Tiny I.M. Pei loved visiting Exhibit Columbus!
A huge THANK YOU to Curbed for featuring my work and helping announce the launch of Tiny I.M. Pei.
“What is the mark of a truly illustrious architecture career? A Pritzker Prize? An art museum or two? Perhaps. But you really know you’ve made it when you’ve got a tiny stuffed doll in your likeness.” Click here to read the full article.
Looking back on all 11! conferences I attended in 2019, I was amazed to see what sessions stuck with me. Some of these sessions were practical and some were inspirational. Check out my top five below and click here to view my top five from 2018!
Photo Credit: Caitlin Meives
Preserving Tangible and Intangible Heritage; Frederick and Anna Murray Douglass as a Case Study
Where: Preservation New York State Conference
Who: Michelle Furlano, Hinda Mandell, Shawn Dunwoody, Autumn Haag, Juilee Decker
Why: What do you do when a building is gone and all that is left is a parking lot? One option is to engage creatives and try temporary interventions to determine permanent solutions. The out of the box thinking showcased in this session left me inspired and excited for the future of preservation. Click this link to view an activation of the Douglass home site I participated in this year.
Dodge City is known for its cowboys, which made for a lively conference location.
Garlinghouse: A Thematic Study
Where: Kansas Historic Preservation Conference
Who: Emily Lenhausen
Why: As the need to preserve 20th century buildings increases, it is important to know best strategies to survey and research these assets. Garlinghouse: A Thematic Study showcased the work of Emily Lenhausen (part of the Rosin Preservation team) to research, survey, and document homes that were built from Garlinghouse plans. Emily delved into everything from how the team identified character defining features to how the work led to a community effort to remove aluminum siding from a Garlinghouse! A very practical session that showcased an interesting piece of history.
Creating Inclusive Makerspaces, Bathroom Wars and Peeing in Peace: Proposed Best Practices for Gender-free Restrooms in Libraries, Stop the Thumb Scroll: Creating Inclusive and Accessible Social Media Content
Where: IDEAL ’19: Advancing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessbility in Libraries & Archives
Who: Sarah Nagle, Selene Colburn, Shelly Black
Why: Okay…this is kind of cheating my top 5, but with each of these presentations only being 15-minutes and paired in the same time block, I think this is an okay loophole. Every single presentation provided practical strategies to make your organization more inclusive. I learned how to test graphics to ensure they could be read by an individual who is color blind, how building codes can make creating gender-free restrooms difficult, and steps to making sure makers spaces are not just for people wanting to learn new technology. IDEAL ‘19 was my favorite conference in 2019, and these sessions are a small showcase of the practical strategies presented at this event.
Colorful row houses seen in Philadelphia during the fall Rust Belt Takeover.
The Joy of Color in Historic Places
Where: Congress for New Urbanism, CNU 27. Louisville
Who: John Gilderbloom
Why: Preservationists are eternal optimists, they see an old building that is falling apart and can envision a new life for it. Not everyone can see the possibilities so easily and this session was a great reminder of the impact paint can have! John’s presentation not only highlighted how a fresh coat of paint can increase chances of a fixer-upper being sold, it also show value comparisons between grey/black homes and colorful homes. Spoiler: colorful homes have a higher valuation! Click here to see John’s latest book on the topic, Chromatic Homes.
One of the pieces created by a student at my middle school workshop for the Create Columbus Arts Council.
Harnessing the Power of Primary Sources for your Historic Site with the Next Generation of Preservationists
Where: Saving Places Conference , Colorado’s statewide historic preservation conference
Who: Michelle Pearson, Keith Patterson, Dr.Peggy O’Neill-Jones, Kile Clabaugh, Cynthia Stout
Why: Do you want to engage K-12 audiences? Do you love the Library of Congress’ resources? Are you looking for funding to incorporate your site’s history to school curriculum? All of these topics were covered in this session and I highly recommend if you answered “yes” to those questions that you click this link and contact your region’s office for the Teaching with Primary Sources grant today.
For the 2nd year in a row, I had the pleasure of working with Indow to produce a preservation themed zine. We encouraged people to submit photos, poetry, personal narratives, or any other artistic representation inspired by the warm glow of windows and neon.
I decided to pay homage to my favorite neighborhood bar with an illustration and a warning. While Lisska is described as a bar on the neon sign, it has evolved into primarily a breakfast diner. The neon sign has fooled me more times than I would like to admit, so head this warning!
To read the full Window Zine #2 click this link. You will love learning about the variety of ways people connect to the past.
The Window Zine partnership is an extension of Indow’s support of young preservationists* and I look forward to working with them in 2020 to produce an even bigger zine (stay tuned for our call for contributions).
Click here to read Window Zine #1 and learn how I define historic preservation.
*Indow has been the presenting sponsor of the young preservationist gathering I host at PastForward, the annual National Trust for Historic Preservation conference, for the past 3-years.
A mural I stumbled on while exploring Denver during the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual conference - PastForward.
With 2019, slowly coming to an end I am reflecting on what I have learned by being a regular conference attendee. My Ticco guest blog “Get Your Conference Game Face On” delves into a few simple tips to feeling your most confident self while networking.
“Conferences can be grueling! Two or more days of networking, showcasing your work (which feels like selling a part of you if you’re self employed), sitting in potentially uncomfortable chairs, and hoping the conference can accommodate your dietary restrictions… can feel like a lot.” Click here to keep reading!
Photo Credit: Caitlin Meives
“Crafting Democracy seeks to demonstrate the ways in which craft is employed as a tool of expression that gives voice to people who seek an active role in democracy. ”
Curators Hinda Mandell and Juilee Decker organized a collaborative art installation to pay homage to the women of the Anti Slavery Sewing Society in Rochester, New York. Installed at the former site of Frederick Douglass’ home, over 40 people contributed a textile art square to pay homage to the past.
It was a pleasure to embroider a square that says “TELL THE FULL HISTORY” (seen below) as my contribution for the temporary art installation. .
My contribution to the Crafting Democracy temporary installation in Rochester, New York.
Photo Credit: Caitlin Meives
Photo Credit: Caitlin Meives
Other contributors chose to knit or crochet pieces. While some pieces were minimal, others included architecture, flowers, patterns, etc.
Temporary art installations allow storytellers to try new methods of raising awareness for the past in addition to encouraging a variety of contributors to creatively find their own way to tell the story.
To learn more about the history of craftivism, I highly recommend you read Crafting Dissent: Handicraft as Protest from the American Revolution to Pussyhats. I had an opportunity to read an advance copy of this text, which is a collection of essays edited by Hinda Mandell and it was not only inspiring, but it was illuminating. The texts highlight women’s history and influence over time through handicraft.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has partnered with the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance to save the Mitchell Park Domes #saveourdomes
“When we think of historic buildings, a young
demographic doesn’t immediately come to mind.
Millennials and Generation Z-ers are infamous for
being addicted to technology, but also know how to
use it to their advantage better than any other age
group. By 2020, these two groups are predicted to
make up 50% of all donations in the U.S., while still
only making up roughly 20% of the population.1
This seems to be a positive outlook for nonprofits all
over the country, but it’s a little more complicated
than that…. Click here to read full article”
“If you ever have the pleasure of meeting Sarah Marsom, the Ohio-based Heritage Resource Consultant and maker behind The Tiny Activist Project, it won’t take you long to see how passionate Sarah is about historical preservation. Through the creation of Tiny Jane, a cut-and-sew doll inspired by the writer and community activist Jane Jacobs, Sarah discovered how to seamlessly weave the rich history of the textile industry into her career of teaching others about the past. We can’t wait for you to get to know more about this Spoonflower maker and 2018 recipient of the American Express Aspire Award!”
Click here to keep reading.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation asked me to share some thoughts about my work—and the field overall.
Since starting my path in historic preservation 10-years ago I have explored/worked/learned in a variety of capacities in the field to find out where *I* fit in the preservation movement. What I've discovered is that it is imperative for historic preservationists to make an effort to push the boundaries of what the field does and who we connect to.
Read my piece “Heritage Conservation for All Ages” to learn how my work as a heritage resource consultants strive to do just that.
Never hesitate to reach out with a potential collaboration or another opportunity to work together.
The Walkie Talkie coffee shop in Canton, Ohio, has transformed an old automotive space.
“First, You Hustle is a program from the Columbus College of Art & Design Career Services office to guide students on how to start their creative careers. “
Check out the First, You Hustle podcast episode “Connecting people to the past” to learn about how I entered the historic preservation field, what I’m working on, and tips for students who are interested in pursuing a historic preservation career (internships, classes, networking).
Leading a tour in the German Village historic district for the 2014 Great Placemakers Lab conference.
“To understand the present, we need to understand the past. If we can impart that to people at a young age, we can help them become a force for the future of their communities.”
As a proud Eastern Michigan University graduate (M.S. ‘13), I am honored to be a featured alumni in their publication - Revisited. Click here to read the full article.
Textile art was an integral part of many mid century women’s lives. Women created woven textiles, created unique fabric designs, sewed items for themselves/their home/their family, etc.
My desire to combine sewing with storytelling has inspired me to partner with Spoonflower and Modern Phoenix for a dynamic event in March 2019. Together we launched the Desert Modernism Design Challenge, which encouraged people to be inspired by the designs of the past to create their own repeating pattern for fabric.
600 entries from around the world submitted their interpretation of midcentury modern design in the desert. The images to the right is one of the beautiful designs submitted.
The winning design (selected by a public vote and jury process) was utilized for the Sew Modern! workshop hosted during the 2019 Modern Phoenix Week. Participants of all ages sewing skill levels learned a brief history of women who designed mid century modern textiles (professionally/ recreationally) in addition to being empowered to create their own pillow on a sewing machine. With the decline in sewing as a profession in America, it is important to reflect on how this traditional skill can empower people of today and assist them to create for their present.
Some of the workshop participants holding their beautiful creations in Park Central Mall’s breezeway.
In addition to teaching a lesser told aspect of women’s history, the Sew Modern! workshop served as a proof of concept for an adaptation of a storefront into a maker’s space at the former Park Central Mall. Park Central Mall (1957) was Phoenix, Arizona’s first mall and was open until the mid-1990s. It is currently being redeveloped to be utilized as non-traditional office space, retail, community space, and more.
Mayor Kate Gallego discussing her love of modernism.
The Sew Modern! workshop even included a visit by Phoenix’s mayor Kate Gallego, who expressed her support in the preservation of the city’s mid century modern assets.
Workshop Partners: Modern Phoenix, Spoonflower, ArtLink, Garment League, Park Central Mall
Image Courtesy of Preservation Destination
“Preservation Destination is a podcast created and hosted by Taylor Voltz based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Recognizing a need for preservation conversations outside of academic and professional circles, Preservation Destination was created to provide quality preservation content to all types of listeners. “
It was a pleasure getting to chat preservation with Taylor for the 13th episode of Preservation Destination! We delve into how I entered the historic preservation field, what I’ve been working on, and how I think the field could improve. Click this link to listen to the full episode!
Colorado’s Saving Places conference was a wonderful way to launch 2019! With over 800-people in attendance, Saving Places is one of the largest statewide historic preservation conferences in the country. The conference attracts attendees from all over Colorado and America; there were 19-states represented this year.
It was my pleasure to present “Junior Citizens: Creatively Connecting Children to Community” during the Saving Places conference! Delving into the strategies to develop programming for K-12 audiences, I decided to make this presentation… interactive! Ambassadors from the Preserve America Youth Summit helped break-out groups brainstorm one initiative that their respective organizations could launch within the next year to reach youth.
A block print I made inspired by the Desert Hills motel in Tulsa, Oklahoma
After flexing our mental muscles, presentation attendees participated in a mini-workshop on creating preservation inspired prints. Attendees had the opportunity to learn a traditional print making technique and create a preservation themed piece, such as the neon sign in the photograph. One participant reached out to me via Instagram and said “ Your presentation was fabulous, I learned so much! I have my breezeway blocks and Desert Hotel prints hanging over my desk to remind me to make history fun!”
The conference not only presented the opportunity for me to help people think of preservation education from a different perspective, but for me to deepen my knowledge of false historical narratives. “New Threats to Cultural Resources: The Case of Ute Prayer Trees in Colorado and Disrespect to Native Cultures” was a profoundly educational and thought provoking session.
Presenters delved into: how to discern human impact on trees, natural causes to distort tree growth and cause unusual shapes, and strategies to communicate with tribal members/tribal government to learn cultural traditions. Contrary to internet lore and inaccurate interpretive signage, the Ute tribe do not ascribe to the belief that the bent trees in Colorado are prayer trees. In addition to cultural memory, foresters are able to accurately date trees and provide irrefutable scientific evidence that the “Ute prayer trees” are too young to be part of early tribal cultural practices. To fight against false historical narratives tribal leaders from different bands of Ute have been working on public statements, which will be published in 2019. It is difficult to refute a false narrative once it has generated steam, but this session provided a wealth of information on how to thoughtfully investigate the authenticity of cultural resources and partner with tribal members/government to be advocates for the past.
Attending Saving Places was a wonderful opportunity to better understand Colorado’s rich history, learn new preservation techniques, and discuss the importance of connecting the past to K-12 audiences. Reach out to me via me@sarahmarsom.com to discuss outreach strategies for your organization or a potential speaking engagement.
There is more to me than what meets the preservation eye! Find out what I love about living in Columbus, Ohio, and a bit about the Young Ohio Preservationists in my Columbus Alive: Things We Love article.
Spoiler Alert: The list definitely includes pierogis.
Textile art was an integral part of many mid century women’s lives. Women created woven textiles, created unique fabric designs, sewed items for themselves/their home/their family, etc.
My desire to combine sewing with storytelling has inspired me to partnerwith Spoonflower and Modern Phoenix for a dynamic event March 2019. Together we launched the Desert Modernism Design Challenge, which is encouraging people to be inspired by the designs of the past to create their own repeating pattern for fabric.
I am looking forward to being a part of Modern Phoenix Week as their 2019 keynote. My keynote is titled “Engaging NextGen” and will delve into the importance of expanding what stories are told for the future of historic preservation. As I develop this talk and prepare the sewing workshop, I am reflecting on how integral textiles have been in the history of Arizona from the original people of the land, the native tribes weaving for practical purposes and storytelling to the mid century designs by Arizona icons such as Sophie andHarwood Steiger and then the people today who are creating contemporary designs inspired by the state’s history and nature.
A compilation of Sophie and Harwood Steiger fabrics. Photo Credit: PreserveTuscon.org
I’m not coming to Arizona and Modern Phoenix Week just to give a lecture, I’m also leading a Sew Modern! workshop where we will sew pillows utilizing the winning design from the Desert Modernism Design Challenge. After our crafting hour, we will use our pillows as cushions and watch the iconic Pillow Talk starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson. Mid century design was not encapsulated in a bubble, the past informed the designs being created, and today the full continuity of time impacts our lives today. I hope to see you at Modern Phoenix Week!
Progress shot of Tiny Jane illustration by Shannon May
When heading to PastForward in Houston (2016), I wondered what Jane Jacobs would have to say about this zoning adverse city. I was traveling to Houston to not only attend the conference and explore a city, but to present alongside the other founders of the Rust Belt Coalition of Young Preservationists.
This culmination of events led to the creation of an entirely hand sewn Tiny Jane Jacobs, who took over the @rustbeltyp Instagram account to document her adventures. With my new adventure partner in tow, I visited the infamous beer can house, experienced my first James Turrell skyspace, and ate too much food at the Houston farmer’s market at the base of the city’s art deco city hall. People would ask me “Who is that little grey haired lady?” and I would happily inquire if they had ever heard of Jane Jacobs. Depending on their response I would give a mini bio or we would prattle on about Jane Jacobs impact on advocacy.
The original prototype Tiny Jane exploring Houston’s city hall.
What I was not expecting was people asking if they could have their own Tiny Jane. When I got back home to Ohio, I began to brainstorm on how to best create a doll that could be easily created for others. I would need an illustration and fabric! Fabric was easy, because I have utilized Spoonflower for custom textile designs for years. Spoonflower allows you to decide what type of fabric and you can order large yardage or small samples, whatever your project needs.
Illustration was also a bit more difficult. While I consider myself a creative type, I knew that I was not the best person for to design the Tiny Jane I envisioned; I needed a design that would provide a whimsical perspective on arguably one of the most well known urbanists. I looked toward my friend since before birth, Shannon May. Shannon is a San Francisco based illustrator, who helped design those custom google stickers you hopefully have on your phone. Her work has illustrated cookbooks, been featured in the New York Times and O Magazine, and extends beyond illustrations into wearable art.
Luckily, Shannon accepted this nerdy design prompt with a can do attitude and I soon started to receive incredible process updates. Shannon created the Tiny Jane that you all are familiar with and I am looking forward to upcoming partnerships with her for a friend or two for Tiny Jane. So, while my hands create your dolls, her talent brought the vision to life - a tiny urbanist to inspire people to advocate for the communities.
Stay tuned for an upcoming blog on how the Tiny Jane Project evolved into the Tiny Activist Project and some BIG announcements.
Housing Joint Venture is committed to value driven development projects. I am proud to announce I have joined their board as Director of Heritage Resources. They are forward-thinking people who want a dual return, both social and financial. They commit their money to communities that need meaningful change. They know doing good and being profitable do not have to be mutually exclusive – in fact, the highest returns occur when values and finances meet.
I look forward to working with this team to ensure preservation plays a role in their development projects. Visit their website and stay tuned for big announcements in 2019.
This year I had the opportunity to partner with Toledo Revival for a project in downtown Toledo. We worked to secure historic designation and historic tax credits for 443 10th Street. Last week the Ohio Development Services Agency announced this project has successfully been awarded stated historic tax credits.
We were excited to work on this project, because the developer is thoughtful and cognizant that a building’s restoration impact is larger than what is contained in 4-walls. He is working to improve his city in a meaningful way and I am looking forward to seeing the positive impact of this project on downtown Toledo.
The Society of Architectural Historians has been creating Archipedia, “an authoritative online encyclopedia of American architecture.” With over 4,200 buildings accessible to the public through SAH Archipedia Classic Buildings online, this digital database is an academic alternative to the readily used Wikipedia. All articles are peer reviewed and edited to ensure accuracy.
On December 10, 2018, the “Ohio Classic Buildings” were uploaded to Archipedia, which includes an entry I wrote on the German Village Historic District. To view this entry click here.
For the past 2-years, Indow has supported the young preservationist networking event at PastForward (the annual National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference). Their support has allowed an opportunity for the next generation of preservationists to meet, share ideas, and get an exclusive view at a historic property they may not have otherwise seen.
For the 2018 PastFoward conference in San Francisco, Indow created a special takeaway for attendees. Indow created their first Window Zine. Windows are considered a significant feature of historic buildings and Indow is working to make preserving windows easier for future generations of preservationists, so it is a logical and thoughtful zine theme. Zines are a spin on the more traditional magazine; zines have been created for decades by community organizers, artists, and people looking for way to communicate a message. When Indow asked if I could write a short form piece for their zine I was pleased as punch! You can read the full piece below the image and if you want to make snowflakes to decorate your historic windows click here. Click here to view a digital version of the zine.
A New Definition
his·tor·ic pres·er·va·tion·ist
/hiˈstôrik/ /ˌprezərˈvāSHənəst/
noun
An individual who believes in saving the physical or intangible elements of the past for the betterment of the future. There are three types of historic preservationists.
1. Passive preservationists do not intentionally support preservation, but they enjoy its benefits. For example, they prefer eating at a restaurant in a Main Street community rather than in a strip mall, but they have not articulated the underlying reason.
2. Active (or recreational) preservationists, on the other hand, intentionally support historic preservation. They may show their support by visiting historic sites or volunteering for local preservation events, but they are not paid for their efforts.
3. Professional preservationists are financially compensated for their work in historic preservation. This work can include construction, advocacy, marketing, architecture, heritage interpretation, surveying, etc. Professional preservationists are interwoven into all aspects of community building.
“Historic preservationists believe that old windows are part of the historic integrity of a structure and advocate to repair and retain them.”
synonyms: building hugger, Tiny Janes, place savers, haus freund, building buddyantonyms: Robert Moses, vinyl window salesperson, home wrecker
