Clutch Gallery on WGN Radio!


Busy Beaver Button Co. and Chicago Design Museum: “On Pins and Needles” and the power of the promotional button

(Listen to the podcast here. Clutch is discussed at 10:40.)

Dave Hoekstra visits with Christen Carter, owner of the Busy Beaver Button Company and Tanner Woodford, executive director of the Chicago Design Museum at Block 37, who have collaborated on a small-scale exhibit at the Museum called “On Pins and Needles”.  The so-called clutch gallery is a 25-sq. inch display of political buttons significant to historical women’s political movements, all in a vintage wooden clutch purse.  Carter also talks about getting into button-making through the grassroots punk music scene, and Busy Beaver’s big time clients and archive of historical buttons; Woodford discusses the rich heritage of Chicago’s visual artists and advertising firms, and more.

Also sitting in as the resident co-host and musician for the hour is Chicago guitarist and Matchbox barman Graham Courter.

(Listen to the podcast here. Clutch is discussed at 10:40.)