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Etsy / Colleen and Eric Whiteley
The Northstar Table by Colleen and Eric Whiteley won the grand prize in the "Space Craft" contest held by NASA and the Etsy online crafts market.
Being called a spacey artist isn't such a jab for the four winners of a design contest meant to celebrate NASA programs. The makers of the winning entry — the Northstar Table with a North Star button that opens a hidden drawer when pressed — will even travel to Florida to watch the next shuttle launch.
The "Space Craft" contest, a collaboration between NASA and the Etsy online crafts market, aimed to help inform Etsy's 5.8 million members, the majority of whom are women, about NASA's present and future exploration plans.
There were three categories — 2-D original art, 2-D art reproductions, and 3-D art including wearable items. More than 600 people entered an original handmade item or work of art. The entries were whittled down to 50 semifinalists, and voting was opened to Esty's members. Final judging was held March 18 by a panel of experts including former NASA astronaut Steve Robinson, artists and journalists.
The winners
The grand prize went to Colleen and Eric Whitely from Brooklyn for their detailed Northstar Table. The pattern on the table represents the night sky on the evening of the first moon landing. The one-of-a-kind table has a price tag of $2,800.
In addition to the all-expenses-paid trip to Florida to watch the space shuttle Endeavour launch on April 19, Colleen and Eric received a $500 shopping spree on Etsy. Winners of the categories each received a $250 Etsy shopping spree and a bag of NASA and Esty swag.
Etsy / Rachel Barry Hobson
"High Texture Hand Embroidery of the Moon" Won the 2-D Original category of the Space Craft contest.
Rachael Barry Hobson from Austin, Texas, won the 2-D category for her $999 piece titled "High Texture Hand Embroidery of the Moon," which the judges said stood out for its breathtaking details.
Hobson, a self-described space geek who went to space camp when she was 12, notes that when she views the moon through a telescope, "I get weak in the knees."
Etsy / Nikkita Karsan Bhakta
"Universal Thoughts" by Nikkita Karsan Bhakta won the 2-D Reproduction category in the "Space Craft" contest.
The 2-D reproduction prize went to Nikkita Karsan Bhakta from Mobile, Ala., for her "Universal Thoughts." She says of the $35 reproduction: "My original goal was to photograph trails of smoke and succeeded doing so by experimenting with India ink and water. It was later that I discovered the uncanny, visual parallels between the ink trails and images I have seen from space."
Etsy / Patrick Burt
The titanium ring titled "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" won Etsy's top prize in the 3-D category.
Patrick Burt from Tempe, Ariz., won the 3-D category with a titanium ring embedded with silver, gold and diamonds titled "Brother Sun, Sister Moon." The jewels represent stars, the sun, moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter and an intricately cut Saturn. The ring can be custom-ordered for $825.
For more photos of the finalists and show your support for spacey artists, check out the contest page.
John Roach is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by hitting the "like" button on the Cosmic Log Facebook page or following msnbc.com's science editor, Alan Boyle, on Twitter (@b0yle).
Leave a Comment:
"...aimed to help inform Etsy's 5.8 million members, the majority of whom are women, about NASA's present and future exploration plans."
I don't really like what you are implying here.
I didn't like what is being implied there either. For some reason, it instantly reminded me of the scene out of Boardwalk Empire where Knucky and some other guy start teasing the ladies concerning their knowledge (or lack thereof) of the League of Nations in a very condescending way.
This contest seems to be implying that women can't learn about what NASA's plans are if it doesn't involve arts and crafts somehow. The insinuation is insulting the ladies if you ask me.
I am not sure that it is a bad thing. It could mean that there is simply a lower number of women interested in NASA's present and future exploration plans. They may be working on facing that misrepresentation via the Etsy's craft fair.
It does not seem condescending at all to me, simply a way of reaching out to an under represented group. Women make up mission commanders, astronauts, scientists and engineers - and NASA knows this. The fact that they are reaching out to Womens' groups is a good thing.
And yet - NASA has outreach events with NASCAR and at football games, and nobody is tempted to say that "the insinuation is insulting the men if you ask me".
Space is for everyone. NASA wants to get the message out there wherever interested people may be.
Interestingly, a substitute teacher once told my 3rd-grade daughter, when she shared her dream to be an astronaut, that "space is for men, sweetie." This was only 4 years ago, and happened while I was an instructor for the Sally Ride Science Festival. Dr. Ride was kind enough to provide a short note that I hand-carried to my meeting with said teacher and the principle, a note my daughter still treasures.
About 1/3rd of our astronauts are women. Women have been in command of the Shuttle and the International Space Station. And yet, there is this perception from many that women are not welcome in our space program.
What a shame.
Cheers! ~Michael (AFM*Radio / Astronomy.FM)
Soon to be on Regretsy =)
There is a problem now days that no matter what you say - SOMEBODY will be offended! GROW UP PEOPLE! Or stop reading into articles things that are not there!
Wait a minute, I think I just offended all the younger people who will read this by my opening statement. They will think that back in the days of black and white tv, we weren't all upset about what people said! TUFF!
Congratulations to the winners - I hope you enjoy your prizes!
If I understand your ill constructed statements correctly, you are referring to the lack of people taking offense to things when women couldn't work and were beaten for not having dinner finished, right? Btw, caps don't make you sound more important or assertive, it just makes you look like an attention seeker and unable to convey an attitude through traditional communication.
I'm sorry, I didn't realize there were English professors reading this stuff! You are correct in saying the caps don't make you sound more important - it makes sure that people like you take note of something I'm trying to get across (gee, I hope I spelled that right or she'll be all over me again)!!!
What I was trying to say (or what everybody else got), Randi, is that probably before you were born, people could make statements without having somebody get all bent out of shape, thow a hissey fit, and end up with a lawyer serving notice on the person who made the statement. Today, everybody has to be politically correct or else!
Now go back and finish fixing dinner! Oh, I'm sorry, that last sentence should have been in caps and probably bold!!!