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.