Handmade Happiness in Columbus

Meet Hannah Roberts from Seven Chakras Tea Company...

Hi, I'm Hannah! After recently graduating from Capital University, I founded Seven Chakras Tea Company with my boyfriend, Drew. I am originally from Akron, Ohio, but I now live in Columbus. I am a singer, a pianist, and an audio engineer who loves traveling, dogs, and (of course) tea! I started developing Seven Chakras Tea over the summer, but I officially launched on Etsy this month! This will be my first Avant-Garde show!

I have always enjoyed drinking tea, and, in more recent years, I have come to enjoy the practice of yoga. Both of these things serve as inspiration for Seven Chakras. I love that I can combine a drink that I love with the concept of a journey to a healthier, more peaceful life. 

I decided to start making tea blends because tea is something that is exciting to me. When I drink tea, I look at it as a worldly experience. So many different cultures have their own unique blends and styles of tea that I feel like I'm traveling without ever leaving my couch. I love to research the rituals, meanings, and benefits of tea in different countries. I also enjoy the unique experience that each cup brings, and I love it when I can share that experience with others. 

Through my work, I am trying to promote physical and mental healthy living. My teas are made of genuinely healthy foods, but consuming healthy foods is only one step in the process to living well. My message is to encourage people to make a conscious effort to nourish their minds, bodies, and spirits with healthy foods and positive energy. I want people to choose love and happiness and ultimately find peace. 

Meet Marisa Fox from Terre Mer Designs...

Hi! I'm Marisa and I've been creating jewelry for about a year. This will be my first Avant-Garde show!

I'm influenced greatly by consciousness, nature, the cosmos, and uplifting others. My mom has always been a crafty person, and it seems to have inspired me in my own life.

I discovered my talent when I was trying to fix a piece of jewelry that broke. I decided to try my luck at making my own accessories because I was tired of spending money on pieces that were cheaply made or mass produced.

Inspiration is everywhere. I want my customers to feel that they are wearing something unique and pretty while staying connected to nature. 

Meet Paulo Correia from Sundown Design Studio...

I am originally from Portugal. I am an engineer by training, but I worked as an art teacher in Portugal. So far, I've lived in Indiana and Iowa. I am currently living in Columbus, Ohio, with my wife and two beautiful daughters who are 19 and 13 years old.

I have been making handcrafted items with real pressed dried flowers and leaves for the last 15 years. This will be my first Avant-Garde show!

I use natural flowers and leaves from all kinds of plants you can find in the garden or the wild to create a wide variety of pressed flower arrangements. I also use pressed flowers in photo frames, greeting cards, candles, lampshades, and much more.

I'm inspired to create by nature. It's a pleasure to create something that is one of a kind. Mostly, I make handcrafted items as a hobby even though the free creativity of creating pressed flower compositions is very fulfilling to me. Flowers are indeed the realms of my artwork!

Meet Chad Davis from Chad Davis Design...

Hi, I'm Chad and I was born, raised, and still live in Columbus. I have a beautiful wife, Samantha, who inspires me, critiques me, and is the foundation to my work, everything I do, and everything I hope to achieve. I've been making wooden jewelry for about a year. I'm very new to art shows and this will be my first Avant-Garde show!

Being creative is certainly part of my being - as it is to some extent in everyone. I remember a guest speaker in church when I was young; he gave a sermon titled "Created Creators." The premise was that we were created in the image of God and one of the foundational and fundamental characteristics of God in scripture is that of being a creator. 

My creative process is one with not much definition. Experience is built with experiments that start with a "I bet I could do that." With each project I gain more experience, which allows me to reevaluate old problems and take on new challenges. 

Ultimately, my work is my message. Paintings and sculptures fill museums; the meaning behind each is only speculation or academic anecdote which becomes less clear over time. The only surviving message is that the piece was created. If it was created well it does not matter what the meaning behind the piece was; we stand in awe of the creativity and skill. We value things more when we know it was crafted by a person who cared about it. 

Meet Nicole Momsen from Sign Design by Nicole...

My name is Nicole and I am currently a substitute teacher for Dublin City Schools and currently pursuing a full-time elementary school teacher position. I live with my fiancé, Brad, and our dog, Tucker. I love to draw and bake in my free time and now am working on my sign business, Sign Design by Nicole. 

I have been into all kinds of different crafting activities since I was a little girl, but it wasn't until my friends and family saw the signs I was making that I was encouraged to create a business selling my signs. 

I have seen so many cool and interesting signs on Pinterest, at weddings, in stores, and more, and I just thought to myself, "I can do that!" I am also a very particular person, so I can hardly ever find exactly what I am envisioning for a decent price, so I love to create my own custom designs. I also like to take my customer's ideas and bring them to life as custom designs.

The message behind my work is to love what you do. I really put passion into my work and I hope that people see that I love what I do. I also hope that customers will look at their signs and love them as much as I do.

Meet Sarah and Maria from L is for Leader...

Sarah and Maria founded L is for Leader, LLC in April, 2015. Currently, we have one published book, L is for Leader, and other books in the works. We have designed and created a unique Learning to Lead Kit and most recently created a playful Leader's Cape.

Our mission is to create products that make young girls feel inspired, encouraged, and unstoppable! We take pride in thoughtful, innovative ideas and products that help young girls self identify as leaders.

We were inspired to found L is for Leader by Sarah's daughter, Adeline. Sarah wanted Adeline to have the chance to discover and develop her innate leadership skills. We want to reach all young girls during their years of socialization to promote culture change and growth. 

The message behind our work is to teach young girls to be bold, smart, and confident. We want young girls to believe they all have the capacity to lead and each girl can use her unique skills and traits to be an effective and transformational leader. American girls will not grow up to be princesses, but they can certainly be politicians, producers, publishers, or philanthropists!

2016 Columbus Winter Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 

10:00am-4:00pm

St. Agatha's Parish Hall

1860 Northam Rd.

Columbus, OH 43221

For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com

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Get Ready to Shop til you Drop, Columbus!

Meet Angie Miller from Tie Dye Terrific...
Hi! I'm originally from Licking County and have lived in the Columbus suburbs for 11 years. I crunch numbers and create spreadsheets by day, and I create tie dye by night! I have been tie dyeing for over 25 years and this will be my first Avant-Garde show!

I got into tie-dyeing after seeing some tie dye shirts in college and wanting to making them for myself. I gradually worked my way into the tie dyeing process. I used to make shirts just for fun, then I started having tie dye parties with my nieces and nephews. It seemed like I had something good going, and I started experimenting with a lot of different designs and techniques. 

I'm inspired by seeing various color combinations together and the excitement of not knowing how the tie dye will turn out! I kind of just go with the flow. I think of some designs that I want to make and figure out how to create them. 

A lot of love and intentionality goes into my work. I really want to create things that make people happy!

Meet Aubrey Maynard from Maynard Books...
Maynard Books was founded in 2015 by Aubrey and Thomas Maynard. It came about because of the desire to self-publish and control the process and be involved in every aspect of our books from creation to publication and marketing. As aspiring authors, we have been hard at work on a variety of projects.

Thomas and Aubrey are both creative people. Our process is most effective when we work together. One of us will come up with an idea. Typically, the other will sketch in some more details or add in a plot scenario. We bound ideas off each other and quickly come up with a rough draft.

We each have skills in writing different portions of the project, which allows us to produce better quality stories. The process may vary depending on the project.

Inspiration comes from a variety of sources. It could be a dream, seeing something in a movie, nature, pictures on Pinterest, a real life situation, or a random memory. The message behind our work is to provide family-friendly entertainment that will bring you enjoyment and enrich your life.

Meet Rebecca Brown Sharayera from World of Springerle...
I have been a stay at home mom since my daughter was born six years ago. Prior to that, I lived and worked in the Washington, D.C. area. We moved to New Albany three years ago. I have always enjoyed baking and trying new things, although I grew up with Springerle cookies, as my mother is from Germany and she baked them almost every Christmas. 

I just started baking and selling Springerle in earnest about two months ago. I got into the craft hobby because of my mom, who had recently begun making and selling Springerle cookies in my hometown. This is my first Avant-Garde show!

I'm inspired to create by the beauty and intricacy of the cookie molds that have been reproduced from original creations hundreds of years ago.

Since it's a specific food craft that dates back to the 14th century, I just would like to share it with Ohioans, many of whom are of German descent, and give them a taste of their own heritage, as well as show them beauty can be created in a simple and tasty cookie!

Meet Jim Siemer from Ohio Artwork...
Hi! I'm Jim and I'm an artist from Columbus, Ohio, whose family built a cottage on Middle Bass Island in 1983. I was inspired by the beauty of Lake Erie to begin painting watercolors and believe that Ohio is the most beautiful state in our nation. 

Over the last 25 years, I have painted numerous watercolors capturing Ohio's splendor. A graduate of Bishop Ready High School, I was first challenged there by art teacher Sister Marie Miller to appreciate the wonders of art.

I graduated from Ohio University and attended Columbus College of Design and Maryland College of Art and Design. I have taken several watercolor classes in Ohio, Maryland, and Virginia. I was a board member of Ohio Citizens for the Arts and am now a current member of the Clintonville Artist's Guild.

In the past few years, I have created art for the Ohio General Assembly Holiday Card, the Bicentennial of the Battle of Lake Erie poster, and the Ohio Statehouse Sesquicentennial poster.

Meet Renee Wallace from Heartfelt Occasions...
Warm wishes to all! I have dabbed in crafting in years past and just recently started decorating "memory" lanterns. I'm a detail girl and love putting extra touches on each piece. I started simply by making a couple sympathy lanterns for loved ones and the response has been heartwarming. The name "Heartfelt Occasions" was registered and a new journey began.

I am in total awe of the quality crafts that will grace the Avant-Garde show and am very excited to join everyone for the first time!

Each lantern starts as a blank canvas waiting for a painted finish and carefully chosen accessories. With the availability of flameless candles, the light can always shine and share a smile.

I am excited to grow and continue working on channels to sell these decorative keepsakes. 

2016 Columbus Winter Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 

10:00am-4:00pm

St. Agatha's Parish Hall

1860 Northam Rd.

Columbus, OH 43221

For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com

Visit us on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

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Columbus Creations

Meet Wolfgang Parker from Crime Cats...
Crime Cats is a self-published mystery chapter book series recommended for readers aged eight to 12. The books follow eight-year-old Columbus superhero Jonas Shurmann as he and his partners, cat detectives CatBob and Neil Higgins, work together to solve mysteries around their neighborhood. The first volume, Crime Cats: Missing, won the Silver Medal for Preteen Mystery in the 2016 Literary Classics Book Awards.

I have been drawing since I could hold a crayon, but writing came later in life. I've only been telling stories for ten years. I wrote the first Crime Cats book for my 19 nieces and nephews as a holiday gift. Book production takes six to eight months for me. I plan the story, write it, work with my editor, illustrate it, and then lay out the file that the books will be printed from. It's pretty involved.

I hope to build a readership from Crime Cats that encompasses all of Ohio. The message behind my work is to teach children and adults the value of empathy, encourage them to recognize their self-worth, and to be happy with what they have.

Meet Nettie Pyne from Pyne Pysanky...
Hi! I'm Nettie and my full time job is at Nationwide Children's Hospital in the Research Institute. I am a research associate and the lab I work in is developing gene therapy treatments for muscular dystrophy. I am also a black belt in Taekwondo and spend time training and instructing the children's classes. In what little free time I have left, I make pysanky!

Pysanka is an ancient Ukrainian art form that uses wax-resistant methods to create intricate designs on eggshells. I first learned about Pysanka in a high school fiber arts class. We did a two week unit on Pysanka, and I completely fell in love with it. My parents got me a beginners kit for Christmas, and I've never looked back!

A lot of things inspire me to create: seeing interesting patterns out and about what I want to try to re-create on an egg, and especially the amazing work of other egg artists. I also love to work on eggs when I'm stressed. I find it soothing and meditative, it always helps me relax!

I think the overall message behind my work is that you can find great beauty in places you wouldn't normally expect. Each egg also contains significant symbolism: Every color, pattern, curl, or animal design can mean something. So whenever I make one as a gift, or am designing custom orders, I try to make an egg that symbolizes how I see that person, or what wishes and blessings I want to offer them.

Meet Chrissy Bell from The Pink Woobie...
I am Chrissy Joy Bell from Columbus, Ohio, where I live with my bearded husband, awesome cat Popeye, and beautiful snake Scarlet. We moved here from rural Northeastern Pennsylvania in 2005 and are proud to call central Ohio our home.

I have always been interested in arts and crafts, starting with photography at age seven. Fiber arts became my medium of choice in 2007 when I became sick and hospitalized with pneumonia. At this time, I started what became a long journey back to health, as I suffer from chronic illness, and I feel this creative outlet helped me. 

A new project usually starts as a spark of an idea, one that often comes from necessity or desire. Once I have that idea in my head, it is hard to accomplish anything else until I at least have a sketch or design down. Sometimes I get it right on the first try and other times it takes weeks of prototypes and trying new techniques. Sharing my finished projects is my favorite part of the process!

The messages behind my work are fun, love, and the idea that you can do whatever you want to do! Right from the beginning I enjoyed using bright colors and patterns. I just really want people who receive or purchase my handmade hats and scarves to feel wrapped in love when they wear them. There can never be too much love in this world and I add my own love in each and every piece I create. 

Meet Candice Hall from Craft Wick Candles...
I'm Candice and my husband and I are behind Craft Wick Candles. We love to work with our hands and admire our handmade products. We also love to try different craft beers and bourbons, which is what really inspired us to start repurposing bottles. We've been doing this for about four years now!

I started making these originally for gifts and they were such a hit that my husband decided we should expand. Seeing customers reactions really motivated both of us, they are our inspiration!

The message behind our work is live life and take the time to enjoy it! Light a candle, read a book, drink with friends, and be happy and true to yourself!

Meet Carolyn Shisler from Jewelry by Carolyn...
Hi, I'm Carolyn! I absolutely love what I create and take pride in the design and quality of each piece that someone will be wearing. 

I began my journey 13 years ago when a friend invited me to take a class with her to weave sterling rings into chain maille patterns. I got hooked!

I love creating the possibilities. Inspiration comes from my fascination for natural gemstones and designing them with chain maille as as favorite.

Jewelry by Carolyn pieces are handcrafted, constantly evolving and fresh, created with a variety of quality materials and applying a variety of jewelry-making techniques. The message behind my work is natural elegance.  

2016 Columbus Winter Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 

10:00am-4:00pm

St. Agatha's Parish Hall

1860 Northam Rd.

Columbus, OH 43221

For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com

Visit us on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

INSTAGRAM