Meet Tom Cover from TC Knives...
I have been making knives for just under a year. I have a full-time job working with severely handicapped people, this has been a hobby that got away from me. This will be my third outing with Avant-Garde Art & Craft Shows and I’m looking forward to attending more.
One day while I was shopping for some woodworking tools, I found a knife-making kit and it turned out to be something that I enjoyed. As I am making a knife the intended result often changes as different designs and forms develop while I work the wood. As my “hobby” grew so did the tools and supplies that I need grew. At this point, I no longer need to order knife blanks but instead order steel billets and cut, grind, polish, harden and finish the knife with a handle. I have had several knives ordered, with design specifications from the person that ordered.
As I progress over the next several years I continue to hone my craft by moving into a full-sized professional sander/grinder. Further, I have just purchased a vacuum chamber for stabilizing and molding wood so I have those new challenges ahead of me.
Since I am no longer making knives just for myself, my goal is to make knives that are not only functional but are something that people will be proud to own and use for a long, long time.
Written On His Hand: Anne Jones
I have been crafting all of my life for fun but only started participating in shows since my retirement 3 years ago.
I moved to Ohio from Chicago so I am new to Columbus! I love to upcycle and work with vintage items. Hand stenciling, restoring, and wool needle felting are some of my joys!
My shop” Written on His Hand” is scriptural reminding us that we are all so very important and our name is written in His hand.
Each time I stencil I am reminded of my worth and my hope is that an item I create will bring joy into the home. I keep my prices low to make new items accessible and prevent “old” things from going into landfills.
Siaraefti Designs
I'm a full-time employee with a 9a-5p stressful job and once I log out from there, I quickly take care of my family so I can have a few hours to myself in my craft cave.
I actually blame my older sister for getting me involved in my craft obsession. She started out with machine embroidery a few years ago and I thought, I can do that so I went out and bought a machine and everything else to go along with it. Then she started on Cricut making other cool things so I had to have one of those too. I bought my machine about 8 months ago. I just got into resigning about 3 months ago on my own and I've watched about a week's worth of tutorial videos. I now have 2 craft caves dedicated to everything that I love doing!
I actually have never really sold anything, I usually make things and give them to people. Especially if someone is having a baby, I love making baby quilts.
In 5 years, I want to keep doing the crafts that I love because they really help relieve the stress in my life. To me, everything I make already makes me happy so my biggest hope is to make someone else happy with my art.
Michael Hughes & Tracy Garrett
I am Michael Hughes and live in Grandview Heights, a suburb of Columbus. I recently retired after 35 years of running my occupied residential interior decorating and painting business. I give lessons on pen turning in my studio to small groups and organizations. I started Specialty Turned Design in 2010. My attention to detail in my professional life gives my pens the award-winning show quality you see at shows, my studio and on my Etsy and website. I have international status as my pens have shipped to places like Rome, Tanzania, the White House and the Pentagon. This will be my first Avant-Garde Arts & Crafts Show. I have participated in multiple shows around the Columbus area for the last 8 years.
The beautiful things I see in this world; be it a fallen pine cone, animals of all kinds, the glitter on a Christmas tree, the dew on a blade of grass, a rainbow after a storm, the stories from people who are looking for a special gift. I look forward to creating that special writing instrument tailored to all kinds of lifestyles. I specialize in fountain pens, rollerball pens, and ballpoint pens using a plethora of materials. Every pen I make is a unique fusion of art and function that carries a story. They are made individually and crafted with an emphasis on quality, form, and function. Come see me at Specialty Turned Designs where I put your personality in writing!
No matter what material I use, I never know what the pen blank will look like until the lathe comes to a stop. As the shavings fly, my hands guide the tools in creating a unique shape. Excitement comes over me as the polishing process brings out the hidden beauty. The kit finish is decided after the blank is polished. Commissioned pieces include 11 bullet casing pens from a father's 21 gun salute; 6 lilac flower and wood branch pens from a family yard; mementos of a mother, lectern wood for religious gifts; segmented hearts as thank you gifts for guest speakers.
I would like to be making my own pen components with a metal lathe. I would like to be touring nationally teaching others the art and fascination of making a pen. When you buy something from an artist, you are buying more than an object. You are buying hundreds of hours of errors and experimentation. You are buying years of frustration and moments of pure joy. You are not just buying one thing - you are buying a piece of my heart, a piece of my soul . . . and a small piece of my life.
Katie's Ooak Dolls & Pawsh Pets: Katie Roush
My name is Katie and my husband and I have 3 fur babies to keep us busy. I have three daughters and 4 grandchildren whom I adore. I love keeping busy with art and do a lot of custom designs for different people all over the US and also in the UK as well! I have been in the business for 30 plus years. I sew rag dolls, do pet portrait dolls (by request), and mixed media. I love creating cards that are unique and Disney-inspired signs for children’s rooms. This will be my 4th Avant-Garde Craft Show!
My mind is a terrible place to get lost in. I love bringing older ideas to modern-day life. I get an idea by looking at anything and asking “how can I use that” and then create it. I used to sew when I was young with my grandmother, and then it progressed from there into several art forms. I also used to draw Snoopy and Charlie Brown when I was 8. People thought it was good, so I then started drawing Disney things and people.
My creative process begins when I have a saying or a quote, then I am on the hunt for the perfect graphic to describe it. I take both of them, meld them together, to come up with a great visual. I would love to teach what I do eventually in the future.
Keep creating! There are lots of artisans, but only one you that has your view.
