature!
Can you briefly explain to our readers how you do your Craft(s)/Art(s) (methods, skills, materials)?
I have been a song writer since I was a teenager. I’m 61 now, and still writing songs. I get bored playing cover
songs, so I write my own. I tried to read classical music, but that seemed too routine for me. For example, I
started to learn the piece Malagueña but it morphed into my song Ruby’s Ranchito.
How did you learn or develop your Craft(s)/Art(s)?
I learned through the oral tradition. I sat down next to great players and they either showed me their licks or I
done stole ‘em!
Are you continuing to study your Craft(s)/Art(s) - and, if so, how?
I play my instruments every day. My wife, Tricia Berkow, inspires me to keep playing and writing. She’s a gifted
musician – much more talented than I am.
Your personal history in your Craft(s)/Art(s).
I produced my first records in Urbana, at the Red Herring coffeehouse, right next to the University of Illinois
campus. I worked with great players such as Dan Fogelberg, Peter Swinnerton, Elliott Delman, and all guys in “The
Ship.” I moved to Chico, California in 1975, and have been a performer/producer ever since. Most recently, I
produced a PBS television series that included concerts with Richard Thompson, Dave Brubeck, Rodney Crowell, Roy
Rogers, Marcia Ball, and many others. Again: Each was an inspiration for my own music.
- As a song writer: Most recently, I have had songs performed by younger artists. For example, my close friends
Scott Dugdale and Becca Neunabel released their version of my song “Liquid Smog” on the video game “Rock Band.”
Are there other interests in your life that you would like to discuss here (hobbies, charities,
other careers, etc.)
I have had parallel careers to my music career as a writer and television producer. I have written four books
about writing. (They are textbooks.) And: I was a newspaper journalist for nearly a dozen years. The television
production was a natural, sideways move from the newspaper work. In addition to producing concerts for PBS, I have
produced documentaries and instructional television. It has taken me some interesting directions. For example: I
produced a 20 program series about astronomy that won two Emmy awards and has been used by hundreds of teachers
and thousands of students.
To me, it’s all a variation on a theme: Songwriting, journalism, writing, teaching … they’re all based on human-
to-human communication. If you have a positive message, people will listen.
To anyone aspiring to do the Craft(s)/Art(s) you do, do have any suggestions or recommendations?
Write from the heart … whether it’s an essay, a song, a newspaper article, or a script for a television program.
Don’t compromise. It’s a long distance race, not a sprint. Learn to enjoy the process of creating … it’s even more
important than the end result.
.....Update from 2015 ... Pete is one of the Producers of the PBS Series, Music Gone Public - and here is a video from that series Produced by Pete and others from Music Gone Public .... Pete's friend and guitarist, Tommy Emmanuel .....
And .... Thanks, Pete!
Please Note: My Features are based on the artisan's answers to questions I give them and the photos, videos, articles they send me or choose or approve -- I give all artisans I Feature full editing rights.
I remember when I was growing up - there were 2 main shopping times then -- when I was preparing for the new school year -- and the Year-End Sales in Downtown Chicago (I blogged about this in another post last Year-End!).
When I was old enough to do some kind of work to make some extra money - Baby Sitting, then a part-time job - these were the times when I usually spent my hard-earned $$$!!
Kids didn't have their own Computers then -- in fact the only Computers I ever knew about when I was growing up were the ones being worked on by the Computer Science guys at the U of I, where I went to College.
But now Computers are an every-day thing for most people!!!
And it is quite common for Kids of All Ages to Have some kind of Notebook, Laptop or IPad.
Adults, too (LOL)!!
It was with all of these (and myself) that I put together and Hand-Knitted the LAPTOP SLEEVE or CASE pictured above!!
I have made several of them -- -- this one is a "BLUE TWEED"!
The "BLUE TWEED" is created by Knitting with 2 strands of yarn held together - one a Variegated and one a Solid yarn -- Well, you can see the result above in the photo.
I made one for myself years ago -- it is shown in the pictures in the Artfire listing for this - I'm still using it -- and I love it, so I thought others might.
Knitted very thick - it is very protective - with your LAPTOP or NOTEBOOK or IPAD in one of these SLEEVES or CASES - however you are carrying it around, it will not get scratched or banged up - in fact, you can also put all kinds of papers, notes, etc. in the bag with it.
Very practical -- kind of fun -- and Decorative!!
I think it is a Really Good Accessory for a Student - so I put it in "The Handmade Place Back To School Handmade Creations" , pictured below (though my LAPTOP SLEEVE was too far down to get in this Screen Print)!
(By the Way - I have all kinds of Yarn and I can make this another Color Theme for you, if you want it!)
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