Thursday, November 10, 2016

It's Go Time Strongsville! Shop Till You Drop this Weekend!

Meet Denise Kappele from Dare to Go Air...
Hi! My name is Denise and I make air plant arrangements. Tillandsias (air plants) are plants that grow on rocks and trees without soil and are super easy to care for. I've been designing air plant arrangements for just a couple of months now. Not only will this be my first Avant-Garde show, this will be my first show of any kind!
My daughter has been a fan of air plants for some time now and during a recent trip to visit her in Chicago, we went to a garden center where I purchased a few for myself. After making my own arrangements, I found that I really enjoyed the creative process of it all. 
What inspires me is the plants themselves. Tillandsias are very unique looking plants with many different varieties. I think they have a lot of character and are really interesting. My husband thinks they're a little creepy though, haha!

The message behind my work is pretty simple: find, see, appreciate, and behold the beauty and uniqueness Mother Nature provides us. I also am a huge proponent of repurposing items and I find most of the containers I use in my designs at thrift stores!

Meet Susie Winfield from Susie Makes Stuff...
Hi! I'm Susie and by day I work in stress testing and cardiac rehabilitation. By night, I chase around my two-year-old son, do laundry, binge watch Netflix with my husband, and make stuff. I've always loved to paint and draw, but just recently decided to schedule time to create. This will be both my first Avant-Garde show and first show of any kind!

I don't feel I ever legitimately "discovered a talent." I have enjoyed drawing from the time I could hold a crayon and enjoyed painting from the time I could use a paintbrush, but I only engaged in these things as leisure activities. Even though there were years I hardly painted or drew at all, I never stopped loving the creative process.
My creative process is akin to having a large number of Google Chrome tabs open, but in my mind instead of on a computer. Each day I think of a slew of ideas that I'd like to see come to fruition. One new idea, one new tab. I just try to keep up.
I would love to continuously expand my horizons to bigger and better things. I am always searching for different techniques to utilize in my work. I want to make progress and I want to continue to do what I love. What more could a person ask for?

Meet Marcella Eiben from Firefi Candles...
My name is Marcella and I love to create! I have all sorts of creative outlets from writing to glass bead making to candle making. My entire life, I have always had a need for a creative outlet, or two or three! Even during my time in college, my major was creative writing, so you could say that making things is in my blood! 
I have been making candles and soaps for just under a year now. I started by making some small candles and loved the process, so I continued on to soap making, which is a somewhat similar process. I find both things very enjoyable and relaxing. This will be my first Avant-Garde show!
The idea to make candles just sort of came to me one day. Both of my parents have creative genes so I would say it was passed on to me from them. My parents were instrumental in allowing me to discover ideas and be creative with a lot of things in my life. 
With the candles, I am inspired by the seasons. My candles are all made from natural soy wax, so they promote a healthy environment. Because my candles don't contain harmful chemicals, they are better for those with allergies and other ailments. 

Meet Chengeto Gwengo from Cutindo Body Suds...
My name is Chengeto and my business partner, Tendai James, and I, collaborated to create Cutindo Body Suds, a home-based soap making venture that specializes in soaps enriched with nutritious juices from plants and animal milk products. We work diligently to craft enriched bath soap bars that are not only nourishing but also free from aggravating ingredients and harsh chemicals.
We are both originally from Zimbabwe. I grew up in the villages, where I got accustomed to the scarcity of essential commodities such as soap. Such situations were used as teaching moments for living off the land. I have fond memories of learning to adopt natural plants for a variety of uses, which serves as part of my inspiration.
We started making soaps using recipes posted online from established soapers. Using my background with natural plants and foods, my expertise in formulation development and product commercialization, and Tendai's detailed approach to soap making, Cutindo is able to offer a wide variety of soaps. 
We encourage our customers to seriously rethink the bath basics and to shy away from products full of synthetic chemicals, instead turning to products that are rich in natural ingredients. With consistent use, the products can add amazing natural skin care benefits.

Meet Amy Haas and Sara Wakefield of Divine Gifts...
We are Amy Haas and Sara Wakefield of Divine Gifts. We met and became friends while working on the planning committee for a Mothers of Preschoolers group. It didn't take long to realize that we had many common interests and passions. Our first project was a gift for mothers in the group with newborns. Everybody enjoyed the gifts we made and it didn't take long for others to begin requesting custom gifts for purchase.
In 2009 we embarked on our journey and our original tagline, "unique handmade items to give others or treasure as your own," still rings true today. Over the years, our product line has evolved as we have learned and grown.
We love to find ways to bring a little extra beauty to everyday items. Inspiration can be found anywhere children and babies are. We love to use fresh and clean colors and patterns. It is very important to us that all of the materials we use are high quality so that they will be durable for the duration of their use.
The passion behind our work is our faith. Sewing and creating beautiful items to serve a practical purpose brings us joy and fulfillment, but also honors our creator God who has graciously gifted us to create. 

Meet Dominique Williams from Cousins Homespun Country...
Hi! I'm Dominique and my cousin Lisa and I started our crafting business two years ago. We combined my love of primitive, country decor with her artistic ability to hand paint and draw.
I do all of the cutting, sanding, distressing, staining, and painting, while Lisa does all of the writing and lettering for our signs. Each sign is designed with a specific look and character to it, making it unique.

We both work for different school districts, so we enjoy how the way this brings us together. We love crafting and spending time together on the weekends or during any other free time we have.
Our inspiration comes from a time when life was simpler and the small things made people happy. The joy of creating sayings on signs and bringing warmth to people's homes with our creations is why we do what we do.

Meet Brian Harvey from All Things B...
Hello, I am Brian Harvey of the All Things B jewelry shop. I was born and raised in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and received a BFA and MA in crafts with a concentration in enamel, metals, and jewelry from Kent State University. I followed that up with a post-graduate degree in Art Education. 
After years of travel, I have returned to my hometown and have been showcasing my items in Northeast Ohio for about three years. I have done several previous Avant-Garde shows. 
My training in ceramics, enamel, and metals led me to explore the new material of metal clay. Many of the processes involved in metal clay and enamel require periods of time waiting for the kiln. I found that I could use this time to explore beading and gemstones. I am always reading up on new techniques and materials. 
Many of the new trends with metal clay, glass, and enamel involve ways to recycle or upcycle materials. As a nature lover, recycling, reducing, and reusing materials in a sustainable way is a very important factor in all of my work. 





2016 Strongsville Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Saturday, November 12, 2016
10:00am-5:00pm
Strongsville Ehrnfelt Recreation Center
18100 Royalton Rd.
Strongsville, OH 44136
For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com
Visit us on:
LINKEDIN

  

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Meet the Splendid Strongsville Crafters!

Meet Shirley Wilson from Simply One Design...
Hi! My name is Shirley Wilson, owner of Simply One Design. My business is creating jewelry. I am a retired third grade teacher who incorporated my love for arts and crafts in my students' curriculum. While I have participated in other art and craft shows, this will be my first Avant-Garde show!
I have experimented with many different types of art including oil painting, scrapbooking, polymer clay, and jewelry. I discovered my love for creating jewelry about eight years ago when I enrolled my granddaughter, Erica, in a jewelry class. Working with Erica, the jewelry bug bit me.
I attended many classes on creating new types of jewelry in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I really enjoyed these classes and found them very informative. Mixed media, steampunk, beads, polymer clay, beach glass, and Swarovski crystal are a few of the products I use in my jewelry.
My new line is called "Nature's Eye Candy." This jewelry is created with real pressed flowers in necklace, ring, and bracelet bezels!

Meet Barb Hubert from Eagle Wings Art...
I'm Barb and I am a retired Cat Scan Tech of over three years! I was looking for a purpose and hobby after I retired, so I decided to try watercolor because I've always loved watercolor paintings. After just one year with a friend and teacher, I took off! This will be my third Avant-Garde show!
I love painting using different mediums like real leaves, salt, saran wrap, and anything else that can make my paintings different and unique! I love to experiment!
I am inspired by nature all around me and always, always have a painting in process! You will find birds, animals, owls, landscapes, children's art, modern, and abstract art in my paintings! I also accept orders for dog portraits! 
I'm putting a lot of work and effort into building my business, as I feel this is one of my purposes and gifts God has given me. I hope my business grows and I can just give back more to God!

Meet Candice Adams from The Haute Bohemian...
Hello, my name is Candice Adams and I live in North Royalton with my husband, dog Levi, and our three ducks! I graduated from the University of Akron in 2011 and I am a high school intervention specialist for Lorain City Schools.During the summer of 2016 I decided to design and create jewelry with the goal of opening an Etsy shop. This will be my first Avant-Garde show!
I am a lover of jewelry and fashion and began experimenting with jewelry when I was 10 years old. Every summer, I would visit family in Michigan and spend time with my older cousin making jewelry out of seed beads. I have amazing memories of visiting a bead store that got me hooked on the jewelry making scene.
My creative process coms from being inspired by nature. When I was younger, I collected rocks and gems and loved to explore caves. Every piece of my jewelry incorporates a natural or semi-precious stone, which reflects my love for nature. My jewelry can best be described as having a bohemian/free spirited style.
I really enjoy creating jewelry that is one of a kind and hope to continue for many years to come. My ultimate goal is to learn to solder, so I can create rings. I would also like to educate myself on the business side of selling jewelry and have my creations sold in local boutiques!

Meet Connie Morilak from The Singing Beader...
Hi! My name is Connie and I'm a self-represented handmade jewelry artisan who sells on Art Fire and Etsy! I also sell my handmade earrings at Joseph Hair Salon in my hometown, Strongsville, Ohio!
I was inspired to make jewelry by my husband's cousin, who taught me the basics of making a beaded necklace. I immediately loved the craft and caught on quickly to various jewelry making techniques. 
My hobby turned business in 2009. I named it "The Singing Beader," because it combines both my enthusiasm for making jewelry and singing. I'm an avid karaoke singer who also participates in church and community choirs. I'm often asked if I sing when I'm making jewelry. It would be funny if I did, but the answer is no, because I like to concentrate and have fun with each interest individually. 
I make one of a kind gemstone, crystal, and pearl jewelry and specialize in music-themed jewelry. The music themed jewelry consists of unique, hard to find, musical instrument charms and more. Music jewelry is my best seller; it appeals to musicians, band students, and music teachers. 

Meet Joanna Ettorre from Balancing Point Creative Studio...
Fiberartist Joanna Ettorre is a newly returned Cleveland who was, for 30 years, in Columbus, Ohio, where she re-discovered her childhood passion for blending colored yarns. Knitweaving on a knitting loom was the re-entry link. Like traditional weaving, it involved using colored threads to create textiles. 
But, being a home-based mom of a very active little boy, it met her need for flexible time management and portability (to, say, baseball fields with little action). So, her free form tapestries, working in short bursts using a table loom that was stationery but still portable, and needlework like crochet and needlefelting, were born of lifestyle responses.
It was nearly 25 years ago that Joanna moved out law books from a legal publishing business to make room for yarn, knitting looms, and, in rapid succession, a new son who all fit together, in the beginning, in that home office. Each year has been its own set of conditions when it comes to bringing the work of Joanna's business, Balancing Point Creative Studio, to the marketplace. 


2016 Strongsville Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Saturday, November 12, 2016
10:00am-5:00pm
Strongsville Ehrnfelt Recreation Center
18100 Royalton Rd.
Strongsville, OH 44136
For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com
Visit us on:
LINKEDIN
  

Friday, April 22, 2016

Get Ready, Strongsville!

Meet Michelle Young from The Vintage Belle Design...
Hi! My name is Michelle and I'm the mother of two beautiful children and the wife to a wonderful husband! I love art in any form. I love to create and use any medium, but painting has aways been my favorite. I work full time in accounting, so I spend time after work and on the weekends creating. Creativity calms me, it is my passion, and when I'm creating a new piece, it's my Nirvana. 
I just started in the handmade craft business a few months ago, but I have been creating for my friends and family for years. I've always had my hand in some form of art. I'm a graphic artist by trade, but life took me other directions. I have had so much encouragement to move forward with my dreams of creating for others. This will be my first Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show! 
I've never really had any one single inspiration when it comes to my creativity. I see an idea in my mind and go from there, it's an urge I have to fulfill. I love the beach and all that is classified as "vintage" or "farmhouse." That comes through in many of my pieces. When the ideas come to me, I seem them, tweak them in my mind, and start working on them as soon as I can. I kind of go with the flow, it all depends on the item and the piece. 
I hope that my work brings a message of happiness and calm. I also hope it brings a love for the old and a reminder that things can be repurposed and made new again. There's so much more out there that we can use to create lovely items. 

Meet Noyana Wade from TamuNaturals...
Hello! My name is Noyana Wade and here at TamuNaturals we create a variety of skin care products to support a healthier and holistic lifestyle. All of my products are handmade by me and I only use all-natural ingredients. 
I started my soap journey in November 2015. I took several soap making classes, which I completed and received credit hours for. I have certificates for Soap Making 101, Therapeutic Bathing, and Aeromatherapy 101. I am new in this journey and this will be my second event!
Creativity really motivates me. I enjoy making products that others can enjoy and also benefit from. In five years, I see myself having a successful business with my products in stores and my online store being very successful as well. 

Meet the artists from BRICK Ceramic + Design Studio...
Valarie Grossman  is a ceramic artist in Cleveland, Ohio and a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art '12.  Her work can be viewed locally in several permanent collections including Convivium 33 Gallery, The Cleveland Institute of Art, and The Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations.

Michelle Janosky is a ceramic artist in Cleveland, Ohio and a graduate of Baldwin Wallace University ’15. She is an elementary art teacher as well as an intern at Brick Ceramics Studio in Cleveland.

Elenie Diamio is a ceramic artist in Cleveland, Ohio and a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art. She specializes in helping others in the medical field. Elenie is also a clay instructor at Brick Ceramics Studio in Cleveland.

Valarie Grossman, Elenie Diamoi, and Michelle Janosky have all been involved in ceramics for years. From a young age they all fell in love with the clay medium and focused on clay studies in college. Since graduating all three ladies have let their love for ceramics grow and evolve at Brick Ceramics Studio in Cleveland.

Indulgence, glamor, and toughness that one can find in the world and within inspires clay artist Valarie Grossmen. You can see the combination of glamor and toughness within Valarie’s work. Wanting to create beautiful objects and having them be used to help grow new life inspires Elenie Diamio. You can find growth within her planters that she fills with succulents that she grows herself. Michelle Janosky is inspired by nature and exploring textures within her work. She looks to trees, rocks and waterfalls where she feels the most centered to pull her ceramics together.

Using your hands to create a piece of art out of the earth was really an inspiring thought that got us into ceramics. Taking the earth and using it to create something beautiful that can last a life time is really a lovely idea.

We discovered our talent with the clay material through using clay at school. From there we were so drawn to the material that we just kept wanting to explore to see what we were capable of creating. Valarie creates impressive luxurious sculptural work that plays with color, and sparkle to surfaces. You can find diamonds, gold, and shine in a lot of her pieces. Michelle discovered her talent on the wheel. She plays with layering pieces and playing with sculptural forms on the wheel. Her functional work also involves a lot of layering and texturing of the material. Elenie found her talent within hand building. She creates her own patterns on surfaces and really specializes in decorating the forms through her paintings. You can find clown inspiration in some of her work as she aims to make people happy.
 Our creative process as a group starts with good music and a fun atmosphere in the studio. Brick Ceramics and Design studio is made up of a bunch of really positive, optimistic, and free spirited artists who like to feed off of the great energy while creating their work. We occasionally work collaboratively on pieces or on orders. When we work independently we always offer positive critiques to each other. The environment is harmonious and it really helps our work to grow and evolve in a positive way.

In 5 years we see ourselves working and creating at Brick Ceramics and Design Studio. We see ourselves having reached a wider base of people in Ohio and also being known as the place to go for unique, one of a kind handmade ceramic work. We have been growing since Brick opened May 2015, and will continue to grow. We offer a variety of classes and workshops for people in the community. Date night classes have grown, we now also offer wheel throwing classes, hand building classes, and kids classes as well. We see our business growing and reaching more people in the future.

The message behind our work is trying to connect and with everyday life. We like to make affordable art pieces so people can use beautiful objects on a daily basis. The luxurious quality of handmade ceramics can enhance your experience in something as simple as drinking your morning cup of coffee. We want people to kind joy in the little things such as being able to put your jewelry into a cute fountain shaped jewelry holder. We also want people to feel like they are able to create themselves. By having a planter, you are creating a life for a plant. Taking care of that plant and watching it grow is a really enjoyable process.
2016 Strongsville Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Strongsville Ehrnfelt Recreation Center
18100 Royalton Rd.
Strongsville, OH 44136
For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com
Visit us on:
LINKEDIN

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

It's Almost Showtime, Strongsville!

Meet Donna Bobko from Get the Drift...
My name is Donna and I am a retired RN. I am married with three children, two step children, and a total of 14 grandchildren! I have been doing crafting of some sort or another since I can remember. This will be my first Avant-Garde show!
My current craft, using driftwood, started with a beach on Jekyll Island called Driftwood Beach. My love of the ocean and lighthouses also came from that visit, and I decided to combine my love for crafting and the sea to create. 
There is beauty in nature and I love to create my works of art from all that I find in my journeys. I find things like driftwood, stones, and shells in my travels and in my daily life. My husband and I find most of my driftwood along the coast of Lake Erie. I also shop estate and garage sales for that perfect touch of whatever I need. Recycling is one of my favorite joys.
Since I have always been somewhat artistic, I imagine what something will look like in my head, and I go from there. I do not like to sit still for very long, so there is always something in the works that keeps me occupied. I hope to continue doing what I love for many years. I love looking for the beauty in nature. Each piece I make is one of a kind, and I am never satisfied until the piece is perfect. 

Meet Shari Novak...
My name is Shari and this will be my first Avant-Garde show! I recently retired from work and became more crafty in my spare time. I decided to test the waters in the crafting world by participating in my first show!
I've been crafting since I was very young. My mom, my sisters, and I all liked to craft together. I've always had an interest in crafting, crocheting, and being creative. Retiring has given me the opportunity to spend more time crafting.

My designs are all original and handmade. I very much enjoy using my spare time to make my creations a reality!
2016 Strongsville Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Strongsville Ehrnfelt Recreation Center
18100 Royalton Rd.
Strongsville, OH 44136
For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com
Visit us on:
LINKEDIN