Meet Paul Jira from Paul G. Jira Gallery...
My name is Paul Jira and I am a local artist. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio and currently live in the Chippewa Lake area. While attending John Marshall High School, I received a scholarship to The Columbus School of Art & Design. I also attended Cooper School of Art. In 1966, the art instructor set up a still life for the class to paint. It was made up of flowers, pots and various items from the classroom. I found this to be boring and asked to set up my own still life. After getting the “OK”, I went down to the boys shop and found two, old lawnmower engines and an old hand press. I then saw a can of roofing tar. We had brown paper towels in the classroom. These items created “The Garage Sale”.
I retired in 2013 after 40 years in the manufacturing business. I started painting again in 2008 for a hobby. The piece I was working on was The Playhouse Square. At this time Sue, my wife, convinced me to start showing my work. Prior to this, no one ever saw my artwork except for family and friends. I started applying to local art shows and joined the Medina County Art League (MCAL). I’ve had several paintings published in AGC 52 weeks, 52 works calendar. I was featured in The Cleveland Magazine and have won numerous awards at local art shows.
I believe an artists’ subject matter should capture personal experiences and interests. I’ve painted The West Side Market, The Allen Theater, local Cleveland churches, etc. Also, closer to home, I’ve painted several landmarks from The Chippewa Lake Park and the Medina area. I use the Giclee (gee-clay) print making process. It creates a high quality fine art reproduction and is accepted in galleries, museums and by private collectors. Each print is signed and numbered and comes with a “Certificate of Authenticity”. I understand that as an investor or simply someone that enjoys art, you would want your artwork to last for many, many years.
This is my first Avant-Garde Arts & Craft show. I learned about Avant-Garde from my daughter, Jackie. She participated in the show last year for the first time and spoke very highly of the show and Becki. I am looking forward to this experience!
Meet Mary Ellen Pawlak from ARTkissed...
I live Brunswick, but Cleveland will always be where my heart is. I've been blessed with three
amazing kids, two adorable grandsons, three crazy older sisters, and the best bunch of friends
I've been lucky to have in my life for over forty years. I have a custom made necklace that says,
"God, Family, Friends and Art".... and that says it all!
Art has always been a part of me, from a very young age. My father was very artistic and I
remember watching him paint amazing winter scenes, using gift box lids with the sides torn off
as his canvas. All through school, I got to decorate bulletin boards, design program covers, paint stage sets and do makeup for school plays. At the suggestion of a friend, I started selling paintings and polymer clay pieces on eBay and eventually I opened an ETSY shop, selling various things like vintage Halloween and holiday themed collages & greeting cards. Three of my collages were published in Somerset Studio magazine.
My current obsession is with paper clay. It's so different from the polymer clay that I've worked
with in the past. I started using a store brand, then found a recipe to make my own. I love the
whole process from shredding the paper (old bills & junk mail!), to mixing & shaping the clay into
bowls etc.. I really love the organic feel and the joy I get making something completely from
scratch. My 5 year old grandson, Garrett (who really loves doing art at Grandma's), said it best,
"We're turning junk into good stuff!". Yes!
My mood influences the colors and designs I choose for each piece, so there's not so much a theme, but more of an eclectic mix of "personalities". I fall a little bit in love with each piece I make thinking, "this is the best one!" until the next one is "born". They're all little pieces of me. Though my interests change over the years, my passion for art and creating never will. This will be my first Avant-Garde show and I'm so excited to participate and happy to get back into doing shows again.
Meet Connie Morilak from The Singing Beader...
My name is Connie and I'm a self-represented handmade jewelry artisan who sells on ArtFire.com and Etsy.com. I also sell my handmade earrings at Joseph's Hair Salon in Strongsville. I was inspired by my husband's cousin who taught me the basics of making a beaded necklace. I loved the craft immediately and started making a lot of jewelry for myself. It was great to make bracelets that fit my small wrist because store bought are always too big for me.
I named my business The Singing Beader and started selling online in 2009. The Singing Beader namerepresents both my love for making jewelry and singing. I love to sing, especially karaoke. I'm often asked if I sing and make jewelry at the same time. I usually don't because I like to put my heart into each one separately.
After making hundreds of jewelry pieces for myself, I was encouraged by friends to sell my beautiful work online. In 2009 I started creating one of a kind gemstone, crystal and pearl jewelry and then expanded to music themed jewelry around 2012. Many of the music pieces are also one of a kind and some have hard to find musical instrument charms, like oboes, zylophones, triangles, tambourines and bagpipes. I also sell microphone charm jewelry for the singer. My music jewelry is my best seller.
In five years, I hope to get my husband involved in my business, since he will be retired. For now, he's my roadie for hauling my goods to craft shows. This will only be the 2nd Avant-Guard Art & Craft show I've participated in but I've been a shopper for several years!
2017 Strongsville Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Saturday & Sunday, November 10, & 11, 2018
Strongsville Ehrnfelt Recreation Center
18100 Royalton Rd.
Strongsville, OH 44136
For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com
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