Thursday, May 8, 2014

These Women Turned Their Passions Into Plans!

Meet Catherina Bishopp from Jewelry by Catherina...
Jewelry, as an art form, has the power to create moods, provoke opinions and produce reactions. At her studio in downtown Manhattan, this is the design philosophy that New York based jewelry designer Catherina Bishopp follows in creating and developing her own unique collection of jewelry. Although she uses precious stones and metals in her work, the design is of much greater importance to Catherina than the intrinsic value of the materials she works with. Her ultimate goal is evoking humor, whimsy and rare imagination through the use of striking color and inventive design in each of her pieces, which is what gives Catherina her signature look.
                           
When the mood strikes to create, Catherina finds inspiration for her clever designs in familiar and recognizable items. "Often, it is the materials that can become inspiring and sometimes, it is something else, something that draws you back for a second look. My real passion is to take objects or colors that are not normally seen as traditional jewelry and transform them into clever reinterpretations that are wearable and fun. This is what I feel makes jewelry really, truly memorable and valuable. It's my way of inspiring other people to see that jewelry can be beautiful without having to always conform to what is expected," explains Catherina.
Born as the youngest of seven children to Dutch parents, Catherina was introduced to the arts at an early age. At five, she visited Europe and was introduced to a variety of art from the Dutch masters to the Italian Renaissance artists. Her parents encouraged her to develop not only her artistic talents, but also her musical talent which she did by playing piano. At a very young age she progressed from color pencils to pastels, and at the age of nine, she was painting with oil. At Indiana University, Catherina's interests were in sculpture and classical piano. Her sculptures won her awards while her piano instructor was surprised that music represented her hobby versus her major.
 
After graduation, Catherina went on to the Ferrandi Culinary School in Paris where she won Grand Mere competitions for her creative talents in presenting new French cuisine to the panel of judges. This invaluable artistic experience encouraged Catherina to begin making jewelry over the next few years, as she began displaying a flair for fantasy and whimsy in her design and exhibited a remarkable talent for incorporating precious stones into her work. These were the beginnings of the distinguishing style that can now be found throughout her collection.

In 1999, Catherina refined her pieces into a collection, cultivated her own contacts and started to sell her own work through prominent galleries and shops in the United States and France. Soon thereafter, the Jewelry by Catherina brand was launched in 2000. As her young business began to grow, Catherina's innovative designs quickly caught the attention of her peers and fashion designers alike. Subsequently, she has established high caliber private clients demanding customized pieces to match specific clothing designs.
Recently, she was featured in an international magazine since she created a piece for musician Machel Montano. Catherina has also designed pieces for Claudia Pegus' 2004/2005 clothing collection. In 2004, she designed exclusively for Henri Bendel/NYC. Currently, she continues to sell wholesale to boutiques in NYC, Orange County, Traverse City, Columbus, and Trinidad/Tobago. 
In addition to her innate sense of style and boundless creativity, Catherina brings a wide range of interests to her design abilities. Catherina has lived and worked in the United States (New York City, Los Angeles, Miami), The Netherlands, France, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, and now in Columbus, Ohio. This close view of other cultures and people gives Catherina a diverse perspective on her own designs and a greater appreciation of other artists' abilities. Today, Catherina continues to be inspired by this experience as she brings her special touch to the creation of memorable jewelry which compliments a women's beauty.


Meet Dana Harper from Parachute Troupe...

"I’m a 26 year old sculptor and installation artist, my jewelry work is inspired by the materials that I work with in my sculpture studio.   was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio but have spent the last 3 years in Pennsylvania getting my masters from Penn State. I have been making art professionally 10 years. I have been selling work for about 4 years, but have only been making and selling jewelry for under a year. This is my first Avant-Garde Show!
Each object, piece of jewelry or sculpture that I make has a sweetness to its charm.  I enjoy bringing joy into someone else’s life. I am inspired by cartoons as well as underwater landscapes.A lot of my sculpture is very large, working with jewelry has allowed me to work smaller. I enjoy working on a small scale because detail becomes more evident and important. Making has always been a key component to my happiness.  I played instruments, folded origami and painted since I can remember.  It wasn’t until college that I realized I wanted to make art for the rest of my life.
I experiment and play with any material that is accessible. I am often working in a series based on material; wood, ceramic and now polymer clay. I will always be making work, but I see myself moving through many other materials. I picture making a larger range in prices of the work, but my work will always be playful and fun. The message behind my work is to enjoy the little things, take time to allow small moments to bring happiness into your life!"

Meet Michelle Edmonds from Be You Ltd....
"At Be You, we believe in unalienable truths: No two women are the same, empowerment is wonderful, and women love handbags. We believe that handbags should be affordable, functional, fashionable and fun. That they should also make women of all ages feel good, knowing that what they buy is American-made and that a portion of the proceeds go to a worthy cause.The Be You brand is about Being YOU, whoever you were made to be, products proudly crafted in America, bringing awareness to Human Trafficking and contributing to helping victims and using everything, not throwing anything away.
While we are life-long sewers, we have been designing and producing our Be You handbags for 18 months. This will be our first Avant-Garde show! We are inspired to create by recognizing that the opportunities are endless when it comes to handbags.  We learn from listening to our Be You community and innovating fun, positive ways to convey that being you is perfect!  We often engage our customers to help us name new designs, spread the word and make a difference!
As two women in corporate America we were troubled by the fact we weren’t making a difference in the world.  We believed in our hearts that we had more to offer and wanted to hold true to our core values. As the founders of Be You, we are proud of what we are doing.  Along with doing something that matters, we firmly believe Be You is a brand worth building! 

We discovered our sewing talent through necessity. Both Lynne and Michelle learned to sew in home economics class in Junior High School. As a mom, Lynne sewed clothes for Halloween, dresses for school dances and events and household items (curtains, pillows, etc).  Michelle learned to quilt and also sewed household items. It was not enough that we needed to know how to sew.  We needed to start with designs, make patterns and select fabric.  Lynne discovered her design talent through high school and college.   Lynne excels at taking a sketch and making it into a pattern while Michelle has a knack for selecting fabrics and matching to specific designs.

The creative process begins with an idea. Our ideas are inspired by the seasons, fabric, other bags, needs of our friends and relatives. The message behind our work comes from our Bag+1 program.  When starting our company we began to think about what social issue we could stand behind.  We became aware that large issues are often not addressed because people feel helpless to make a difference.   Then from the pages of our local NE Ohio backyard the issue became clear and Bag+1 was born. A current statistic reports: “Each year an estimated 1,078 Ohio children become victims of human trafficking and 3,016 more are at-risk for exploitation.” Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, January 9, 2014. Through the Bag+1 program,  for each bag sold,  Be You donates money and time to increasing awareness about a very real, very frightening problem—human trafficking.

By purchasing a Be You handbag, you have purchased materials to make someone at risk of being trafficked aware of the dangers and warning signs and also helped those that have been trafficked recover. Over the last year we have been able to contribute funds to purchase 6,000 bars of soap to assist the SOAP (Save our Adolescents from Prostitution) team with their events.  We feel good about what we are doing and want to continue to help raise awareness of this devastating social issue.   In addition to our give back program we have distributed hundreds of Human Trafficking awareness cards to those that have purchased our bags and folks at craft shows. 

Meet Lori Summers from Hobby Girl Crafts...
"I'm a scientist and novelist with a passion for sewing and crafting.  I'm also a volunteer at the Columbus Zoo, and I lead an outdoor activities club for women.  I'm very busy! I've had my craft business for about six months - I'm still evolving! This will be my second Avant-Garde show! 
 
I'm inspired by unusual fabrics, bold colors, and  fun patterns.  I love using fabrics in unusual combinations, and creating items that make people smile! I picked up a love of sewing (it runs in the family) and my production soon outstripped my ability to give things away!  Opening a craft business was a logical next step, and I love sharing my items.I took a beginner's sewing class at a local sewing boutique, and I took to it immediately!  Within only a few months, I'd taught myself to make a number of items that I still make.  I'm always looking for new patterns and ideas. 
It usually starts with a pattern, or an unusual print.  I start imagining how I can transform it into something delightful, and what unexpected fabrics I can pair with it. I enjoy having my business as a hobby; I don't intend to try and transform it into my primary occupation.  I'd love to be able to take the income from my business to finance my travel hobby. The message behind my work is to be bold and be creative!"



2014 Columbus Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, May 10th, 2014, 10:00am-4:00pm

St. Agatha's Parish Hall

1860 Northam Rd

Columbus, OH 43221

For more information, contact Becki@ag-shows.com
Visit us on:
LINKEDIN




Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Columbus, these crafters are bringin' the heat! (Since Mother Nature hasn't yet!)

Meet Georgi Silvia of Patsy Ann's...
My name is Georgi, I am a full time college student, part time waitress, intern, and now a small business owner. I was raised by two amazing women, my mother and my grandmother, that have taught me how to craft and have inspired my creativity. I love celebrating and decorating for  holidays, trying new DIY projects, and baking up a storm in the kitchen. Currently I reside in Northeast Ohio while going to school for Public Relations, but I’m originally from Columbus where most of my family lives. As a college student, I’m always finding ways to save money on holiday and home decorations.
Named after my grandmother, who is my biggest role model and where I get my creativity, I started Patsy Ann's in January 2014 and this is will be my first time as a vendor with Avant-Garde! My creativity comes from the love I have of celebrating holidays and the excitement with the arrival of each one. Being able to make my own adds a personal touch and makes a home that much more welcoming.
Growing up, my mom and grandma were always doing their own projects and soon got me into crafting at a young age. I can remember making dolls out of soap bottles and wooden spoons with my grandma and doing crafts with my mom and a neighborhood friend when I was little. Still to this day, we share craft ideas and give homemade gifts for birthdays and holidays. Because we share that special connection, it makes the gift that much better.Growing up in a creative family, I always knew I had a talent. 

With the interchangeable wreaths (one wreath that allows for the flowers to be switched on an off throughout seasons), it started with trying to find a birthday gift for my Mom. After ours of searching, the idea just hit me: Why have different decorations for each season and waste not only money but storage space when you can have a single item that you can customize for every season, holiday, or team? Well Mom loved her gift, and I figured I could share it with everyone else! 
In five years I would love to still be doing shows with Patsy Ann's and opening up an Etsy shop. I'd like to expand my merchandise and include other home decor items and possibly accessories. The possibilities are endless!

The message behind my creations is CELEBRATION! Day to day activities can get very boring, so you have to find something every day to celebrate. Whether it be a new job, buying that cute pair of shoes, or even just that the sun was shining, you have to find the good in every day.

Meet Mindy Drobnick of Spellbinding Eccentricties...
I am a stay at home mom with two children. I love spending time with my family and working with my hands, which includes everything from gardening and crafting to drawing and writing. There's a lot of scrubbing involved as well, but at least i get to work with my hands. Being a stay at home mom helps me do the things I love to do all the time. I especially like getting my children involved in the fun. Luckily they don't have any qualms about getting dirty like me. I have been crafting since I was old enough to use a needle. I started just sewing, which is still one of my favorite things to do, but over the years I have employed many different types of crafts. I am constantly trying new things because I also love to learn as much as possible, not just crafts. Every year the list gets longer because there are just too many things to learn. I have never attended an Avant-Garde craft show and I am very excited to come and meet new people!
My biggest inspiration to create would be the idea of being what you want to be. I have always been a very unique individual and I like to see others express themselves, crafting is a way I encourage others to do this. After years of sewing I would more and more see the beauty in everyday items and things most people would throw out. I suppose I am somewhat of a pack rat but if I see a bit of beauty in an object I will keep it to see what I can create with it.
When I keep an object for use others have asked me why or what could I possibly do with that, and sometimes I thought that myself. However after playing around with things I realized I can see beauty in what seemingly has none. And now crafting has definitely opened my eyes to things in the world once thought of as not worth looking at. Sewing started as a hobby which then lead to other types of crafting but if I've had a particularly rough day sewing serves as a type of meditation for me. It calms me and helps me clear my head. When I don't know what to make I just start drawing or manipulating materials to see what I come up with. Sometimes it yields no new ideas but it still helps me feel better.
When it comes to my business, I love doing it and I would like to see it prosper more, however I just love making things that make people happy and can brighten their day. As long as I can do that I am happy no matter where I am in the progression of my business. If I had to say what the message you should get from my work is, it would be to be happy, have fun like you were five again, try and see the beauty in mundane things because if it is mundane it is just undiscovered inspiration.

Meet Lorna Salvatore of Lorna Maes Interpretazione...
My name is Lorna Salvatore I’m 23 years born and raised in the suburbs of Cleveland. I’m currently working full time at Bon Appetit in the retail department. I also work for Lyft, which is like a taxi on demanded service for people that need a ride. I do online schooling at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division. I’m very close to getting my associates in Graphic Design only couple more classes. Than the plan is to find a job, and go back for my bachelors.
I’ve also been an artist for as long as I can remember. I use to doddle all the time in school and art was my favorite subject. In middle school, I started to sketch designs of clothing thinking that one day I would be a fashion designer. I really thought that is what I wanted to do by my Junior year. I have tons of sketches books with just fashion ideas in them. 

However I knew that that was not the path for me. After high school, I went straight to work and didn’t go to college so I lost my feeling for the arts. I didn’t really get back into art till I started doing online classes. About two years ago, one of my favorite bands called Every Avenue came out with an album called Bad Habits. The album had song on it called Fall Apart, every time I listened to that song I felt what he was saying. Then one day after listening to it, I got this image of a broken heart falling apart from the inside out. I had some empty bottles that I took from work I wanted to use them but didn’t know for what. When I got that image in my head I went to the garage and got the bottles, then I started breaking the bottles with a hammer. Bought a canvas drew a heart and started glueing pieces of glass to the canvas. Three hours later, I made a heart breaking from the inside. A heart that was just feeling pain, I created what the artist was saying.
So that's what inspires me to create, music and feeling. To me music is my life and what gets me through a lot of stuff. Music is what makes you understand what you are feeling; having those lyrics to listen to be like oh this artist gets me. When I say feeling inspires, what I mean by that is I but what I’m feeling at that moment in that art work. I want the viewer to feel what I was feeling when I listening to a song or what I went through that day in time. Music got me into art, without it, I wouldn't be making it. 

I would describe my creative process as random. I don’t go out looking for inspiration. Most of my inspiration comes from music, I could have listened to one song 20 times, but by the 21st time I will get an idea in my head. When I get that image in my head, I can’t get it out till I draw it on the canvas. Then when I’m working on the art, my first idea is not also my last. When I work I have more images popping in my heading telling me that it should look like this. My creative process is random and not planned.   
The message behind my work is emotion. When you look at my work I want you to feel what the artists felt when he or she wrote the song. I want the viewer to relate that feeling to something in there life. I want my work be an emotion that you can’t shake. I'm excited to be apart of the Avant-Garde shows for the very first time this Spring! 

Meet Ashley Sperry of AES Aesthetics...
My name is Ashley Sperry,  I've always made crafts and gone to craft shows but it wasn't until a year ago that I actually created my crafting business (AES aesethics).  I had just graduated with my second college degree and was looking for a job as a registered nurse.  Nothing like unemployment to spark creativity! This will be my first Avant Garde craft show!  I'm looking forward to it. 

AES aesthetics focuses on upcycled crafts.  This process is about transformation and being resourceful, it's about taking something you already have and making it more beautiful and more useful. The message behind my work is to think outside the box a little bit,  one person's trash can be another's treasure. I hope to convey a sense of fun and style with my work. 
In five years, I hope to be able to craft shows on a much more regular basis and to have expanded my line into more boutiques, and to have a greater web presence. I also hope I'm trying all kinds of new things and that I never stop exploring!



2014 Columbus Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, May 10th, 2014, 10:00am-4:00pm
St. Agatha's Parish Hall
1860 Northam Rd
Columbus, OH 43221

For more information, contact Becki@ag-shows.com
Visit us on:
LINKEDIN

Thursday, May 1, 2014

April Showers Bring May Vendors!

Meet Richard and Alice from Pure Bees Wax Art...
We are Richard & Alice - Since 1996, we have taken pride in being candle artisans and designing one of a kind unique hand rolled pure bees wax candles, beeswax art and beeswax sculptures. We have enjoyed being creative and letting nature lead us over the hills and through the woods to the natural liquid gold we use to make our art.
We use solid blocks of pure ohio bees wax and cotton wick. We hand design each candle using real pressed flowers, roses, rose and flower petals, larkspur, daisy, cosmo...fern, leaves, lavender, and herbs in our craft. We are fortunate in having a garden which offers its bounties to us to use as fresh cut and then pressed flowers for our candle creations. Ocean stones and seashells are also our favorites to use because of the natural offerings of the ocean combined with our pure beeswax designs makes sense.
We are inspired by nature - The Love of Flowers, Bees & Honey - we're all set! We started making candles when our garden gave all the wonderful offerings to work with. We'd cut and dry flowers, we enjoyed the light from candles, and it all came together one day when we had both to work with. California driftwood also led us to making our first beeswax sculptures. From then on, we were excited with our craft. Connecting to nature has meant a lot to us! Nature's bounties leads us and this is our contribution to the art scene…
Our creative process starts with pure liquid beeswax. We double boil it, pour it into hand made molds, wait for the perfect temperature, and we roll our candles to a cotton wick. Using a warm candle and hand applying real flowers is a sense of wonder every time! Once the floral design is made, it is then dipped back into the liquid beeswax to seal the natural beauty on the surface of the candle. Ocean stones and seashells add a wonderful texture to the candle with a one of a kind design. 
In five years we'll still be known as the beeswax candle people! Our message to give regarding our art, it's all natural & all wonderful! We are so excited to join the Avant-Garde Art Show! This will be our first year. We are proud & honored to have this opportunity of connecting with so many awesome artist
that will be on site for May 10th, 2014. Happy spring time everyone!

Meet Pat Underwood from Classy Glass Creations...
Classy Glass Creations was started in the spring of 2013. We had been treasure hunting on a trip to Michigan one day and found a beautiful yard sculpture made from glass pieces. We really wanted to bring it home to our own garden, but the price was far above our reach. We decided right then we would learn how to make them for ourselves. Once we made the first one, Garden Granny, people told us we needed to make more and sell them. 
Family history is our inspiration. We come from a long line of artisans: our Dad worked with metals and wood for many years crafting unique and useable items, one grandmother took up painting at the age of 84 and left behind beautiful paintings, and our Mom did ceramics for many years and took great pleasure in giving them to others to enjoy.
I have a strong appreciation for antiques and hand crafted treasures. I also have a talent for sales and marketing, and am skilled at seeking out great pieces to build our items. Pam’s talent is in seeing things differently. She is inspired by finding new beauty in the plain and ordinary. For her personally, it is therapy that allows her to share her visions with others. She’s the designer.
Pam and I have always created much from little. We learn most things by hands on trial and error. Talent is much like beauty; it lies in the eyes of the beholder. I supply a wide selection of colorful glassware with many unique shapes and sizes. Pam then selects a piece that interests her and begins to pair it with other selections until she “sees” something interesting. Together we discuss and fit the final pieces and trim until we agree on the final collage. Pam will study it a bit until it “speaks” together with a name and a story. Finally a new “Garden Granny” is born.
Everything holds value and beauty, if you look beyond the surface or expected use. You can draw outside the lines and make one of the most beautiful pictures ever. And finally, it is our responsibility to preserve parts of the past for future generations to learn from and love as we have.

Meet Bonnie with Crone Age Wisdom...
After a successful, twenty year career in the corporate world as a marketing executive, I finally decided to follow my passion.  My grandson was born with very dry skin, and nothing we tried seemed to help.  I decided to go back to the wisdom of my forefathers (wisdom of the crones), and became certified in herbology. I realized my passion for living naturally. 
I started making lotion bars, other lotion preparations, natural cleaning ingredients, and herbal remedies for any ailment imaginable.  And the products and herbal remedies worked!  Then I realized that I loved educating people about the benefits of using natural ingredients in anything they put on their skin.  I have been selling products and educating the public at vending events for over three years, and am continually adding different healing solutions to my Crone Age Wisdom product line. I develop products based on need. The more I learn about harmful ingredients in almost all products we use daily, the more I am inspired to research all-natural herbs, oils, and butters that work in concert with our bodies to promote natural healing. 
My products use fresh ingredients and do not contain preservatives, chemicals, or unnatural fragrance.  Most products are completely fragrance free, as many people have allergies or reactions to scents. My future is to continue educating people on the benefits of using natural products that promote healing and are non-toxic to humans and the environment. I use my ancestor-intuition to draw upon the wisdom of the wise-women who healed naturally and spiritually. Crone Age Wisdom, the natural solutions to dry and ageing skin.

Meet Jamie with The Maven Raven...
Greetings! I am Jamie "Raven" June. I began my journey of creating handmade items about 5 years ago. My grandmother was my teacher and mentor. I ran a small business for 11 years with my husband. When he passed away in 2012, I could no longer run our successful business on my own. I was determined to begin a business that I could design and create yet also provide for my two teenage sons. I started The Maven Raven at the end 2013 in which I make handmade items and unrefined beauty products. Specifically Unrefined African Shea Butter. I am also the vocalist/lyricist for the band, June Dreaming. This will be my first Avant~Garde Art Show and I am excited to be a part of this event! I love meeting new people, especially artist and vendors. 
This has always been my dream, creating art and music and bringing it into the marketplace. 

My heart is to bring joy and love to everyone I meet. I also have a desire to bring in my sister, Cheri to this business. She is married and has 4 young boys. I have recently been teaching her how to sew and taking her with me to events. My goal is for her to become a huge part of The Maven Raven!
My Grandma Phyl, was my inspiration to art. She was sewing since she was six, and ran her own business teaching women how to paint, quilt, and start their own businesses. Unfortunately, she passed away in a tragic car accident. My heart is to carry on her legacy. My husband also inspired me to take risks in business. He and I had many struggles running a small business but never gave up! I loved being his business partner and miss those times. I take what he taught me into my own business, as I carry on. He taught me that people are important and everyone deserves love.


2014 Columbus Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Saturday, May 10th, 2014, 10:00am-4:00pm
St. Agatha's Parish Hall
1860 Northam Rd
Columbus, OH 43221

For more information, contact Becki@ag-shows.com
Visit us on:
LINKEDIN