Uniting Artists on Instagram with @ccerruti
For more shots from the spoons project and exhibition, browse the #3636project hashtag. To accompany Courtney on her artistic adventures, follow @ccerruti on Instagram.
San Francisco artist and self-described “maker extraordinaire” Courtney Cerruti (@ccerruti) is no stranger to the world of craft. “I work for a local company called Creativebug (@creativebug) that films online DIY workshops,” she explains. “I do set design, artist coaching and create DIY projects and content for them as well as some Instagramming. I’m an artist and I make something everyday.”
Courtney came across artist Willie Real (@williereal) at an Expo a little over a year ago and was inspired by his drawings on wooden objects. With his work in mind and intrigued by later photos she saw of antique spoons, it wasn’t until a friend posted a photo of spoons displayed decoratively on a restaurant wall that everything came together for her. She purchased a lot of 36 antique, handmade wooden spoons and set about finding collaborators for her idea and the #3636project was born.
Why spoons? Courtney explains: “They are beautiful objects alone. Together in a group, they have impact. There is the repetition of shape and size, but on inspection each spoon has its own unique flaws and characteristics. A chip here, a crack there or even a smooth and worn spot from being held in the same hand for years. I was hoping that the spoon would act as both a blank canvas and also a source of inspiration for the artist to pull their own story out of the spoon.”
Courtney sought out artists throughout the United States and United Kingdom who worked in diverse media, but whose work would come together as a cohesive whole. “I was surprised by a few artists who created pieces in mediums outside their current work. Although Mike McConnell (@poopingrabbit) is both a painter and a sculptor, I was surprised by his choice to create a faux taxidermy squirrel from his spoon. Likewise, Lisa Solomon (@lisasolomon), who works with thread, embroidery and crochet, gave me a spoon that was painted. I love being surprised. Every spoon was so different and it kept the show interesting!”
After receiving the spoons, Courtney brought them together for an exhibition at San Francisco’s Paxton Gate (@paxtongate), where many of them have already sold—bringing recognition and profit to artists across the world.