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

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Introducing the 2012 West Side Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show!

Meet Alyssa Kyle from Alyssa's Cupcake Confections...

My name is Alyssa Kyle. I am 23 years old, and am the owner of "Alyssa's Cupcake Confections." I've been in business for five years. For the most part I am self taught. I am home-based but sell my cupcakes at various farmers markets, art shows, and events at Gale's Garden Center in Westlake. I also cater special orders, showers, weddings etc... I teach cupcake baking & decorating classes as well. I love the creativity of inventing cupcake flavor combinations, baking them, and decorating them in unique ways. My mom is my partner and was instrumental in helping me begin Alyssa's Cupcake Confections five years ago. She handles the business end, created my website and is my decorating consultant.

In addition to baking, I love to write, read, scrapbook, hike, garden and cook. I also enoy yoga and acting in local theaters.  I am a volunteer

for The Rocky River Nature Center.

My creativity I inherited it from my mother. She's the most creative person I know. When I was growing up, she ran a kid's craft camp, sold her crafts at art shows, and wrote a craft article for a local newspaper, and always came up with creative projects when she was a Girl Scout Leader. She and I have been baking since I was little, especially around the holidays.

How I got into my hobby... I've always loved baking desserts since I was a little girl. My mom and I would bake and decorate tons of sugar cookie designs for parties at school. As I got older, my passion for sweets grew. I took cake decorating and baking classes, and developed a particular interest in cupcakes. I started bringing them to the theater I used to act in, as well as family parties.  They were always a huge hit!

How I started my business... I decided, on a whim, to try selling them one day at Crocker Park Farmer's Market. I sold out: 100 cupcakes in 2 hours.  Everyone asked for my website, brochures, and business cards. Before I knew it, my business was born.

My creative process... Well, it begins with coming up with flavors. I am inspired by other desserts and think about how I could incorporate them into cupcakes. Then we try out and tweak many recipes before choosing the perfect one. Then my mom and I sketch out designs for how they should look.  Our cupcakes are visually appealing and unique. We think they should look as good as they taste!

We have over 150 flavors including cakes, frostings, fillings, glazes and adornments. I have favorites from each category. If I had to choose one, I really love Pina Colada, S'mores, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Orange Honey Harvest and Egg Nog. I also love custom decorating for theme parties and special events. I try at each event to donate a portion of my profits to various charities.

My goal is that I plan to open up a store front someday.

The message behind my work is to have fun with your choices, think outside the box and be creative.  Anyone who has tried my cupcakes can tell how much I love doing this and I take pride in their enjoyment of my flavors and designs.  My favorite quote is "To Enjoy the Flavor of Life Take Big Bites" Robert Heinlien. 

Meet Jim Matzorkis from The Dreed Squap/International Dada Entertainment Company...
At my best, I am a clown made out of rubber.  I like to do my best to like, hug the world around me with my psychic powers and hopefully, it's effective.  Sometimes it feels like no matter what I do I'm dancing and it's so friggin cool.  At my worst, I become a cranky little kid that doesn't like anything or anybody and just wants to go home no matter how much fun everyone esle is having.  Usually that happens when I'm starved for sleep or food.


I believe I get my creativity from my dreams.. And self analysis. And symbolic juxtaposition. And emotional outbursts. And conspiracy theories.


My creative process.. I try to keep myself on my toes. It's actually alot like trying to set myself up to accidentally stumble into the proper zone.  The first step is definetely to respect yourself and the medium, and then there's a process of interaction between artist and medium and it's based on mutual respect but it isn't rule-bound. For me, it's usually like feeling my way around until I feel like I've established contact or communication if that makes sense.  Then I kind of "read into" what's going on in the painting and try to bring it out so other people can see what I see, and then in that process other stuff starts coming out and eventually the space is full.  

Other times I come with a theme in mind, like I did in "Girl Consoles Clown" or "Child's View from Cradle."  I came to those paintings with ideas I'd written down in notebooks earlier, and more of a plan, which was weird for me at first because I'm so used to just pouring random energy into things, but really the framework doesn't squelch the noise, it just puts it in a context.  Still, it was a total challenge for me because I don't mimic reality well, so I had to fake it and erase it over and over and over again until something comes to life and usually I think it's just being nice because I'm trying so hard.  

When it comes to favorite items, I can't really have a favorite, that's like asking a dad to say which is his favorite kid, but you will see in this blog, photos of some of the coolest stuff I have ever made - these represent a great deal of time, energy and inspiration to me.  

The first piece is called "Knowledge of Evil."  I had a plan when i came to the canvass to make it like a black version of Child's View From Cradle, so instead of parents, there would be members of the Church, State, and Corporate Business community reaching into the baby's cradle, but instead the red blobs that were going to represent these characters, and began to take the form of eyes, DNA, the body of a bull, And this salivating bearded girl with a lazy eye that appeared to be hypnotized by something far away over my right shoulder and maybe she was holding a knife, also there was the head of a snake, all these skeletons and egyptian masks, a little green owl, and this waterfall who was a girl crying and they all seemed to be babbling gibberish with vearious emotional undertones and I felt like I couldn't do anything wrong it was so much fun.  

The second one is called "Girl Consoles Clown" and that was about the time I got my bike stolen outside of an anarchist conference of all things, and it really was after a long period of time when I was trying to be proactive politically and within my community, and really trying to believe in the idea that even if I didn't have very much money I could just go out into the world and put good energy into things and people would feel it and it would come back to me. 

I'd locked the thing up-- I really had, and I was just so upset I was a total wreck!  I had a very erratic inflow of cash and now I'd lost my only way of getting around and I was so pissed off on the bus ride home. I could have screamed and cried and late at night on the way into the transit center, it really was like a little girl was reaching up to me with a handkerchief going "don't cry, people can be just awful" and I really wanted to capture that.  

At first it was just blue and pink energy because, like I said I don't know how to represent things on purpose very well, but THEN after a couple of bursts I really started to see the clown and the girl and I sat with that thing in my lap many evenings and it was fun, but she was so small I couldn't put a face on her no matter how hard I tried.      

My goal is to just keep growing as an artist.  I really don't have very high financial aspirations, but I'd like to sell enough of my artwork so that I can take enough time off of work to really focus on art.  Some time over the next couple years, look for "An Official Contribution to Western History," a musical score based on logical feedback loops i discovered on a park bench after receiving a rejection letter.     

The message behind my work, "Watch out for those imaginary locked doors"

Meet Nancy Abrahamson from Jazzy Jewelry...

When I was growing up, I was never very artistic. I still draw only stick figures and elephants. So when I discovered that I had talent making jewelry, I was so excited! I enjoy sharing this experience with others by having them over to my home for what I term "Snack & Playtime." I provide a home-cooked treat and guide women through making earrings, bracelets or necklaces. I especially love when someone comes to my home saying, "I can't do this. I'm not talented." They go home wearing something they made and we both feel good about it.


When my daughter was a junior in high school she went to Costa Rica with AFS as a foreign exchange student. At that time, I began selling jewelry as a way to help pay for her year abroad. I've been making and selling jewelry for about 4 years.

Since then, I've run a jewelry-making craft time for my church ladies' retreat for the past two years. They dubbed my craft session "Jazzy Jewelry" and the name has just stuck.

I believe I get my creativity from God.  He hard-wired me.

How I got into my craft.. I went to a craft show and bought some jewelry. After examining it, I wondered if I could do something similar. So I experimented a bit. I've never taken a class; I'm a self-taught artist. I'd like to take classes sometime to learn more intricate techniques.

My creative process... I see certain beads and think, "I wonder how this would look if I mixed it with..."

My most favorite item that I've crafted is a crazy-lace agate heart pendant necklace which I recently sold. Check out the picture above!

My passion is to share some beauty with others and share the joy of creating. I get excited when I see others enjoy the creative process, and I learn from them as well. I think I get as much from sharing as I give. I've gotten some good ideas for design from women that I've had over to my home.

My message behind my work is that beauty is readily available. I try to keep my prices reasonable so that more people can own something I've created. I'm also into guiding women through the process of making their own jewelry.

Check out these featured vendors at the 2012 West Side Summer Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. This eclectic show will feature over 170 of the most talented artisans and crafters. A portion of the show's proceeds will be donated to the Cleveland Animal Protective League, for animal rescue.

2012 West Side Summer Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Sunday, July 29, 2012, 11:00am-6:00pm

Wagner's Country Inn

30855 Center Ridge Rd. 

Westlake, OH 44145

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

Visit us on:

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TWITTER

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The Art & Craft of Personal Expression

Meet April Bleakney from APEMADE…

I am a 26 year old female, Kentite, screen printer, artist, history nerd, dog lover...

In my free time I take care of my 2 beagles, volunteer at Zygote, volunteer with youth programs, (work a part time job) love to eat/cook, travel, music, family. But most of my time is spent creating things.

I've been making things since I can remember. I've really been creating art since I was a kid. I received a lot of encouragement from my family and friends. I graduated from Kent with a BFA in Fine Arts (Printmaking as my concentration). The decision to turn it into a career developed very organically. I started printing tees for fun, put some pictures on Facebook, and the rest is history. My business was officially registered in June of 2011.

My creative process can vary greatly depending on what medium I am working in. For screen designs, I usually start by drawing my design on paper first, then scan it into digital format and alter digitally if necessary.

What is your most favorite item that you have ever produced? Oh, no way I could pick ONE favorite item.

My goal is to socially promote local pride and consciousness and create compelling visual art.  Personally, my goals are to continue to develop work that makes a statement about American and world issues (and hopefully be able to financially support myself in the process!).

The message behind my work is honest depictions of local daily life, with compelling visuals.  Humor and sarcasm welcome.  

For more of my work visit my etsy shop at: APEMADE or email me at: apemadeohio@gmail.com

Meet Christine Taylor and Mary Taylor from CMandMJewelry…

CMandMJewelry is made of 2 sisters who love jewelry. Christine 37, and Mary 25, have been making and selling jewelry for over 5 years now. We were both born and raised in Maryland, not far from Washington DC. We moved to Ohio with our parents when they retired a few years ago.

Our creativity runs in the family. Our mother has always been into crafting. I (Christine) learned to crochet at an early age. We always had crafts to do. A lot of our Christmas decorations in the past have been handmade. Mary and I have worked in craft stores in the past, and that lets you try out and see all the different craft and hobbies out there.

We actually got into crafting when we found a great bead shop in Virginia. We started as collectors at first. Soon after, we found a couple good beading books and began learning new techniques. We were hooked! We have been selling since about 2005, and our goal as a company is to not have to work for someone other than ourselves!

Our creative process is as follows: Mary has all her beads organized in boxes. She sits on the floor with the boxes around her in a semi-circle. She pokes around and arranges them on a bead board. I (Christine) usually start with a color, or a certain pendant, and go from there. I also use a bead board to plan out my designs.

  

After we had been crafting for a while we got started selling our craft. We heard about Etsy through our older sister who made and sold soaps on the site. We looked into it and set up shop.

The message behind our work is the belief that when you wear a piece of jewelry, you are showing the world a piece of your heart. Jewelry is something personal and unique to each individual.

Meet Annie Clouse from The Playful Peacock...

Hello, my name is Annie Clouse and I am a middle school art teacher in the Cleveland area. I adore teaching art, especially to middle school students (they are so much fun)! I also love my wonderful husband of two years and our lazy pups, Winston and Willow. We are constantly trying to save our pennies to travel and see more of this world, but our daily life consists of talking, eating, and laughing together. 

I have loved working creatively with my hands, regardless of the task, for as long as I can remember. I have drawn all of my life, but I have tried many other art forms as well, including metal sculpture and glass-blowing. I have a deep respect for good design, and I am always attracted to vibrant color. I graduated from Kent State University with a Fine Art degree in Art Education and while I love the field, the school setting can be limiting for personal art expression. 

How I got Started- A coworker and good friend asked if I would help out at our school district’s after-prom and give the kids henna tattoos. I agreed and found that the more I practiced the pretty little designs, the more I fell in love with the art form. I had so much fun giving tattoos the night of prom, that I wanted it to be more than just a one-time event. I practiced more henna and looked into starting a small business to do more events. I am thankful to have met a lot of interesting people and have gotten to share the beautiful art of mehndi with them. I love that this art is interactive. It may come from my mind, but once it’s on your hand it becomes part of you, and I love being able to give that gift.

Check out these featured vendors at the 2012 Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. This eclectic show will feature over 135 of the most talented artisans and crafters. A portion of the show's proceeds will be donated to Project Night Night, an organization that provide care packages and support for children during times of home displacement.

2012 Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Sunday, April 29, 2012, 10:00am-5:00pm

Wagner's Country Inn

30855 Center Ridge Rd. 

Westlake, OH 44145

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