#WhatIMake: Miranda’s Hearth Creation Conference

by Ali Russo

On April 16, I was able to catch Miranda Aisling, founder of Miranda’s Hearth and author of “Don’t’ Mark Art, Just Make Something” at the post-conference bash for #WhatIMake: The Conference. It was the first conference held by Miranda’s Hearth and featured a full day of talks and hands-on workshops. Looking at the schedule, it’s evident that the #WhatIMake conference was not just for the visual artists; the art encouraged encompassed an entire variety of creation.

Aisling is no stranger to art education. She attended Lesley University at 17 to earn her M.ed. in Community Art, as well as having completed her B.A. in Studio Art from Mary Baldwin College. Aisling has also spoken about her successes in a TEDx talk (which you can watch here: http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/Don-t-Make-Art-Just-Make-Someth).

Finding Aisling at Aeronaut Brewery in Somerville, Mass., proved to be somewhat difficult, for the time I had gotten there, the place had reached full capacity. However, stepping inside I was greeted by upbeat, live music, and an enormous, tall ceiling, menus of the bar hanging high above the bartenders, written in chalk. When I found Aisling, she pulled a stool beside her, and I picked her brain about the day. 

The conference had two sections in the morning, ranging from glass fusing, to songwriting, and even the relations between motivation and juggling. There were also topics such as private writing, as well as weaving and dyeing. After the lunch break, the workshops continued, and concluded at the brewery.

Looking ahead, Aisling says that her hope is to spread her conference and break down the barrier between artist and consumer, as well as reconnecting art into daily life. We spoke of how the stereotype of art is inaccessible, and how she’s consistently trying to challenge that stereotype. In the long-term, Aisling really hopes to start an art hotel, which will also double as a self-sustainable, profitable art center.

Aisling has wanted to build a community focused around art and the act of creation since she was 16, and the passion she has for it is incredibly evident. One conversation about her ideals and plans, and it’s clear that she means it when she says that this is her most important work.
For more information, visit http://mirandashearth.com.