Twas' the Night Before Columbus!

Meet Melanie Ross of From These Hands...

My name is Melanie Ross. I'm from Marion, Ohio. I'm married with only fur baby children. 

I've been making jewelry and going to various craft shows for 10 years. My sister tells people this is perfect for me because I love to talk to people!

I had an outfit that I had a certain type of earring in my mind to go perfectly with. After searching for said earrings, I was not finding just the right one. I went to Hobby Lobby with a friend, saw the exact bead I wanted, made my own earrings and the rest is history.

Sometimes it's just the beads themselves that inspire me to create.  I see them as a finished piece before they really are. Sometimes it's a trend or I'll see a piece and want to recreate it in other colors.

This will be my first Avant-Garde show and I'm excited! I'm hoping to expand my cyber store with a website or at the very least create another online store. I can't really say there is a message. I do try to create many different pieces to appeal to a wide range of people. I also try to create one of a kind pieces.

Meet Marissa Jamez of Pi Squared Designs...

My name is Marissa Jamez. My whole life, all I wanted to be was a veterinarian. I took one Chemistry class in college and was miserable. I would take study breaks to draw every 10 minutes. I decided to take a summer class for art and I loved every second! I decided I should do what I love and changed my major to something I enjoyed. I graduated with a BFA in Drawing and Painting from OSU in 2012. I got married and had two boys. I've been working on my art as a hobby, but I've finally reached a point in my life where I can focus more on my art. You can still see my veterinary influences in my art because I love to use animals as my subjects. I did my very first craft show this year on October 5! I'm still pretty green in terms of doing shows and selling my art professionally, but I'm excited to finally get started! I've been drawing ever since I was little, but it really started to flourish when I was in high school. I always had a sketchbook with me and I even had a little comic strip I worked on during senior year! This is my very first Avant-Garde Craft Show and I'm excited to see how it goes! I'm so thrilled to have been chosen to be a part of this!

I've always loved animals. They have been a huge inspiration to my work. I used to watch documentaries on various animals and I wanted to be a wildlife veterinarian. The psychological effects of color have also been interesting to me. A big influencer for me has to be cartoons. I love the art of animation and most of my time was spent watching and admiring cartoons as a child. I loved to try and copy the characters I saw on the screen and trying to come up with my own stories. I started writing stories with my own characters, but then I wanted to draw those characters and so I started to practice. I didn't get into painting until college. I never really enjoyed painting and I was upset that my major was Drawing AND Painting; I didn't want to paint! However, having professional guidance made me learn to love and appreciate painting.

Art isn't something I believe you necessarily discover; it's something you learn and develop. I always say tat people can learn how to draw or paint but it takes the time and dedication. It's no different than learning physics or politics. If you put the time in to learn, you will become great! My style will change depending on my mood or curiousities. I enjoy experimenting with different methods. One day, I may be doing a more traditional style acrylic painting but the next I may wonder what it is like to use acrylic paint like watercolor. I may suddenly want to experiment with dripping ink. Playing and experimenting are the most important parts of being an artist; even the great artists of the past like Picasso had different phases in their art!

I want to inspire others like I was inspired. I want to create conversations of my pieces. I want to bring just a little bit of happiness to people in what can be a dim world at times. Of course I would love to make this a full time job, but if I can accomplish a few of the above things, I'll consider myself a success. No matter what, I'll always create and I'll keep up my experiments and studies in art. I often change my style and messages as I work. I'm a very curious person and I will want to play and experiment with a new idea or process that I've thought up. Actually, I suppose that would be the main message right there; play and experiment. I once knitted floss with toothpicks just to see if it could be done. (It can!) If you have a thought or an idea, give it a try! Play! Don't be afraid to try a new thought or process, whether it's in life or art!

Meet Isabel Hicks of Loud Ink Cards...

My name is Isabel and I am a Columbus native. I grew up in the Clintonville area with my parents and two brothers. I attend Xenos Christian Fellowship and am involved in my community. I enjoy all parts of Columbus and try my best to get out and explore new and local things. Any time I have a chance to be creative either creating new designs for my cards or baking in the kitchen I take it. 

I have been designing greeting cards for a little over a year now. I had a hip replacement surgery in the summer of 2018 and was unable to drive or do normal activities during that time. So my brother encouraged me to find a hobby that I could focus on so I wouldn’t get stir crazy. I honestly fell in love with creating pieces that reflecting my personality. What inspires me to create is my love for designing something others can use to help express themselves. I create because it makes me happy and is very relaxing for me. 

I have always been a very artistic person. I love drawing, painting, being creative in the kitchen. I’ve always designed personal birthday cards for friends and family so when I had 3 months of down time I pushed myself to see what this would be like to do for others.My creative process is pretty simple, once I have a design in mind I put pen to paper and start sketching, seeing what works or what doesn’t work. I am always exploring different methods and different techniques to make my card more unique. 

This will be my first ever Avant-Garde Craft and Art Show! I am terrible at expressing my feelings, but you give me a piece of paper and I can let my heart spill out. I find that I communicate better through a card, it’s personal, it’s an opportunity to say something to someone you love or care about. My cards aren’t just for me to express myself but they are for all who give or receive a card. 

Meet Kate Malobabic of The Gypsy Provisioner...

Hi, I'm Kate, the creative force behind The Gypsy Provisioner. I enjoy crafting one-of-a kind pieces that speak to the bohemian in all of us. I draw inspiration from the beauty of the world that surrounds us; often using semi precious gemstones and ethically sourced butterfly wings and feathers in my designs. The greatest compliment for me is for YOU to be complimented on your unique style while wearing my designs! Hopefully you find something here that you enjoy! I look forward to sharing the evolution of my journey with you.

I’ve been ‘creating’ for as long as I can remember … I guess its my version of self care! However, I just recently started selling my pieces within the last year. I currently work Full Time as a retail manager and I love what I do. The Gypsy Provisioner is a side hustle for me and a way to share my hobby with the world. 

I’ve attended almost every Columbus Avant-Garde show as a shopper. This will be my first year as a vendor! The message behind my work is this: A little of this, a little of that & a whole bunch of good vibes! 

2019 Columbus Winter Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Sunday December 1, 2019 - 10:00am-4:00pm

Makoy Event Center

5462 Center St.

Hilliard, OH 

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

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