posted 10-12-2010 01:55 PM               

NASA and Etsy invite you to celebrate artistic exploration and commemorate the end of the NASA Shuttle Program with a creative challenge: Share an original handmade item or work of art inspired by the NASA Shuttle Program and space exploration at large.

You could win a trip to an upcoming launch as NASA's VIP guest, Etsy shopping sprees, and cool merchandise from NASA and Etsy. Your artwork might even be flown on the Shuttle!

How To Enter

1. CREATE an original, handmade artistic item inspired by the NASA Shuttle Program and space exploration.

2. LIST the item you create in your Etsy shop during the contest entry period, October 12 - November 2, 2010.

3. TAG your item listing with one of the following contest tags that best describes your creation ("SpaceCraft" + category of entry)
   • "SpaceCraft2DOrig" for 2D original art (painting, drawing, hand-pulled print, mixed media or flat collage)
     
   • "SpaceCraft2DRepro" for 2D art reproduction (a photograph or computer-generated print)
     
   • "SpaceCraft3D" for 3D art of any size or material (anything not 2D)

Entrants must be registered Etsy members with an Etsy shop. See the Contest Frequently Asked Questions.

posted 10-12-2010 02:30 PM               

NASA & Etsy Space Craft Contest: To the Moon and Beyond

If you've ever been inspired by astronauts, black holes and zero gravity, you're in luck! Etsy is partnering with NASA to host an exciting contest.

After 50 momentous years and over 130 missions to the cosmos, NASA's Space Shuttle Program will draw to a close in 2011 as it reaches its long-term goal of completing the International Space Station (ISS). To honor the program and celebrate its many accomplishments, we're calling for designs inspired by NASA, its programs and the wonders of space exploration. Invigorate your inner maker with all that is known (and unknown) about our universe.

So get on board! There are three categories under which to enter your design(s):

• 2D Original Art (painting, drawing, hand-pulled print, mixed media or flat collage)
  
• 2D Art Reproduction (photographic or computer-generated print)
  
• 3D Art (any size or material -- this includes anything not 2D, wearable art and soft sculpture are acceptable)

With the whole cosmos for inspiration, the contest prizes are beyond stellar:

• Grand Prize Winner (1): The Grand Prize winner will receive a $500 Etsy shopping spree and an all-expenses-paid trip with a guest to attend the shuttle launch at Kennedy Space Center in Cocoa, Florida in February as NASA's VIP guests. Includes a VIP tour.
  
• Best in Category Winners (3*): Best in Category winners will receive $250 and swag from Etsy and NASA.
  * Please note: the Grand Prize winner will be taken out of the running for Best in Category.
  
• Winning designs (or photographs of designs) may even be flown up into space on the shuttle!

To get your intergalactic energy flowing, visit the expansive NASA Image archives for inspiration. The photos and renderings are available to use as part of your designs, but are certainly not required.

The deadline to enter is November 2, 2010. For information on how to enter, judging criteria, official Rules and Regulations, etc., go to the NASA Space Craft Contest site. We apologize in advance that the contest is limited to United States residents only, 18 years and older.

Want to follow the contest? Stay tuned here on the Blog, where we'll update you as it progresses through various rounds of judging (including your chance to vote!) and on to the final shuttle launch.

posted 10-13-2010 11:48 AM               

NASA And Etsy Partner On A New Type Of Spacecraft

NASA and Etsy, an online marketplace for handmade arts and crafts, have partnered to launch "Space Craft," a contest where entrants share an original handmade item or work of art inspired by NASA and NASA's programs, such as the Space Shuttle Program and human spaceflight, aeronautics, science and exploration of the universe. Contestants can enter two-dimensional original art (painting, drawing, prints, mixed media, photographic, and computer generated prints). Three-dimensional entries, including wearable art and soft sculptures, also may be entered.

The contestants will compete for one grand prize and three best-in-category prizes. The contest's grand prizewinner will receive a $500 Etsy-funded shopping spree. Etsy also will pay the winner's way to attend the space shuttle launch targeted for February 2011.

NASA's goal is to help inform Etsy's 5.5 million members, 96 percent of whom are women, most under age 35, about the agency's present and future exploration plans.

"The contest reaches an important audience NASA would like to better engage to help share the excitement that is America's space program," said Doug Comstock, director of Partnerships, Innovation and Commercial Space in NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "These craftspeople will bring new perspectives that can help communicate NASA's mission and inspire our next generation of explorers in new ways."

Space Craft runs through Nov. 2. Entries will be judged online by viewers of the Etsy website. A panel of crafters and designers identified by Etsy and NASA will narrow the selection and select the winners. The winning entries will be selected Feb. 1, 2011.

posted 10-16-2010 07:55 PM               

Apollo cockpit silkscreen necktie. Credit: Etsy/toybreaker

...I'm going to go broke.

posted 11-12-2010 05:57 PM               

Three, two, one... blast off!

Vote Now! Choose your favorite Space Craft semi-finalist from each contest category. All Etsy members are welcome to participate in voting.

NASA and Etsy invited Etsy members to celebrate artistic exploration and commemorate the end of the NASA Space Shuttle Program with a creative challenge: Share an original handmade item or work of art inspired by the NASA Space Shuttle Program and space exploration at large.

Prizes include a trip to an upcoming launch as NASA's VIP guest, Etsy shopping sprees, and cool merchandise from NASA and Etsy. The winning artwork might even be flown on the Space Shuttle!

posted 11-13-2010 04:04 PM               

© Dave Ginsberg. All rights reserved.

"Voyages of Discovery" commemorates the historic flights of the Space Shuttle Program as well as NASA’s pioneering mission of space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research.

You can find "Voyages of Discovery" in the 2D Art Reproduction category.

Cast your vote at Etsy's contest website.

posted 11-13-2010 05:17 PM               

• The Last Night Launch, an original oil painting, was created by Catherine Baker, a member of the Space Tweep Society, which is an organization that collectSPACE proudly supports.

• Even closer to this site, Melissa Meek created this Galaxies and Rockets western shirt for her husband Jon, aka 'Mr Meek' on collectSPACE.

I would also be remiss if I didn't make mention of two other entries, which sadly did not make it into the voting round.

• Space Tweep Society founder, Project Mercury Rising creator and new member of the collectSPACE launch coverage team, Jennifer Sheer created a Needle-felted Hubble Space Telescope, complete with spacewalking astronauts.

• MAKE Magazine contributing writer and collectSPACE member Rachel Hobson captured the lunar surface in thread within her high-texture hand embroidery of the Moon.

posted 11-23-2010 05:23 PM               

NASA & Etsy Space Craft Contest: Another Mission

Last week, we received reports that we had overlooked some eligible entries for the Etsy & NASA Space Craft Contest. We've spent the last few days carefully reviewing exactly how the entry data was collected to determine contest eligibility, and we have confirmed that some eligible entries were accidentally excluded due to a technical error.

We appreciate everyone who got in touch about this concern, and we sincerely apologize for any confusion or distress that our technical error may have caused.

It is very important to us that every entry is fairly considered for the contest. In order to extend the contest to all entrants, we are holding a second public voting period for an additional group of semifinalists.

We welcome all registered Etsy members to vote for one entry per category in the "Group 2 Semifinalists." (Voting will be open today, November 23, through Monday, December 6, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. ET.)

What about the first group of semifinalists? Every vote will be counted, with the 20 top-rated entries per category moving on to the finals. The second public voting period will determine an additional 20 entries per category that will also move on to the finals. (A total of 40 entries per category will become contest finalists.)

Everyone involved in the contest at both Etsy and NASA appreciate the time, energy, and creative talent all of the contest entrants have demonstrated. Thank you in advance for your patience as we do our best to make sure every eligible entry is fairly considered.

posted 12-09-2010 09:16 AM               

Thanks to all who entered and all who voted to select the Space Craft Contest finalists. With a giant leap of artistic expression, you accepted NASA and Etsy's challenge to create handmade art and crafts inspired by the NASA Space Shuttle Program and space exploration at large -- and the results are out of this world.

Congratulations to the category finalists, previewed here.

Finalists will be contacted in the next few days with instructions on the next steps. Stay tuned on the Blog to learn about the final judging event and guest judges.

As a reminder, prizes will include a trip to an upcoming launch as NASA's VIP guest, Etsy shopping sprees, and cool merchandise from NASA and Etsy. The winning artwork might even be flown on the Space Shuttle!

posted 03-21-2011 06:07 PM               

NASA And Etsy Announce Winners Of "Space Craft" Contest

During a Friday ceremony in Brooklyn, New York, NASA and Etsy, an online marketplace for handmade arts and crafts, announced the winners of "Space Craft," a contest that received more than 600 entries.

Contestants entered an original handmade item or work of art inspired by NASA programs, such as the space shuttle, human spaceflight, aeronautics, science and exploration of the universe.

• Colleen and Eric Whiteley from Brooklyn received the Grand Prize for Best of Show for their detailed design of the Northstar Table. The table features a North Star design that, when pressed, opens a hidden drawer.

Northern Table by Colleen and Eric Whiteley. Credit: Etsy

• Rachel Barry Hobson from Austin, Texas won the 2D Original category for her piece titled, "High Texture Hand Embroidery of the Moon."

High Texture Hand Embroidery of the Moon by Rachel Barry Hobson. Credit: Etsy

• For the category of Two Dimensional Reproduction, "Universal Thoughts" by Nikkita Karsan Bhakta from Mobile, Ala., won the top prize.

Universal Thoughts by Nikkita Karsan Bhakta. Credit: Etsy

• Patrick Burt from Tempe, Ariz., won the Three Dimensional Original category with a Titanium ring titled "Brother Sun, Sister Moon." The silver, gold and diamond embedded ring represents stars, the sun, moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon by Patrick Burt. Credit: Etsy

NASA's goal for the contest was to help inform Etsy's 5.8 million members, the majority of whom are women, most near age 35, about the agency's present and future exploration plans. NASA astronaut Steve Robinson attended the judging on March 18 at the Etsy Labs community space in Brooklyn.

Contestants entered work in three categories: two-dimensional original art; reproductions of original pieces and three-dimensional art. The two-dimensional pieces included paintings, drawings, rings, mixed media, photographs and computer-generated prints. The three dimensional entries ranged from wearable art to furniture and soft sculpture.

The grand prize team received a $500 shopping spree on Etsy and an all-expense-paid trip with a guest to attend the next shuttle launch at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Shuttle Endeavour and its crew are targeted to lift off on April 19. The winning two dimensional art piece may be flown aboard the flight.

The winner of each category received a $250 shopping spree on Etsy and a gift package of NASA and Etsy merchandise.