Fall Vendors Have Arrived!

Meet Daniel Palmer from Trout for Trout...

My name is Dan Palmer.  I am a fulltime elementary school principal, a Dad and a husband.  When I am not doing one of those two things, you will find me either fly fishing or creating products for Trout for Trout.

How long I've been doing this.. About 5 years ago while on a fly fishing trip with my nephew, we were brainstorming ways to fund our trips.  I  went home after the trip and created my first Trout stamped bracelet.  I began to experiment with raw materials like aluminum blanks, leather bands and copper.  I spent hours in my garage experimenting with different designs.  After a few months, I decided to open an Etsy shop.  To my surprise, there were men and women around the country with a desire to purchase items inspired by fly fishing and mother nature.  Trout for Trout LLC was born.  Since our launch, we have shipped items all around  the world and expanded our line of wearables and even dabbled in a few decor items.

What inspires me to create.. I saw a niche that interested me; fly fishing inspired jewelry that can be worn while enjoying the great outdoors.

My creative process.. It started as quite experimental. Now it is more of an assembly-line of filling orders and preparing for shows.

My five year goal..  I would love to see my items carried in fly shops around the country.

The message behind my work..  Nature can inspire everything we do.  When it does, we are more at peace.

Meet Jenni Hunt from Literati Loot...

I am a retired English teacher, current water fitness instructor, and I love to experiment with and share my creative endeavors with others. I sew, garden, make bags, soaps, candles, jewelry, and more. 

I started out making handmade books through a class about five years ago, when I challenged myself to make books as tiny as I possibly could. Having made some tiny books, I decided to make earrings and charms, keychains, and whatnots. I have been a sewist since I was quite young, but started bag making only about a year ago.

I believe that exercising your creativity is like exercising your body; you need to keep it up to stay sharp. I go through periods of intense creativity and others when I feel uninspired. I push through the latter, whether it's picking up a pen and journal, making a new article of clothing for myself, browsing through patterns and my fabric stash for ideas, surfing the internet for ideas, or just cutting out and sewing a new item.

I have always had the urge to create, but since I've retired, I have more time. With more time, I create more and more. With all the creations I've made, I need an outlet to share them. And perhaps recoup some of the cost of materials.

I'm always up for trying new things, but instructors have always encouraged me. From my high school art teacher, craft and sewing instructors, or my best friend (who is far more talented than I am), I have come to feel accomplished and no longer merely a dabbler in crafts. I feel I am an artisan now, rather than just a crafty person.

My creative process.. Simple: I carve out the time to work (or it's carved out for me based on my schedule), and I head down to my basement craft area and get to work. 

The message behind my work.. Carpe diem, seize the day! Life is short, so wear and do what makes you happy in life. Pay it forward whenever possible. 

Meet Hannah Osborn from Pax in Bello...

I am Hannah and I am currently a graphic designer. I have been crafting to help pay for my upcoming wedding and graduate school! I enjoy being busy and I wanted to start Pax in Bello as a family business to provide people with great items that can last generations!

I have been crafting ever since I could remember, but I really started doing it more often during the COVID pandemic outbreak. I first started out with making my Comfort Creatures for people in need of a little more comfort during trying times!

I have been a creator my entire life in pursuit of being a lifelong artist. I have wanted to create things ever since I was a kid. I wanted to provide things to people that would be useful or help them in some way or another. That is why I make so many things that can be used for many different purposes.

I believe that anyone can create. It took me a long time to gain courage to sew. Before a year ago, I had never touched a sewing machine and I had sewn everything completely by hand, including my Comfort Creatures!

I gain a lot of inspiration just from the things around me and life experiences. The rice packs I make are things I actually use to help with headaches and muscle pains.

My five year goal..  I am hoping to just continue to grow and learn how to make more things in the future.

The message behind my work.. anyone can create something beautiful and useful.

Meet Amy Noble from Valid.Creations.Art....

I am an avid dog lover and part time hiker. I love being outdoors and in nature. I like to appreciate the small things in life. I love great books and coffee. All the things that make you smile on a daily basis. I have a husband and a few fur kids to keep us on our toes. Our smallest dog has started to travel with us and it’s my favorite thing. I recently took her camping and was trying work with her on my lap. Easily one of my favorite moments. 

Just a couple years. I always was drawn to the arts but I couldn’t draw or paint without guidance. I loved photography but it became more of a chore. My grandma used to embroider and cross stitch when I was a kid and I always thought it looked really relaxing. I decided to try a kit while on vacation and it resonated with me. I have been in love ever since.

This is my first show! I’m so nervous and excited at the same time. I’ve heard of this show and seen it advertised but never thought I would be apart of it. Such an awesome feeling. 

What inspires me to create.. I find it so incredibly relaxing to work on art. It’s therapeutic in a way I haven’t discovered before. I also love that I can put it down and pick it up so easily. I can pack it in the car or on a rainy day. It’s perfect for when I want to get lost for awhile. When I see people smile after looking at something I’ve made, that’s the moment. It’s incredible to create an item that sparks joy in another person.

How I got into my craft.. My grandmother used to be a master with thread and I always thought that was so far away. I had no idea how to start or what to do. I always thought she must have had this natural talent. It turns out, I was just waiting for the right time. I fell in love with the craft much later than she did, but that’s okay. I do in fact love embroidery, but I just didn’t know it yet. 

How I discovered my talent.. I decided to buy a kit randomly because I wanted to expand my horizons. I had tried photography and painting but it wasn’t my passion. It turns out, I was holding out for a different hobby that I didn’t expect. I did the first kit and was sold. No wonder my grandmother loved it so much. 

How I describe my creative process.. I like to see people smile or laugh. Everyone deserves to smile and laugh on a daily basis, so if I can help with that, I’m there. I want people to light up when they see my work. 

My five year goal.. Best case scenario, I travel state to state with my husband. He has dreams to thru hike and I would love to do craft shows alongside him. That’s the ultimate dream with our pup of course. I would love to eventually follow him in a van and work out of it. That way, we can follow both of our deals simultaneously. 

The message behind my work.. Happiness! I want people to smile and feel happy when they see my work. Maybe it makes them laugh or makes them smile on a bad day. I put all the love and compassion that I have into my work. I hope people feel that when they have it in their hands. 

Meet Hope Oda from Hope's Soaps... 

Hello! My name is Hope Oda and I am the owner/creator of Hope’s Soaps! I am currently in my junior year of college to become a early childhood teacher! I have always loved to be be creative and have a creative hobby! 

I started making soap about a year and a half ago and now I want to get into more craft shows! 

This will be my first Avant-garde art and craft show I get to be a part of and I am so excited! 

My inspiration to create my unique soaps comes from my love of unique and beautiful artwork. I also believe in practicality, and creating soaps allows me to have a wonderful creative outlet, and still feel like I am creating something that is useful in our everyday lives! 

I originally started making soaps as a way to discover a new hobby, but now it has become so much more! 

I discovered my talent for making soaps through trial and error. I tried many different hobbies and trades, and I was good at some of them but none of them struck me quite like making soaps! 

I would describe my creative process as having the mindset of just “going for it”. I gather inspiration from everywhere I can, and when I see something that makes me light up with excitement, I go for it! 

In five years, I would love to have a shop somewhere local and be able to donate a portion of my soaps to the people of the Dominican Republic. 

The message behind my work is that I want everyone to have quality soaps that they know are handmade and locally sourced, soaps that are created with thought and care. 

Meet Joshua Briem from Fine Grain Creations...

My name is Josh Briem and I am the owner of Fine Grain Creations LLC. I am from Lima, Ohio. I enjoy being outdoors, going fishing, and getting together with friends and family. I’m a Cleveland Browns and Ohio State fan…”Go Browns, Go Bucks!!!” I have been creating custom woodwork for over two years!

What inspires me.. Working with clients to bring their ideas to life. I enjoy the challenge of building something that is unique to each individual and being able to see a project progress from raw wood to a finished product.  

I have always enjoyed building things, when I was in high school I worked for a custom cabinet company and learned a lot about custom woodwork and what all is involved in that process. Ever since then I would make some custom pieces here and there but it wasn’t until I was laid off in 2020 that I decided to start a custom woodworking company.  

How I discovered my talent.. I have always had a natural talent for creating things but I think that working for the cabinet shop was influential as to why I decided to get in to custom woodwork.

My creative process.. A lot of my process is getting to know what the client wants, what’s their likes/dislikes. This is especially helpful when creating custom work because from there I’m able to make recommendations/suggestions as to how it should be built and with what materials.

The message behind my work. quality and customer satisfaction. At the end of the day I want my customers to be happy with their purchase and know that it is something that will last!

Meet Sara Martin from Acrylics & Aptitude.. 

My name is Sara. I live in a small Ohio town with my significant other, my two kids, and his daughter. We have four cats and a gecko. Other than painting and creating various craft projects, I enjoy reading and hiking. 

 

How long I've been doing this.. I've been artistic my entire life. However, my business was started earlier this year. 

What inspires me.. It depends on the piece; summed up "things around me". Sometimes I pull inspiration for a painting from the main color, an idea of a landscape, or a concept I find appealing. For my photography, I love taking pictures of nature and manmade items together to give an aesthetically pleasing view. I like the views that allow you to make a small story of what could happen there. For the other home decor I make, usually I pull inspiration from a certain item and build the concept around that. 

How I got into my craft.. I love to create! But having ADHD my brain doesn't like to niche down to making one type of item over and over. Crafting was a great creative outlet. I can still keep everything in the "home decor" category but create many different types of items. 

How I discovered my talent.. It's just always been there? My mother and her family are very focused on the arts (creating and performing). I guess you could say I noticed my talent was more pronounced than most when I would be in art classes and everyone was impressed with what I created. 

My creative process.. I don't force myself to sit down and make a piece on any sort of schedule. When inspiration comes, I may plan it out a bit to make sure I have everything I need to complete it, then I just start it. As the piece grows, from a blank canvas or a pile of craft items, into my vision for the piece; my excitement grows. Sometimes after I create one piece, that will inspire another piece using other colors, or other topics (such as different flowers).  

My five year goal.. I know it'll still be around because I love doing it! Hopefully, in five years I'll have enough consistent sales to make this my full time income. As of now, I work for the bills and create for the happiness. 

The saying that repeats on my website is "Create your space". I love seeing people find one of my pieces appealing and adding it to their homes. It is so fulfilling that something I created was special enough for someone to want to add it to their personal space to bring them happiness. "Create your space" means to pull all the things that you find comforting and appealing together to create a space where your soul feels at home. I love being part of that process for people. 

Meet Natalie Kozumplik of Steadfast Leatherwork...

Hi! My name is Natalie of Steadfast Leatherwork & I live just outside of Columbus with my sweet husband and fun loving golden retriever. While leather work is a large hobby of mine, I also enjoy reading and eating good food. My favorite book is The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and my go to restaurant is Rebol in Dublin, OH. 

I’ve been doing leatherwork for one year now.  

I’ve been doing leatherwork for one year now. This is my first Avant-Garde show, I can’t wait to meet all the regular vendors and attendees. 

Nature is what inspires me mostly to create. There is nothing like walking through a perfectly shaded path or a bed of colorful flowers that makes me feel more empowered and get my creative juices flowing. 

How I got into my craft..  I went down a YouTube rabbit hole after looking at a bag in a retail store and thinking “I can make that”. Shortly after, I got my first set of leather tools for Christmas and haven’t stopped since!  I have always been crafty. I have dabbled in woodworking, water colors, quilting, sewing, knitting and hand embroidery. I’ve always caught onto creative things quickly and leatherwork was no different. 

My creative process... Simply put, I usually visualize in my head what I hope to create and make a template out of poster board. Then, I cut out the leather pieces and punch & stitch all the seams. 

My five year goal.. Seeing that I recently started selling my work, I just hope to continue providing quality made leather goods to those who are interested! I would love to do more shows year round by 5 years. 

My message behind my work would be simple designs that last a lifetime. That is where my shop name came from, Steadfast Leatherwork. The definition of steadfast by the Cambridge English Dictionary is “staying the same for a long time and not changing quickly or unexpectedly”. Not only are my leather goods steadfast, so is the love of Jesus which is what sustains me each and everyday.

Meet Shay from TABookbindery...

My name is Shay, owner of TABookbindery. I've been crafting since I was very little. I started making German stars when I was eight. 

I've participated in two other Avant Garde Art and Craft Shows selling a few different things.

 I am easily inspired but the Victorian Era is what inspires me the most. I got into crafting when I started sewing at three years old. I am still discovering my talents and making new crafts everyday.

 In five years I'm hoping to be successful enough to have at least one employee. If I could say something through my art it would be to enjoy the little things in life.

2022 Columbus Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Sunday, September 18, 2022 - 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

Visit us on:

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Today is the Day!

Meet Jamie Henry from Fine Paper Greetings...
I returned to college later in life to obtain a B.S. in Graphic Design, Visual Fine Art, which lead to my print graphic design freelance career. I enjoy the print side of the design world, but I wanted to also create paper items. It is the texture, the layering, the design with die cuts, and the final creation that brings a smile to someone’s day that gives me joy. My in-home paper crafting studio is complete with ultra-premium paper, cards, envelopes, and any other crafting / creating tool you can imagine. I’ve been doing this for 15 years.

This will be my first as a vendor at Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show, which I am thoroughly excited to participate and so humbled to be included. 

What inspires me to create? A new die cut, a new pad of paper, or a specific color of paper I’ve been wanting to use. I challenge myself at times with trying to use perhaps only two colors (including the various shades of that color) to create a “Coffee Today” card or a fun pet card.

 

How I got into my craft.. My mother and grandmother were my inspiration - each were unbelievably crafty at a time when craft supplies were limited and you had to be creative with what you had on hand - a cardboard tissue box became beautiful backgrounds on cards, tags, and journals. I still use the patterns from tissue boxes for my greeting cards - I just cannot throw any piece of paper away!

How I discovered my talent.. As a young child, I “designed” greeting cards for several nursing homes as my grandmother was a volunteer - I wanted to give the residents a little smile as so many of them seemed lonely. I wanted them to know someone cared. My cards, tags, gift bags, etc., anything from paper, I use to brighten someone’s day. Through the nursing home creation years ago, I was fortunate enough to continue creating paper items.

 

My creative process. As an “organized” individual, I create themed cards - “Coffee Today” is what I’m creating currently, as seen on my website of www.finepapergreetings.com, as well as pet cards. I want my die cuts to tell the story as many of my cards do not contain words, or if any words are included, it is perhaps one or two. I want the card to speak for itself - the joy of opening the envelope, seeing the creation, then the layers of texture to bring the card to life. There are days when it may take five hours to create a single card as I’m very particular about color-coordination, layering of die cuts, and the placement of the die cuts. 

My five year plan.. Continued growth in the paper world - creating series of cards, personalizing cards and invitations for clients, and working with organizations through donations of my cards to inspire younger people to create through paper.

 

The message behind my work.. “Creativity Through Paper” - a text message, an email, or a post is fine, but to receive an envelope in the mail with your name, opening that envelope and seeing a card someone purchased just for you, then reading the message inside - that would make my day! The cards and all paper items I create are only items I would purchase myself. The creative process can be difficult, but it is most rewarding when a client is excited about her 30 “Coffee Today” cards she wants to send out for her coffee brunch party. 

Meet Palestina Jaber from Turath...

My name is Palestina Jaber, 31 years old, and a mom of two little girls! I’ve been in the US for seven years now and within those years I worked as a clerk, a school tutor, a teller, and a banker! After giving birth, a month earlier than due date, to my eight-months baby, I had lots of medical issues that required physical therapy and stopped me from working as a banker! Now that my baby is not as needy as a newborn is, I had lots of free time and that’s when I started designing and embroidering! It was the dream that I had to put aside for so long due to work but now that I’m no longer working, I reached out to my family and friends back in my homeland, Palestine and we started talking about embroidery projects, meanings of patterns, and relationships to surroundings! And that’s how Turath was born! 

Palestinian embroidery is something that is passed down from my grandmother to my mom and hopefully to my daughters! It’s the means of transferring cultural stories about Palestinian nature to future generations, so it’s been a while that I knew how to do but just recently got dedicated to! I just started Turath in the last four months, and this is going to be my first AG show and my second participation in events around me! 

Palestinian embroidery, with all the symbolism and hidden meanings of patterns, requires a lengthy process! Before creating any piece, I have to think out the motif I want to address, search for the right symbols and representations, create patterns, design the piece, pick colors, and finally start embroidering! Then the process of embroidering starts; a process that requires lots of effort and time as it’s all handmade! The outcome, though, is a piece that’s a one-of-a-kind and made with love! 

Right now I’m establishing a new brand that aims at serving, preserving, and repurposing Palestinian art of embroidery! 15% of product profits is donated to help pay off student debts in Palestinian universities as a way to give back to my homeland community! In five years, I want to see my startup expanding to make bigger piece products like dresses, jackets and shoes! I want to create collections for every season of the year instead of currently making individual products that are mainly accessories! 

Meet Gail Messick from Bambanani Africa Crafts...

I am a retired Dental Hygienist who then served in the Peace Corps from 2010-2014 in the small southern African kingdom of Eswatini.  While there, I connected with a group of volunteer community healthcare workers who wanted to learn how to make something to sell.  The products I market are the result of our partnership.  

Since my return to the US in 2014, I have been marketing their products.  I return to Eswatini for 2-3 months each year to work on product development and then bring new products back to the US to sell.  ALL proceeds from my sales are securely returned to the artisans themselves. This is my first Avant-Garde show

What inspires me to create. I am inspired by witnessing the transformation of the women I work with and helping to bring out the creative spirit within them.  

How I got into this craft.. I've enjoyed sewing since I was 12, and have dabbled in various crafts ever since.

How I discovered my talent.. My talent has evolved over the years, but in this endeavor, my talent is in patiently encouraging unskilled but motivated individuals to discover their inner talents

My creative process.. Through lots of trial and error, attention to detail and responding to the reactions of others, together we continue to improve.

My five year goal.. In 5 years, I hope to develop more leadership among the artisans themselves so that they control more of the business and its profits.

The message behind my work: Empowering women with skills and support which enables them to generate income, while working from home.

Meet Some of Our Talented Columbus Vendors!

Meet Jacob Dietrich of Jacosketching...

Jacob Dietrich is an Illustrator based out of Columbus, Ohio. He has been drawing and making art since Junior-High school. He graduated from Columbus College of Art and Design. He spends most of his time exploring video games, playing piano music, and creating scenic artworks of nature and our human relationship to it. Jacob is an avid lover of trees and plants, and enjoys indoor gardening, finding inspiration in his own plants.

My art is reflective of my own love for the strength nature shows us, and the beauty we are allowed to see in it. It grows up wherever it can, and constantly strives to be stronger and spread further. I want to show the brilliance of forests, and to draw some narratives between my different pieces.

Suggesting human presence is important to me, because we are a part of nature, and we need to accept that, rather then seeing ourselves as a separate entity. People can enjoy looking at the details, always being able to find something more. This is reflective of actual exploration, the hidden elements of life. Rabbits nibble away under the leaves of your hydrangea, deer pause behind the bushes that have grown wildly, squirrels and chipmunks dance on the treetops where birds make there nests. I like to hide these things in my art. Sometimes I even play off of this, and create places that take on there own type of nature. The structures become their own ecosystems that work together computationally.

Meet Alissa Chenetski from Wild Creations...

I am adopted from South America and have lived in Hilliard for about 33 years. I am a graduate of Hilliard Davidson and The Ohio State University. I have a love of animals and volunteer at the Columubs Zoo. I have two dogs of my own as well.  I have been photographing since 2000, I took a class in high school and fell in love with being behind the camera. I began sewing in December of 2018. I have always dabbled in paper crafts, but began card-making more in depth in July 2019.

I have always enjoyed being creative, from as far back as I can remember I recall art class being one of my favorite times of the day. I enjoy learning different things and being able to express my self with something that is tangible.There are a lot of things that inspire me. The gratitude and joy photographing and crafting bring me. I have always been hands on and wanting to create things. A large part of inspiration is Wildlife Conservation, a portion of my money goes to wildlife and also to assist me in saving for a trip of a lifetime!

Right now I am just starting out and doing this for my enjoyment. I haven’t even thought about next year yet! I have shopped at some Avant-Garde shows, but this is my first to participate in. For my photography, I hope the image speaks to those admiring it. Most of my work is nature or animals and I try to capture them to show the beauty we sometimes miss when life is moving so quickly.

Meet Debra Smith Tolley from Mad River Joys...
Debra started Mad River Joys on June 23, 2016. She has participated in a few of Avant-Garde Art & Craft Shows along with many other art shows. Her website MadRiverJoys.com launched near the end of 2016.

Debra grew up along the Mad River in rural Urbana, Ohio, and graduated from Miami University with an architectural design degree. She has always loved nature and design, so she is now combining those loves to bring to many others the joys they give her.

Debra designs and makes by hand all of her jewelry. The designs reflect her desire to bring joy to everyone, everyday. Get ready for the Winter Holidays with Mad River Joys! 

The photos are all taken by Debra, or her husband, Frederick "B'ar" Tolley.

Mad River Joys' products may be purchased anytime online at MadRiverJoys.com or on Facebook at MadRiverJoys.

Other available items include pocket memory keys, fairy gardens, shower curtain dangles, bookmarks, ornaments, ornament hangers, beaded tea lights, wine glass charms, bottle stoppers, beaded napkin rings, purse dangles, sun catchers, decorated glassware, door hangings, fan/light pulls, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, photo coasters, photo mouse mats, and framed photos. The list of products is always growing.

Some of Debra’s latest designs include her Aroma Kitty Necklaces that are based on her Natural Kitty Necklaces, but come in more colors and essential oils may be added to their tummies!

Custom and customized orders are welcomed. Some items also work wonderfully for wedding décor.

Thank you for visiting, and please look to Mad River Joys to be sure to have little joys in your daily life!

Meet Tom Cover from TCKnife...
My name is Tom Cover:  I had been doing woodworking for years then, on a trip for supplies, I saw a knife blank (unfinished) on sale and decided to give making knives a go. Turns out I really enjoyed working with the different woods, forming it into handles for knives and have been doing so for the last 4 plus months.  I choose a type of wood to start out and make a design of what I want the handle to look for each particular knife.  After cutting out the rough design on the wood and starting to finish the handle, I see different patterns or designs, in the wood, for that blade as I form the handle. This will, quite often, end up as a very different handle than the original design –for the better, perhaps.  Hopefully, not only are my knives purchased to be used (often) but also be enjoyed for how they look and be proud for owning it. 

This will be my first arts & crafts show and I’m looking forward to the challenges and (hopefully) rewards.  I appreciate this opportunity to display the work I have been doing and hope that people find worth in my knives.  If the Avant-Garde show is as successful as I feel it will be then I will need to establish some form of media presence (website?).

I moved to Columbus Ohio (many years age) to attend The Ohio State University and never left.  When my wife and I became empty nesters we moved to the west side, where she grew up, and are still there.  We have 3 grown daughters, 4 grandchildren and 1 brand new great-grandson.

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

Visit us on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

LINKEDIN

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