Give Gifts Made From The Heart!

Meet Elizabeth Bridges from Whimsy: Handcrafts by E...

I have been an educator for 36 years, first as a classroom teacher, then a university professor and now at the state level. My partner and I are foster/adoptive parents and currently have 4 children in our home that are either adopted or currently in care – they are all age 9 and younger.

I have been crafting for a long time, but have only recently found my niche. Scrapbooking and crochet have been long time favorites, but a few years back I wandered into the beading section of a craft store and have been hooked ever since! Originally I made jewelry as gifts for friends and family. Several friends of mine expressed their interest in purchasing pieces from me and with their encouragement I have been creating pieces for sale for just over a year. I am often told that I have a real eye for mixing texture and color when creating my work.

I like to create things that are unique – therefore no two of my pieces are alike. When I am commissioned to do a piece for someone, I ask for the occasion and the basic colors and create something special for them. I like being able to capture the personality of the person making the request when doing this kind of work.

I rarely shop with a single piece in mind. Instead I explore and pick things that catch my eye because of their vibrancy and individual qualities. I pay particular attention to the pieces that will be focal points of the jewelry. I will often have a focal point long before I find the beads that work with it. Once I have completed a piece I “live” with it for a bit. During that time it isn’t at all out of the question for me to disassemble it because something wasn’t “quite right.” It is important to me that I create pieces that I can actually visualize someone wearing. If that vision isn’t there – the piece isn’t what I want it to be.

I’ve done some small community shows, but this is my first time working the Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show. I am really excited both to share my work and to see the work of other area artists.

Meet Kathryn Shafer...
Hello. My name is Kathryn Michelle Shafer. Everyone calls me Shelley. It has been my nickname for as long as I can remember. I have been lucky enough to be married to my wonderful husband for 10 years. I was an Executive Assistant for 13 years after a tour in the United States Navy. 

I started painting on glass in the late 90's, early 2000's. Ten years ago I found out that I have a hereditary heart condition and am currently testing to be put on the heart transplant list. I stopped painting for awhile, because of my health, but started again a few months ago.

This is my first Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show.  I used to be a vendor at craft shows years ago, but haven't been for a long time, it seems. I have always loved to create something from nothing. Being an emotional and creative person makes me need to have an outlet. I found glass paints a long time ago and thought it would be fun to figure out what interesting things I could create with them. I am passionate about everything I say and do. Life is to be cherished and that is what inspires me.

My husband laughs at my creative process. I take a piece of glass and look at it for a bit until it hits me what to draw.

The message for my work is that I hope everyone finds beauty in all things.

Meet Jane Kennelly from Fancy Leaf Designs...

I live outside of Pittsburgh with Michael, my husband of 37 years and our rescued dog, Devin. Sam, whom my Paw Prints are in memory of, has passed but I keep him close in my heart every time I make a 'paw print.' We have two grown sons, Tom, who lives in Columbus and Aaron (AJ) who lives in Harrisburg.

I've been making my polymer clay items since November 2013. This is my first Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show.

What inspires me? Mixing colors and seeing a new 'pattern' in each batch of clay. I've been doing crafts of some sort all my life but actually, it's my husband, who suggested I look into working with polymer clay!

I'm self-taught through reading about polymer clay on the internet and much experimentation. One thing led to another. I turn to Mother Nature for inspiration. I love picking up stones ... stones have sparkle, striations, color and texture. Need I say more?

In five years I hope to be retired from my job and working full time with my clay. I plan to expand my business to include additional hand-crafted 'pet'-themed products which, in turn, will help animal shelters through links to my website.

The message behind my work is to see the beauty in each and every creation, be it Mother Nature or in my clay work.

Meet Josh Springer from Springer Photography..

Hey! I’m Josh Springer, and I’ve been involved in photography since about 2005. That was the year I realized I was no good at Computer Science, and took up Photography and Design both because I was comfortable with the craft growing up around cameras and I was running out of tuition funds! Looking back, however, it was a decision that has always felt right for me and has taken me to some interesting places. For the past decade I’ve found myself growing, shooting a subject differently than I may have in preceding years.

My mission is to show how people have been adapting to nature and their surroundings for as long as anyone can remember. Moving forward, these times also continue to become more unpredictable. Although I have been showing my work for years, this will be my first Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show and I’m very excited to be involved! Being born and raised in Ohio, it always feels good to support a local community.

I am inspired to create within empty spaces. By taking a simpler approach, the feeling or story you read in a piece is upfront, although different interpretations can be made. The Rule of Thirds is a great foundation to many of my photographs, but as an artist it’s important not to be bound by any rules! From a post-production standpoint, most of my work has only color correction and added sharpness.

The future in photography is such an uncertain, with technology changing all of the time. In five years, I hope to have seen more of the world. Anything more than that is really just a bonus!

Meet Helena Demacopoulos from Addie's Pup-Cessories...

Hi! My name is Helena Demacopoulos and I’m the founder of Addie’s Pup-Cessories, a fun line of unique, hand-sewn pet accessories. I am 23 years old and a recent graduate of The Ohio State University, where I met my close friend and business partner, Li Cai. Also an animal lover, Li volunteered to assist me with sewing and has since become a core part of the business, specializing in production. Li has a cat named Puddin whom he adopted recently, and I adopted my shih tzu, Addie, from the Franklin County Shelter during my junior year at Ohio State.

I have been sewing for several years, although I just recently began creating pet products and accessories. At Ohio State I was involved in a student fashion organization as a designer, and produced 4 collections for the club’s annual runway show during my time at the university. After becoming frustrated with the boring, over-priced collar selections at pet stores, I used my sewing skills to create my own collars and accessories for Addie. Inspired by what I was doing, Li offered to help and taught himself how to sew. Li has become an amazing sewer and is very talented at his craft; he now oversees all production for Addie's Pup-Cessories. 

We have participated in several Avant-Garde shows. I initially approached the organization to sell my handmade jewelry, but after receiving a very positive response toward my pet accessories, I began to focus more on building a pet business. Our most recent event was the Rocky River Avant-Garde show in Cleveland this past November, and you will definitely be seeing us at the upcoming events in 2015!

Our furry friends are our inspiration! Addie and Puddin are both rescue pets. We advocate strongly for shelter adoption and are partnering with the Franklin County Animal Shelter so that we may continue giving back to our furry friends. 10% of all sales will be donated to the Franklin County Animal Shelter in Columbus, and our collars are available for sale at the shelter gift store. We love meeting other passionate pet parents, so please feel free to stop by our table and share your pet’s story with us!

Li and I are both very artistic and love to create. I have been crafting since I was a child, having pursued numerous other hobbies in the past including painting, jewelry-making, cooking, origami, and more. Li has always been very talented with design and construction, and loves to build and repair things in his free time.

My love for fashion design is what encouraged me to learn how to sew initially. I learned how to sew during my freshman year at Ohio State so that I could participate in a student organization's annual fashion show as a designer. Li admits he probably would not have picked up sewing had it not been for the business, but he is very grateful that he has!

Although Li is specializing in sewing and production, our creative process requires joint effort and communication. I create most of the designs and procure patterns and raw materials, while Li actually produces and finishes all of our products. We discuss and agree on every design before it becomes available for sale, and test out the designs on our own pets for durability and comfort.

We have big dreams for Addie’s Pup-Cessories and would love to see the business take off! We have not been in business long, we are hoping to participate in more local craft shows so that we can build our brand and expand in the Columbus area. We are currently selling on Etsy, but also plan to utilize eBay, Amazon, and launch our own webstore in the next year. We would also love to get our products on store shelves in Columbus sometime soon. My ultimate goal for several years from now is to focus on Addie’s Pup-Cessories full-time and build a successful brand as well as raise awareness for the importance of shelter adoption.

We believe that our fur babies deserve the very best, and every piece in our collection is designed with your pet’s interests in mind. From comfortable, durable materials to unique and exciting designs, Addie’s Pup-Cessories offers a truly one-of-a-kind value that you won’t be able to find in a typical pet store. Addie’s Pup-Cessories strives to be not only the leading provider of handmade pet accessories, but also a voice and an advocate in promoting animal adoption. We aspire to give back to our furry friends as much as possible and encourage others to become involved with their local animal shelters as well. Happy holidays and always choose adoption!

2014 Columbus Winter Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, December 20, 2014 - 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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Tis the Season to Create!

Meet Kyle Hood from Pistol Pete's...
As tinkerers, we found a great way to keep what we needed most for survival high and dry in a compact, convenient way. Our original product combined everything we loved. A means to survive, in a compact, cool, edgy shotgun shell case. We have evolved our craft over the years and now offer rustic wood home decor items and other survival creations from antique and found material. We love to create rustic pieces from tree trimming, stumps, pallet wood, barn wood and items Mother Nature leaves for us to find. 

Wood working and repurposing has always been a hobby, but never to this level. We just started coming up with ideas one day and then listing them for sale. We figured, let’s just make the creations for ourselves, and then put them on a website. If they sell, it just showed that people liked our work and the creation was a clever idea. The fact that we can now do this and help our families along the way is rewarding and a lot of fun.

Our ideas usually come to us in conversation while camping or sitting around the fire. It helps put us in the mindset of needing to make something to help us survive. Being out in the elements is a big help. When you step out of your most comfortable home or office environment, you really begin to think and view things in a different light.

My business partner and I have always been creative and artistic. We have found a way to show off our love to create and are finding a lot of love and positive response from the items we come up with. We try to create items that you will find helpful in surviving your day. Items that will look rustic and unique but also help you keep your life organized.

Pistol Pete's Survival has been in business for 1.5 years and the December 2014 show in Columbus, Ohio will be our second show.

Our goal is to make Pistol Pete’s Survival our 9-5. We all currently work a regular job and work on Pistol Pete’s items in our spare time. Our group of friends has the dream of all working together and providing for our families with this brand and the items we create. I guess you could say, one day we hope to be the next duck dynasty family, Craft Dynasty?

We believe you can make something, out of everything. There is the possibility to create useful items and tools to help you get along with your day no matter what you do. And if you like the old fashion rustic look like we do, you will love our items!

Meet Barbara Lowry from Blue 7 Hand Knits...

I’m Barbara Lowry. I was born and raised in Summit County, and I’ve been a knitter for over 50 years! Now while I am a very hip Grandma, I’m not a little old lady, but I do owe my love of the craft to one; in 1949 Akron purchased the home my father had been born and raised in and relocated his parents to the house next door to my mother’s family. Dad came home from the Korean War and fell in love with the girl next door.

His mother was never idle; even sitting on the front porch chatting with the neighbors, her hands were in constant motion, tatting, crocheting, darning, embroidering, quilting or knitting. She fascinated me as a very young child as her hands moved while she seemingly never paid attention to what they were doing. I would sit at her feet and play in her work basket, pestering her with endless questions of what she was doing and how she was doing it; one morning she’d had enough and thrust a short pair of knitting needles and ball of yarn in to my toddler hands and showed me how to knit; I made my first sweater at age four. Grandmother praised my efforts, and then gently picked it apart and showed me how to make it correctly. Little things like rolling two balls and making both sleeves at once soon had me making actual wearable garments. My Grandmother was born in the Black Forest region of Alsace, France in 1894 and to us she was the ‘old’ Grandmother, even though now I know she was only 10 years older than my maternal Grandmother. She never used a pattern, but almost always had a tape measure about her neck; to say she was both an inspiration and an intimidation is an understatement. She wrote down her ‘shapes’ on recipe cards, tucked in a small box. She encouraged my drawing talent, showing me how to transfer the drawings to graft paper so they could be knitted in to a garment. As a child I was always drawing, knitting, playing my guitar to express myself.

I knitted throughout my childhood for gifts and then as I got in to high school and especially University I made custom sweaters to pay for living expenses the daytime job didn’t cover. If I could draw it you could have it on a sweater!  I worked mostly word of mouth but did a few church basement craft fairs.

After graduation I worked as a Medical Assistant/Biller. In 1985, I moved to Columbus, Ohio. Life became busy with career, marriage, children and the knitting needles only came out late at night when a need arose for a new sweater. Two children were raised and now married.

Sixteen years ago I changed careers from Medical to Real Estate. While no less stress, it was a different stress and it gave me a bit more time to be creative. I began to knit again for pleasure rather than necessity. In 2013, a huge change occurred in our lives when our grandson was born. To my dismay even in the higher end shops in Columbus the winter wear for babies was often either shoddy or extremely expensive and impractical. What new mother has time to hand wash and block a cashmere sweater?

I dug out the little card box of ‘jumper designs’ my Grandmother had given me all those years ago, just before she passed in 1980. Since babies aren’t known for their broad shoulders, her simple placket pull over was a raglan shape with two buttons up the back. I took her basic beanie and played with shapes to add either bunny or bear ears. My daughter in law was delighted with the wee sweaters I made for baby N, and I’ve made several for other people with children/grandchildren.

I decided to re-launch my old company, as there’s not much in the shops that are well made, easy care and frankly really cute! Everything comes off of two needles, not a machine. Everything is hand sewn; the only concession I’ve made is that acrylic yarns don’t splice well, so there are tiny knots. Everything else is just as my late Grandmother taught me. I am having a blast making patterns, stripes and using color combinations. In five years I hope to walk through a crowded venue and see little ones wearing a sweater or a critter hat that I made.

 

I want people to enjoy what I’ve made, know that they can throw them in the washer and dryer and not worry about them. Most of all I hope people enjoy dressing their little ones in a warm, cute sweater or hat knowing they can tuck it back for the next child.

Meet Jane Hill from Harley's Soaps...

Hi, I am Jane Hill, born and raised in Fairfield County, Ohio. Most of my life has been selling something! Insurance, Jewelry, Real Estate, Condos Cigars (!) and now Soap. I’ve been very successful in most of my endeavors and most of all in the art of being with people. The last few years I have been taking care of my parents and ageing dog Harley. They both mean a lot to me. I have retired to working at home with them and I also get to be with people when I do shows.  I have found out that this is a great combo for me, using all my talents to meet the needs of others and myself is a pretty big thing!

I have been making soap and my other products for 3 years and this will be the first Advant-Garde Art & Craft Show I have done.

My inspiration comes from nature; colors, smells and of course senses. I try to let the current weather to inspire me. Right now with fall in the air the colors are so beautiful; tans, russets, grey greens, reds and the air smells of musk, lichen, and fresh balsam.

In this endeavor I have realized that not only is it important to treat your skin and body with loving care, but that we must also think that everything we do leaves an effect on the environment. I have done an extensive study on what commercial soaps do to everything it comes in contact with, mostly the earth. With these products, we are adding salt and numerous chemicals that will not dissolve into anything. Essentially, it clogs in the earth. With natural products, the earth is given back those things it has given up to us for so many years. Not only is your body detoxified and softened, your tub, shower, septic and public system will be cleaner without the chemicals.

I see myself in the bath and body business for years to come making strides to be better and better all the time. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be with Avante-Garde and meet new people, thank you.

Meet Kit Aikin from Lincoln Street Design...

My name is Kit Aikin. I’m the owner and creator of Lincoln Street Design. Professionally, I am a social scientist, working in the area of prescription drug regulation. Lincoln Street Design is my creative outlet for jewelry and fiber works. I create Memento Mori and other jewelry using recycled and upcycled hardware, cast-off found objects, natural stones, antique portraits, and vintage planetary and scientific photos. I started making jewelry in college in the 1980’s. I stopped for a while to finish my doctorate in psychology, then started up again in 2010.

I started by learning to sew, crochet, and knit from my grandmother. I collected extra buttons from her sewing box and bits and pieces of jewelry that others had discarded. I studied existing jewelry to see how it was put together. I’m drawn to the unusual, and my work reflects that. My biggest challenge is parting with pieces I have become attached to.                        

My jewelry design is self-taught. I wanted something different than the jewelry I was seeing in stores, so I bought some crafting wire and combed through my jewelry box for loose beads and broken pieces. I started by making delicate wire spiral earrings with beads and leftover parts. My roommate promptly bought them. Soon I was making earrings for all my friends and selling them around campus. I loved being able to make people happy with something pretty. From there, I started participating in local craft shows, sharing my work with a broader audience. 

I would describe my creative process as a combination of science and spontaneity. I ask myself how seemingly unrelated items might fit together. I am constantly looking for connections, trying to see old things in new ways. What happens if you turn it sideways or upside down? Lately I have been incorporating weathered shells into my work. They have a character all their own. Their organic shape suggests ways in which the piece can be used to show off the natural crevices and holes by adding semi-precious stones.

My brain is always full of ideas. I carry a sketchbook with me at all times so I can jot them down. I am especially inspired by the costumes and accessories in old movies, old photos, and vintage stores. I will come across an unusual bit of cabinet hardware and think, wow, that would make an amazing necklace! Because I am using pieces and parts gleaned from a variety of sources, each finished work is one of a kind. The semi-precious stones have a character, shape, and individual feel. There’s a spectacular rush when you match the right piece with the right person.

My long-term goal is to attend more shows and hopefully get my work into small boutiques and shops. This will be my first Avant-Garde show. I’m excited to be a part of it!

Meet Frank Carter from Stained Glass & Paintings...

I live in Richwood Ohio (about 30 miles northwest of Columbus). I have a wonderful wife and three great sons (my wife says she has four sons!).

I work in supply chain, materials planning and operations management for a hydraulics company in central Ohio and have been with the same company for over 40 years (I used to say I started when I was ten but fifty still sounds old!).

  

In November 2000, I was accepted in an MBA program. In January 2001, I was diagnosed with a Myrkel cell cancer. After two surgeries, 25 radiation treatments, too many scans, x-rays, pokes and prodding’s to count, I was cancer free. Like many other people that are diagnosed with a serious illness, I reevaluated my life and decided I wanted to concentrate on my art work.  

I’ve been focused on my art for over 12 years now. I create stained glass, mixed media, acrylic and oil paintings and prints of my art work.

My inspiration is nature. I’m also inspired by work of artists Brenda Timmons, Bob Hill, Howard Wentz, Tim Gagnon, Jill Hardman and Eyvind Earle. I get ideas and see images then react to them by creating glass designs and paintings. I usually have many projects started and will look at them many times before deciding how to complete them with the look that I imagine. It just comes to me when the time is right.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” - Albert Einstein

This will be my first Columbus Avant-Garde Art Show and I am very excited to be participating. I want people to see my work and get a good feeling with what they see. 

Meet Barbara Ashbury, Harpist..

My name is Barbara Ashbury, and I have been playing the celtic harp for over 15 years, performing for special events, weddings, craft shows, and performing home concerts.

I have been doing this for 15 years but this is my first Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. Music is my passion, and composing, recording, and performing are what I enjoy doing the most.

I have been a musician forever, a music major in college, then performed with the Hammered Music Duo for over 20 years on the hammer dulcimer. My talent has always been there. I go into my heartspace when I create music, and when I am there, it flows easily and effortlessly.

In five years I see myself performing on a regular basis and continuing to compose and record music. My music comes from the heart and if it touches people in some way, then I have done my job. 

2014 Columbus Winter Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, December 20, 2014 - 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

LINKEDIN