Are you ready, Rocky River?!

Meet Andrew & Cassy Quillin of Home Slice Pies…

Hi there! We are Andrew & Cassy Quillin. We live in a cabin in the woods and bake pies! We specialize in four-inch mini pies that are baked fresh daily. We also bake up full-size pies for the holidays and special orders. We focus on seasonal flavors and use local and organic ingredients to the highest degree possible. From our all-butter crusts to our fresh fillings, every piece of the pie is made from scratch, with love. Launching in October 2018, Home Slice Pies is a roaming pie shop, which means you can find us at local farmers’ markets, craft shows, breweries, and other Cleveland area events. We love to cater weddings and parties too! We are brand new to Avant-Garde, but we are excited to be participating in 3 shows this year! 

What inspires us? We love pie! In fact, we believe pie has special powers - it can heal, comfort, say thank you, apologize, and congratulate. It is such a cozy and nostalgic treat! We also believe that pie is meant to be shared. And that's what really inspires us: sharing our pies with our community! We have a large collection of pie cookbooks that we read for inspiration. We also love to brainstorm ideas for new pies based on the seasons and holidays. We have a lot of fun coming up with seasonal flavors and spending a weekend testing them out.

We wanted to find something that we could do together and really enjoy. Since cooking and baking has always been our number one shared passion/hobby, we knew that was the direction we wanted to go in. The idea for Home Slice Pies came up in one of our brainstorming sessions and we just fell in love with the idea and ran with it. We cook together every night and we love to bake up new treats on the weekends. After Cassy was in a bad car accident 2 years ago, we got really into pie making - it's very therapeutic and healing! It really became a passion for both of us and the feedback we got from friends, coworkers, and family who sampled our pies made us realize that we could be onto something! In five years, we would love to have a food truck. A larger commercial kitchen space and savory pies are also on the wish list! Overall, our message is that pie is a simple (and delicious!) pleasure in today's chaotic and complicated world - share it with those you love! 

Meet Denise Sutak of Designs by Denise, Just Beads…

I am retired from corporate America and am completely content with my life. My schedule is mine and I am volunteering to keep busy. As a child, I went to summer camps where crafts were the "big thing."  I remember enjoying crafting but then school and life moved in and took over. I began making jewelry about one-and-a-half years ago and have found I enjoy the design process the most. My inspirations just seem to come to me as I am sitting at my work desk.  I have a very creative mother and I guess it took this long for me to realize I inherited some of her talents.

I believe I should have tapped into this craft years ago as it has been hiding inside me.  I have a sister-in-law who began working in metal once she retired. That really pushed me to give it a go. My creative process beings by choosing my beads, then I work a design, walk away from it for a while, and then go back to tweak it. I don't believe jewelry should match, it should be an extension of the way you are feeling. For example, a red dress and purple jewelry or a blue dress and yellow jewelry, why not? If it speaks to you, wear it and wear it often. This will be my first Avant-Garde Show and I am excited to be able to participate.

Meet Rachel Town of Beach Glass Treasure...

I’m Rachel Town owner of Beach Glass Treasure. I started this company because of my son who has autism. For three years now, when Lake Erie isn’t frozen we walk the shore every day hunting for beach glass and it has been the most inspiring journey for both of us. Over the past year, I’ve created beach glass necklaces, charm bracelets, earrings, rosaries, and purse charms for women (in sterling silver), along with men’s beach glass necklaces, bracelets, and keychains, made using leather and stainless steel. We’ve participated in one Avant-Garde show, and more in the future.

The beach, my soon to be husband and my son inspire me the most to keep creating. I discovered this hobby when I just kept trying and figured it out along the way.  I create with an essence of the shore. If I have an idea when I begin my hunt for the beach glass it finds me in a way I cannot explain. Beach glass turned my hobby into a career and I love it. 

I plan to open a physical shop on Bridge Street in Ashtabula, Ohio by 2020. My jewelry is also in the Millcreek Mall in Erie, PA at the Le Petit Jewelry And Antique store until the end of 2019. By 2024 I plan to have the physical shop booming while continuing to branch out into other markets, keeping the website up and doing shows still. My message is this: be a rare treasure amongst the waves. Just like every human every piece of beach glass created into my jewelry is unique, one of a kind and has an extraordinary history. 

                                                  

2019 Rocky River Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday and Sunday, March 23 and 24, 2019

10:00am-5:00pm on Saturday

11:00am-5:00pm on Sunday

Rocky River Memorial Hall

21016 Hilliard Blvd.

Rocky River, OH 44116

For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com

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Find the perfect gift from these passionate crafters!

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 22 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 rescue cat named Puddin whom he recently acquired, 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 local pet stores, I used my sewing skills to begin creating 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 since become an expert sewer and now oversees all production for Addie’s Pup-Cessories.

We have participated in several Avant-Garde shows and love the organization! Initially I was participating in the shows as a handmade jewelry vendor, but after receiving a very positive response toward my pet accessories, I began to focus more on building a pet business and actually selling Addie’s Pup-Cessories. Our most recent event was the Columbus Avant-Garde show this past September, and you can catch us at both the Columbus and the Cleveland shows this coming holiday season.

Our furry friends are our inspiration! Both rescue pets Addie and Puddin’s stories have touched many hearts including our own. 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. Ten percent 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. After being introduced to members of OSU’s Fashion Production Association, I began working with professors and students my freshman year so I could learn how to sew and participate. 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. Inspired by the collars I was creating for Addie, Li taught himself how to sew recently and has become extremely talented at the craft.

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! Although we just recently launched 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 open an eBay store and launch our own webstore in the upcoming months. We would also love to get our products on store shelves and expand our distribution channels in the near future. My ultimate goal for several years from now is focus on Addie’s Pup-Cessories full-time.

Addie’s Pup-Cessories strives to be not only the leading provider of handmade pet accessories but also a voice and an advocate in helping spread awareness of 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. We strive to give back to our furry friends as much as possible and encourage others to become involved with their local animal shelters as well. Always choose adoption!

Meet Ann Raffis from Garden Glass by Ann...

As a full time nurse practitioner, I needed a stress relieving outlet and found one in creating beauty with recycling vintage glass. 

My garden glass flowers, put together from previous led loved dishes, bowls and plates, are 'growing' on a copper or rebar stem and meant to bring joy to your garden all year round. Bird feeders made from metal molds or cut glass bowls some of which are painted with stained glass like colors.

This will be my second Avant-Garde show and I look forward to many more. The Facebook page Garden Glass by Ann shows all of my pieces as well as updates on shows I'll be participating in. I love seeing what combinations I can bring together as well as sharing them with others!

Meet Laura Ivec from Laura's Specialty Jams...

In a nutshell, I am a recent graduate of John Carroll University with a major in Sociology & Criminology. After a couple years of relentless job searching, this past august, I finally found a great opportunity as a Clerical Specialist working for the Department of Advancement Services at The Cleveland State University. I could not be more excited for the opportunity to work in the city that I love! As a student in sociology, I have always been interested in the inter-workings of society and have found in recent years the emergent growth of various farmers’ markets within the Greater Cleveland area. With a love for community, a sense of adventure and an entrepreneurial spirit, I have become increasingly involved over the last couple of years within the local farmer's market venues. I value the opportunity to become one with my community and hope that by becoming more readily involved I can make a difference in people’s lives.

I have been canning since I was a small child. As kids my dad would tend to our small backyard family tomato garden and at the end of summer my brother, sister and I were in charge of harvesting the goods. My mom would then have us help her chop the tomatoes and she in turn would begin to boil them down creating her version of tomato sauce, showing us the steps along the way. Mom’s spaghetti is and will always be the very best. Hands down, my mom is the person who inspired me to get into this craft. She is always so energetic in the kitchen and is always searching to try new flavors and test new ideas.

After making a couple batches of random jam/jelly one day on a whim, I decided to bring it to my local farmer’s market; everyone loved it, and I sold every jar that day. The next week, I decided to bring it back again and after hearing how delicious it was from the buyers of the previous week, Laura’s Homemade Specialty Jams & Jelly’s was created. Since the summer of 2011 at my local farmer’s market (The Gordon Square Farmer's Market on Cleveland's West Side) I have been producing jams and jellies utilizing the fresh fruits and vegetables found at the surrounding farmer’s markets. The concept I had from my “project” as I call it, is to promote a healthier lifestyle by encouraging individuals to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables as well as to promote the lost art of canning. 

In recent months I have become even more involved in local farmer's markets including the Cleveland Flea Market and Holiday Short and Sweet Shop at Art House. I love being a part of the Greater Cleveland community and want to continue to be involved in even more local farmers markets in the future. I hope to one day be able to teach those interested in learning the basics of canning so that they too can pass on the tradition for generations to come.

I never really realized canning as a talent; I always thought until recent years that most people knew how to can fruits and vegetables as I grew up doing this. Then as the market season went on, I had more and more people come up to me to tell me how wonderful it was to see a younger person revitalizing the lost art. I had one gentleman say how much he loved lemons, and how he remembered having lemon marmalade a long time ago and how he wished he could find that in the supermarket. So I decided to try and recreate that for him; he came back the next as was so excited to see that I had done that for him, he just loved it. I also spend hours going through cookbooks, getting ideas and trying to put a unique spin on them to make them my own. I have so many great ideas I can’t wait to pursue.

The inspiration I have to create comes from a want to supersede the mundane. In my creation of jams & jellies, I want people to branch out and try new flavors instead of just the standard grape or strawberry jelly we are all accustomed to. Try the carrot cake, the apple pie, the habanero apricot! Let your taste buds get excited!

In five years I hope to see myself even more readily involved in more farmers markets and I hope that one day in the near future I may have the ability to open my own local business. I message I hope my work sends is just have fun! Live a little, experiment with flavors and really just support the community in which you live.

2014 Rocky River Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Sat. Nov. 15 (10am-5pm) & Sun. Nov 16 (11am-5pm)
Rocky River Memorial Hall (Next to Rec)
21016 Hilliard Blvd.

Rocky River, OH 44116
For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com
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Fresh, Fun and Funky Wearable Creations To Make A Statement

Meet Laura Keevan from It’s Ewe Baby! This Ain’t your Grandma’s Knitting…

My name is Laura Keevan and I am 44. I am a part-time server and full time mother & craftsperson. 

I think that fiber arts are in my DNA. My mother was an amazing craftswoman and my father an illustrator. They met in art school and both inspired me from a very young age to express myself creatively. My mother taught me to crochet when I was in elementary school and would had she not died when I was 14, I believe would have been a visionary in the knitting world. She is still, to me, the most accomplished knitter that I have ever known.

As most kids do, I wandered away from the crocheting but not from the art field. I majored in photography at Corcoran School of Art & Design in Washington DC and developed a passion for sewing and jewelry making in my spare time.

It wasn’t until 1999 that I taught myself to knit from a book, during cold Montana winters, holed up in a log cabin. Once I learned to knit I forgot everything else. I only recently started crocheting again when I became a volunteer teacher for the St. Mark’s Knitting and Crochet Club at St. Mark in West Park.

I absolutely love my time teaching these traditions to the new generations of girls. I am so proud of all the accomplishments they have made in the two years we have been a club

I have now been knitting for 14 years and I am compelled to knit as I am compelled to breathe. I cannot imagine a day NOT knitting or creating. I have the true spirit of an artist and knitting allows me to express that spirit with beautiful items that others can enjoy. Nothing brings me more joy and satisfaction than seeing someone wearing one of my items.

This will be my first, of hopefully many Avant –Garde shows and I am looking forward to introducing my knitting to a whole new audience.

I am not an arstist that needs to have a MESSAGE behind my work. I just want people to participate in the tactile experience of enjoying what I do. Pick up my pieces, hold them, try them on… and take them home! I knit to share joy. Plain and simple.

In five years I hope to have a set craft show season with set dates and I hope to create in the off season and conduct my off season eBay business. During the craft season (fall/winter) I hope to travel around NE Ohio and sell my wares. I want to get my online store up and running where I can take commission orders and eventually make enough money from these ventures to quit waitressing and go “full time” as a crafty mama.

Meet Karen Parker from Mysterious Me by KP…

My name is Karen Parker and my newly established company is “Mysterious Me by KP”.  I create unique, handmade jewelry designs and this Spring will be my first show with Avant-Garde.  I look forward to presenting my creations to the public, as well as becoming a regular artist with the Avant-Garde organization for upcoming events.  

I grew up in Parma and currently live further west in Avon Lake with my Fiancée and Son.  My full time job is an Operations Manager for a well known furniture retailer, as well as being a Mom.  In my spare time, my love is designing unique jewelry that is transitional and can be worn whether you are a business professional, full time Mom or a retired individual.  

You can wear my pieces with a simple t-shirt and allow the jewelry to be the focal point, or you can select a neutral piece that will compliment many pieces within your wardrobe or current jewelry collection.   I offer a customizable service for special occasions including weddings, graduations, anniversary or prom.  I would work with you to create a design incorporating the colors you have already selected, as well as taking into consideration your design preferences and your individual personality.

In the past, I would create pieces primarily for family, friends and co-workers, but recently I decided to turn it into a profitable part-time business after I discovered how popular and well-liked my pieces had become.   My inspiration cannot be pinpointed, it just hits me.   I may see something in nature where the lines or colors draw me in and give me ideas, but most of the time my designs just pop into my head.    When creating one of my designs, I invest a substantial amount of time ensuring that the colors compliment one another and making sure the scale of all components used, are in proper proportion.

My future goal for my business is to eventually have my product offered in local boutiques in the Cleveland area.   I recently published my own website www.mysteriousmebykp.weebly.com .  My designs are also featured in my shop on Esty.com, where I am always adding new product for the upcoming seasons.

The message behind my work is to provide you with a piece of art that will speak to your individual sense of style and allow you to express your sense of femininity.   Whether you are drawn to earthy stones or feminine, soft pearls, I try to offer a broad selection for everyone who enjoys an excellent quality, handmade piece of jewelry.    

Meet Emilie Collens Illson from Button Down Designs…

I began my button bracelet business exactly 8 years ago, quite by accident!  My four children were nearly raised, and my eldest son was half way through a year-long deployment to Iraq.  I was filled with anxiety.  At this point, I had been a serious antique collector for 35 years, but had never thought much about buttons.  All that changed on March 1, 2006, when I saw a button bracelet at a flea market, and thought to myself, “I could do that.  In fact, I think I could do it better!”  The next day, Button Down Designs was born.

Since then, I have made over 4300 button bracelets, mostly using buttons from the 1840 to 1940 time period.  My bracelets are entirely hand-sewn, and each one comes with a handwritten hang-tag, explaining about the buttons in that design.  I search far and wide for the buttons, buying most of them from Antique Dealers.  Each button is cleaned and sorted, then later designed into a bracelet.

My bracelets have been sold in two National Museum Shops, The Museum of American Folk Art, in Manhattan, and the Museum of Women in the Arts, in D.C.  Most bracelets are sold out of my home, or at the various Art Shows which I participate in.  This will be my first Avant Garde Show.

For the past four years I have also been giving Presentations to groups about the history of antique buttons.  Last year I spoke at 8 Public Libraries.  I have also presented to Historical Societies, Garden Clubs, Quilt Groups, Victorian Tea Societies, Red Hat Ladies and the Cleveland Museum of Art Textile Art Alliance.  During my interactive demonstration I focus on 9 different types of antique buttons, and I include museum-quality, period-appropriate household objects, which are passed around the audience.

I am contagiously enthusiastic about my work.  It is the perfect storm for my talents, combining my love of antiques and art with my passion for collecting, designing, and creating.  I do all my own photography, using my antique collections as props, and all my own writing on my ever-changing facebook page and website.

My BFA degree is in drawing and painting, earned from Denison University in 1973.  I grew up in Cleveland Hts., and graduated from Laurel School, where I am serving my 6^th year on the Alumnae Board.  When I was a student there I wrote and illustrated a book about the Amish, which was later published.

I work out of my Rocky River home, which I open up to customers on a daily basis.  I also host an Open House, every other month, with refreshments and house tour.  Guests often notice the Blue Star Banner in my window.  I am very proud of my son, an Airborne Army Ranger, who is still serving in the U.S. Army, “for love of country.”

I hope to continue creating my button bracelets and necklaces for many years to come.  After all, I was only 54 years old when I started, and I’m just beginning to get warmed up!

Meet Giovanna from Gems By Giovanna…

My name is Giovanna Elisabetta Maria Harris. Using the acronym GEM I chose Gems By Giovanna as my business name. I am a wife and mother of 2 teenage boys and live in Solon, OH.  I have been crafting(always something different) for over 20 years. I have tried so many different things that now as I think back I realize I have always had a need to create and express myself through many modes. Whether it be painting, sponging, stenciling, hodgepodge, cross-stitch, figurine painting, making my own wall-paper borders, installing flooring and trims, caulking, sanding, staining, refurbishing furniture, gardening, making handmade draperies, as well as sewing, lamp work, crocheting, beading and jewelry making.I seem to be inspired by life and people.

Anything and everything inspires me. I love sparkle and shine and also the simple things. My creativity starts with the planting of a seed. I take a simple process and add to it until I feel it is a complete piece of work. Then that same design can inspire a multitude of roots which all send me on different paths. I enjoy challenges and love to learn new things. It is hard for me to create a lot of one design. I prefer to create a piece and move on to the next. Most of my designs are one-of- kind and each one is a piece of me. I love to create and making original jewelry gives me great satisfaction.

I also love to crochet, which my lovely mother-in-law, although a knitter herself, provided me with the tools and a desire to learn. I am proud of my handmade crochet purses which was a completely self-taught process, including; lining, hand made straps, cell phone holder, zippered pocket and magnetic closure.I started beading about 15 years ago by taking a beading class making ornament covers. They were so fun I made a zillion of them for friends and family. 

After moving to Ohio approximately 5 yrs ago and being a stay at home mom, I found I had time to let my creativeness poor out. I began making beaded jewelry and lamp work beads for family and friends and then decided it was time to take my craft more seriously.  

I opened an etsy site;  gemsbygiovanna.etsy.com My own site, gemsbygiovanna.vpweb.com, as well as participating in craft shows throughout the year. I feel this is just the beginning for me, and I am excited to see where this road leads me. I love to teach my techniques and hope my designs will inspire future crafters. Many of the techniques and designs that I use have been around for centuries and need to be taught to others so they can be around for centuries more. The feeling you get of making something yourself should be experienced by everyone. I hope my designs create a feeling in you to make something beautiful today.

 

2014 West Side Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday & Sunday, March 22nd and 23rd, 2014, 10:00am-5:00pm

Rocky River Memorial Hall

21016 Hilliard Blvd.

Rocky River, OH 44116

For more information, contact Becki Cooper, Event Coordinator at info@avantgardeshows.com

Visit us on:

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Spring Artists and Crafters to Showcase

Meet Kelly Jobes of Copper Pig...

I always made things, crafts or art. I'll be married for 21 years this spring, and I have a 7 year old son who is all action all the time! I'm lucky to be able to stay home full time, and still don't have enough time to craft as much as I would like! I hooked rugs when I was about 8 and have done one thing or another since then. This will be my first Avant-Garde Show!

I find crafting calming and that's why I stay inspired to do it. I found my interest in crafting by looking at certain things and thinking to myself, "how could I do that differently?" 

I discovered that this was a talent once people started stopping me and asking me where I got my pieces and if they could purchase some as well. My creative process is simply having an "everything all at once" way of processing ideas. I start out with A, B, and C and then think "what if I used D, E, F, G....." then I wonder "how about changing A to M and adding K..." and before I know it, I have every piece of everything out and then I'm starting 2 other pieces at the same time because they appeared in my mind while looking to make the first.

                          

The message behind my work is for people to feel that art & crafts are fun. Enjoy them, make them, wear them! Within the next five or so years, I'd like to make my art into a business.

Meet Joan Satow, A Watercolor Artist...

I was born and raised in Northeast Ohio (Cleveland area) and earned my Bachelor of Science Degree in Visual Communications from Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio. I also attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh through Ashland University's "College Affiliate Program", where my main focus of study was Commercial Art. 

 Since childhood, I have always shown a strong art interest. Currently, I am a full-time Graphic Designer with a local publishing company, and part-time Watercolor Artist.  Over the last six years I have re-visited my interest in fine art skills and have been actively building a new body of work in Watercolor Painting.

I enjoy it very much and dream about a future of more painting – a wonderful escape from the digital/technical aspect of Graphic Design.  It is very easy for me to become engrossed and loose track of time and reality – being "in the zone".  

Continued learning is a vital part of staying alive creatively. Knowledge is power!  Attending classes with local Watercolor Artists, Nancy Notarianni and Jeff Suntala, workshops with Bob Moyer, and studying books and videos of Charles Reid, (all painting styles and techniques I greatly admire), challenge my brain with a real workout!

My painting style of choice is a fresh, painterly, loose and impressionistic style.  This is always a goal I strive for but do not always achieve.  Subjects include organic forms, nature-inspired objects, scenics, landscapes, seascapes, still life, and florals along with architectural themes, "house portraits", animals, "pet portraits", and abstract themes.  My subject references are taken from both photographs and "plein air".  Commission work is always welcomed! 

This will be my first Avant-Garde Arts & Crafts Show.  I will be offering both reproduction prints and original watercolor paintings in a wide variety of subjects and sizes and commission orders.  Gift certificates are also available.

Meet Sandy & Monica of Triple-C Sweets...

Our names are Sandy and Monica. We are a Mother-Daughter duo with a love for sweets. Sandy is a mother of 3 and grandmother of 6. Who has been retired for 3 years. Monica is a mother of a 21 month old, as well as a Step-Mother to 9 & 8 year olds. 

We have both been in the kitchen baking, cooking & creating goodies from love with our Mom’s and Aunt’s since we were young! This will be our 3rd Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show we have attended so far!

                     

Inspiration comes to us from all over, whether it is the design on a Bride’s dress, school colors for the Graduate going off to college or even an edible image of the Birthday person, we love to incorporate a special item for an event into our treats. We have always loved to be in the kitchen creating sweet treats. In her 20’s, Sandy took at candy making class. Monica has also taken some cake decorating classes through the years. After our classes, we were hooked. The feedback from our family and friends is how we discovered that this was our talent!

We are creative by trying something new, i.e. a new recipe or design. We have tried many different ideas that sounded perfect in our heads. But, did not quite workout how we expected in real life. Luckily, we have great taste testers around us to help us with our creative process.

In 5 years, we'd like to be doing this full-time as a business! Let us make something sweet for your next event or to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Meet Francine Ruth of Jewelry by Francine...

I work full time for an insurance company and during my spare time I create jewelry.  I consider myself as a self-taught metalsmith who works in traditional metalsmithining techniques. I've been creating jewelry for about 7 years now and doing art shows for the past 4 years.

Everything around me inspires me. From the patterns on a floor, to the jewelry my Grandmother wore. I love to create jewelry which every woman can wear! I started creating fine jewelry as a way to break out of the right brain sided corporate world. 

I have always been creative, even as a little girl. It wasn't until I created jewelry for a friend's bridal party that I realized people enjoyed wearing my designs and the rest is history. For my creative process, I primarily work in sterling and accent in high carat gold.  The materials I work with are chosen so that the end piece is elegant, feminine and refined.

My current work, influenced by nature, is polished and has a classic feel.  My work has grown out of my own maturity as well as an appreciation for the jewelry worn by my Mother. I am challenging the perception of art jewelry by standing near time honored, classic pieces, which have an added bit of fun!

In the next 5 years, I would like to be doing some of the top art shows in the country and would like to see my work in more galleries across the country. I want my jewelry to express that jewelry shouldn't take a one size fits all approach and that it should be fun to wear!

2014 West Side Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday & Sunday, March 22nd and 23rd, 2014, 10:00am-5:00pm

Rocky River Memorial Hall

21016 Hilliard Blvd.

Rocky River, OH 44116

For more information, contact Becki Cooper, Event Coordinator at info@avantgardeshows.com

Visit us on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

LINKEDIN