My name is Chelsea Starkey I am from Huntington, West Virginia but I have lived in Columbus Ohio for about 12 years. I am currently attending Ohio State University and pursuing a bachelor of fine arts degree. I have two dogs and I love animals. I played trumpet in high school and music has always been an important part of my life.
I have always enjoyed creating art for as long as I can remember it just comes naturally to me. I often create work based on things that I love or certain feelings that can be portrayed in a piece of work. I am hoping to get a BFA in photography and take portraits of animals. I love the emotion I can capture in an animal. I have attached a photo of myself and of one of my works
Meet Christa Will and Tiffani Friend from Dizzie Daisy...
Dizzie
Daisy is currently a home-based craft business ran by friends; Christa Will
& Tiffani Friend out of our basements, garages, kitchen tables……pretty much
any space we can find :o) We started making things last fall, and our first craft show was Christmas of 2011, so we are a relatively new company.
We are both
very into crafting, and find different ideas everywhere we go. We spend a lot of time at crafting
stores, shows, and online finding a ton of different ideas for things we’d like
to try.
How we got into our hobby... we dabbled
a little bit in making small things for the fun of it, or for gifts- then
decided to try our hand at a large craft show over the holidays……..and got
hooked.
How we got into selling... we tried out a large holiday craft show last December and had such a great turnout and so much fun, that we got hooked, and decided that we wanted to start making things and selling them.
Our creative process is best described as chaotic…..
lol. It’s pretty comical sometimes
to see us bouncing ideas off of each other, or trying out something new-
running into walls- and then finally getting to that “aha” moment, when we
think we’ve finally got it figured out. It can be trying sometimes, but its fun!
Our goals.. we would
like to be able to provide gifts that people can give their friends & loved
ones, which have a more personal, & less commercial feel to them. Small
pieces that have charm & character, and say that a little more thought went
into them than the usual over-the-counter present you see everywhere you go.
Overall, we just want to create cute, original, items
that people could keep or give as gifts that seem a little more personal
& have some character to them. We enjoy watching people go through our
things and smile, because a certain item or pattern made them think of someone
and want to do something special for them.
Debby Stock Kiefer from Box of 96...
I am a longtime newspaper journalist always wishing for more
time to craft/sew/bead, bake, cook, read, hike, dance, play board games and
spend time with loved ones. I planned to be a Spanish teacher, but fell into
bad company at Ohio State and switched to journalism. My mom cried; she wanted
me to be an interpreter for the United Nations (news to me). My dad thought it
made perfect sense, recalling my grade-school days lugging my spelling book
everywhere and the goofy stories I wrote.
I get antsy if I don’t have time to create something. The
first thing I remember making is clothes for my paper dolls as a kid. I
designed outfits based on Betty and Veronica’s clothes in the old Archie comics. And I still colored in college as stress
relief. Thus the name of my Etsy shop, Box of 96. I still describe colors using
Crayola names, such as periwinkle, pine green, thistle, mulberry and
bittersweet. I am inspired by nature, color combinations I see people wearing, art, a bead, fabric. I never know.
I learned to sew in junior high home economics and from my
mother. I suppose the creative gene comes from both parents; she liked to
sketch on scrap paper and he made things out of wood and was a design engineer
in the aircraft industry.
But for a long time the kitchen was my primary creative
outlet. For some reason, when I became a Christian in the late ‘80s, it was as
if a floodgate had been opened: I’ve done stamping, cross-stitch, photography,
stenciled furniture, done a little painting and lots of beading and sewing.
I’ve made all kinds of things for family and friends: aprons, tote bags,
purses, pajamas, table linens, decorated silverware, cards, painted boxes, and
so on. And for my sister’s sons, I’ve made everything from Harry Potter robes
and an invisibility cloak to Tarzan loincloths and sleeping bag liners.
Among my favorites are a particular silverware set, a table
I stained and painted after a woodworker friend cut out a new top for me, and a
valentine I made for my husband from a deck of cards and lots of cut-out words
and pictures.
Right now I sew zippered bags for makeup, to-go office
supplies, electronics or anything else; business card and passport cases;
stuffed, beaded birds; and totes. My signature item is probably beaded and
wired silverware.
I got started embellishing silverware when my sister came to
me around 2002 with a very simply beaded knife and said, “Here, learn how to do
this so you can make some for me.” Who was I to disobey? Once I started, I
couldn’t stop, and people said I should sell them. So to support my bead habit
I did a few craft shows in Akron, where I lived for years. This is my first
show since moving back to Columbus in 2008. My wonderful husband Joe let me turn one room into a guest
room/studio. If I don’t keep myself in check, guests will have to sleep in the
garage!
Meet Rex and Jolley Brown from Two Artists LLC...
Rex Brown and Jennifer Jolley Brown are married to each other, live in Reynoldsburg, and have never met an art they didn't like. They generally work separately but collaborate occasionally. Rex does oil, acrylic, and encaustic paintings and copper enameling. He often develops his paintings as he creates them, starting with an original idea and then refining it as he goes. Sometimes he wears the evidence of the possibilities on his hands (and clothes).
Jennifer does calligraphy, printmaking, and watercolor. She likes to think an idea to death before committing to it and is known to practice pieces several times before creating a final version.
Meet Michelle Woods from Studio 7 Canvas Creations...
I love the arts both creating and viewing them. I have been married for 9 years to the most amazing man and we have a beautiful little 8 year old fashion diva who is following my footsteps in art. I am an avid reader and like to write when I am not painting. I love working in my flower gardens or just listening to the frogs and crickets on a peaceful night.
Growing up, my grandma was a wonderful painter and she inspired me in many ways. My mom always encouraged me as well. When I was little, I would write and illustrate books and my mom would take them to a second hand shop where her friend worked. Her friend would put them on the shelves with the other books and the next time we came in my books would be gone and there would be money waiting for me. Now that I am an adult I know that my books didn't really sell but I am happy that the experience as a child encouraged me to write and draw.
Since I can remember I have been artsy. Photography, painting and writing- I love them all. I am fortunate to have the flexibility to be able to work on a project when inspiration strikes. I just let my feelings tell my hands what to paint.
I have always painted and always dreamed of selling my work, however I am my own worst critic. Without the support of my husband I wouldn't have taken the first step to start my business. When I am creating things I am at peace.
I think everyone wants to pursue their dream job. My dream is to create pieces that speak to people. Colors and textures that evoke pleasing feelings to their viewers.
There isn't just one message behind my work. I want those that view my art to interpret how it speaks to them. Do the colors and tones bring back a memory or do they perhaps create a new memory?
You can view more of my work at my blog:
Meet Nikki Doran from Personal Baggage...
Our Mission...
Educate people on the issues surrounding animal welfare and bring awareness to animal cruelty one t-shirt at a time!
What We Do...
Personal Baggage began with mixing a passion for fashion with a love for animals! We bring awareness through our graphic designs, social networking, volunteering, and blogging. Our goal is to be a voice for the animals through our super soft, trendy tees. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and be sure to follow our blog!
What We Make...
We hand pick our tee's based on comfort, quality, and fit. We want our customers to wear our designs with pride knowing that they are top quality and in style! We design each graphic and did I mention that we personally hand screen print them?
Check Us Out...
Website: www.personalbaggagestyle.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/personalbaggage
Twitter: www.twitter.com/PersonalBaggage
My name is Nikki Doran. I am an animal advocate. I design
fashionable graphic tee's with strong messages regarding animal welfare and
animal rights issues. This isn’t your plain old t-shirt brand. We live and
breathe each message we put on our shirts.
I work full time as a CAD Artist for Lane Bryant. I am on
the volunteer fundraising committee for a local rescue called PetPromise. I
also do some volunteer work with Powell Animal Welfare Society. I am a graduate
of the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC and Bowling Green State
University. I love to travel, read, and watch documentaries. I also
love just spending time with my husband, our 2 rescue dogs, family, and
friends.
I came up with the idea for Personal Baggage in 2007, and then I
started putting it into motion (very slowly) in 2009. Today my business has
tripled and I continue to work with more local animal rescue groups and enter
more and more shows. It is really exciting to see the response from people
who support what we do. Personal Baggage continues to evolve every
day.
My whole family is creative. I was raised by parents who rarely
told me ‘No’, they encouraged me to explore and create without
boundaries. My older sister is an Art Teacher and my younger sister is an
Installation Artist. I guess it’s just in my blood.
How I got into my craft… I loved the fast pace energy of the
fashion industry and I have always loved animals. I came up with the concept
for Personal Baggage when I was in college at the Fashion Institute of
Technology in NYC. When I started learning about CAD design with Lane Bryant I
knew that I loved it and soon I started designing graphic tee’s at home
specifically geared toward animal rights.
I knew I wanted to make a product that made a difference. When
people started seeing how passionate I was about the cause, they started to
support it. I started selling shirts to my family and close friends. Now
I ship shirts all over the U.S., it is very cool.
My creative process is LOTS of research on animal rights issues,
I like to really believe in something if I am putting it on one of my shirts. Then
I like to research what’s trending in fashion and what types of similar
messages are already out there on t-shirt's so I don’t copy anyone else’s work. I
like to be as unique and original as possible.
I love all my t-shirt designs, but my favorite one is ‘GO
FAUX’. This one really hits home because I work in an industry where
animal products are so frequently used and animals are often mistreated in the
process. I choose not to wear fur, wool, or leather because I believe
there are great alternatives out there. I love my cruelty-free wardrobe.
My goal currently, is that I just want to spread the message
about animal cruelty issues in a fashionable way. I want people to wear my
shirts and basically be a walking billboard for animal rights. And, I want
to continue to help support local animal rescues through our donations; it’s
nice to know that every time we sell a shirt we can give to an animal in need. However,
someday when I retire I would love to open a vegan boutique in Central Ohio.
The message behind my work is Education. I am a firm believer
that you cannot fault someone for something they don’t know, all you can do is
educate them and let them decide for themselves. I can’t change everyone’s
mind about animal rights issues, but the way I see it I would rather be doing
something to help then nothing at all. We are not perfect; we continue to
learn and grow every day. Personal Baggage is a way for me to combine my love
for animals with my lust for fashion.
Check out these featured vendors at the 2012 West Side Summer Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. This eclectic show will feature over 170 of the most talented artisans and crafters. A portion of the show's proceeds will be donated to the Cleveland Animal Protective League, for animal rescue.
