Dont Miss it! Rocky River Show is this Weekend!

Meet David Spigiel from Transfigure Trees...
My name is David Spigiel, and I have lived in Northern Northeast Ohio all my life. I am married, with three grown children. I retired some years ago after working for 32 years. 

I've been wood turning since September 2017. This will be my first Avant Garde art and craft show! Inspiration for my work comes from the outcome of the transfiguration of dead trees into exquisite pieces of art. The unexpectedness of how the wood grains and natural blemishes reveal themselves, and help me to create a unique piece every time. I got into this hobby because we live on a larger tree lot and I had an older lathe. I wanted to use the word for something other than the fire pit. I was amazed at the outcomes, and how I so naturally took to it. That is how I discovered my talent.

My family and friends greatly encouraged me to sell my pieces, which had been only given as wedding, birthday, thank you gifts, and the like. My creative process involves choosing a piece of wood for the size and length for what I wish to make (bowl, candlestick, vase, lamp, etc.). I create based on the unique natural shape of the wood. If the bark is interesting, I leave it. If the grains are spectacular, I'll showcase those. The wood guides me, as much as I guide the wood. I will continue wood turning as long as I am able, as I enjoy this. I hope my pieces make people happy and give them a better appreciation of nature.

Meet Kili from My Turquoise Kitten...

Ive always been a creative child, with a passion for color and design. No matter where i ended up in life, art was always a constant. I opened My Turquoise Kitten a year and a half ago, but crafting... since FOREVER! This will be my second Avant-Garde show. Life inspires me. What makes us happy? How can my pieces be conversation starters? I got into my hobby from a woman who made beaded bracelets and I was inspired. I knew I had the creative aptitude just didn't know that I could share it with others! 

My entire inventory is based from fun and function. Whats cute but still functional. I am inspired by real life things and situations.  I like comics but I'm always toting something around. Comic page inspired tote bags. Fun foods... wear em! I'm always observing and pitting something together. 

Within the next five years I hope to expand. Expansion! Being an amazon seller has allowed me to reach people all over the country with my amazing products. I would love to open a small retail space in the future. My message behind my work is, "accessorize better, laugh and have fun!"

Meet Edy Seaman from Long Way Home Studios...

Hi there! My name is Edy Seaman and I am a native of Canton, Ohio. I am fortunate enough to call myself the proud parent of four incredible children ranging in age from 16 to 31. My handsome and sweet husband and I have been married for 33 amazing years. 

I have been a maker of things for as long as I can remember. From scrap paper pompoms in the back of my parents printing shop to the lovely glass and metal jewelry I create now. My hands have to always be making something. My creative journey has led me in many directions but I always seem to end up back at personal adornment. After owning Edybeady’s Bead Shoppe and Terra Potta Pottery Studio for seven years, I have returned to full time work in my studio, Long Way Home Studios. Not only am I producing new and exciting things there but am using it as a place to teach, share and inspire other creative souls.

My work is comprised of ideas, techniques and skills acquired over the past 35 years of creative exploration. My approach to jewelry at this point in my creative life is simple yet beautiful and easy to wear. Jewelry should not be high maintenance. The products shown in the photos are made using the techniques of lampworking, enameling and metal-smithing. I combine different materials and techniques in much of my work. This Will be my second Avant-Garde Arts and Crafts show and I am really excited to participate.

Meet Miriam Hall from Emme's Zanny Plants...

My name is Miriam Hall and I absolutely love succulents! Science and nature have always fascinated me but plants are especially dear to me. Growing up in Latin America and having lived in several states in the US has allowed me to experience such a variety of plant life; going from the tropics of the Amazon and the Rainforest in Costa Rica to the desert areas of California and the beauty of the four seasons in the Midwest. The thing about succulents that is so amazing to me is their ability to stay alive through the harshest conditions. Recently my mom and dad were working in Brazil in the Sertão, a semi-arid region about 1.5 times larger than the state of Texas, and my dad sent me a picture of a cactus flower growing right out of the ground.

This is my first Avant-Garde Show, in fact, its my first art and craft show ever. I’ve always enjoyed doing crafts, painting, drawing, crocheting, woodworking, etc. In 2017 my mother-in- law was given a succulent garden arrangement that was so unique and creative and that was when I got hooked! Shopping at thrift stores throughout the central Ohio area looking for containers that will highlight succulent arrangements has become quite an adventure that has become a whole family affair. I have no idea how long this journey will last but I look forward to every minute of it.

2018 Rocky River Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Sat. April 21 (10am-5pm) & Sun. April 22 (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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These Artists Add a Little Spice to Life!

Meet Lauren from The Blonde Italian...

My name is Lauren, mother of two daughters that have been my inspiration for creating recipes and tasty enhancements. We Cook. We are kitchen people!! Two of my 8 products are named after my daughters: Giavanna's GARDEN GARLIC Seasoning & Sister Mia's SAVORY SALSA

I am self-taught. I make everything myself and hold a Commercial Food Manufacturing License from The Ohio Department of Agriculture. All of my sauces are my original recipes.There are no fillers or other sauces within my sauces. No gluten, msg, trans fats, meats, or animal stock (a couple sauces have dairy/ cheese).

 I felt I had talents I was not using. Raising my daughters was my only focus.. Now they are nearly grown up and all of this just came pouring out of me. The first 1-2 years was teaching myself how. Now, I have been selling my sauces for 13 months. I started with designing a website / blog showing step by step demos with pictures of how to cook with my products. It has evolved into more and will continue to change.  You can purchase/ship via paypal right from my website. There is also a list of stores that carry my foods. It will be a full blown online store with more items added in 2014. I am also a self- taught seamstress. My kitchen related, sewn designs will be featured on my website next year, right after I clone myself.

Meet Tris Mihalik from IndoDesigns...

My name is Tris Mihalik, I worked as SAS computer programmer in IT (Information Technology) company for over ten years. Although I loved my job, I have always dreamed of having a small home based business selling the  handmade goods, I love to create. So the timing was right to pursue my dream when I resigned from my position and moved to Ohio to get married. I do love working from home, helping my husband with his small business and just spending good creative quality time with my husband and 17 month old daughter. I grew up with a mom who is a professional seamstress. My mom and I even made my BEAUTIFUL wedding dress, which I was so proud to wear on my big day! She has taught me so much about sewing, but most importantly she taught me the importance of using good quality materials, taking pride in my work and that paying attention to the details is the most important thing in the end. I am grateful that I can do what I enjoy. I have been doing this since January 2011 and this will be my first Avant-Garde Show!

I was looking for something I could do from home and so I started asking my friends for ideas of things to create. I (with my husband help) came up with my first idea of making "The Complete Handmade coupon Organizer with a detailed shopping list".
Then I joined the Etsy website, to try selling them and was so surprised how many people loved my coupon organizer and how quickly they were selling. This got me so excited and motivated, so I kept thinking what else could I create to help people and make life easier? Then I came up with "The Complete Handmade Cash Budget Organizer with detailed Cash Expenses List" and "The Complete Handmade Bill Organizer with Calendar and Bill detailed List". It is just so fun to make handmade things and get the great positive feedback from my customers about how they love my crafts. That makes me want to create more. That's why I keep trying to make other new unique crafts to add to my IndoDesigns shop collection on Etsy. 

I have always enjoyed making handmade things since I was a little, everyone in my family was "handy" and would try making the things we needed. It was also nice to make things to give to family or friends. I just feel great when I am doing crafts and creating things. It's so challenging in the creating and developing stages and then so rewarding in the end when you have a finished product that you created. I admire people who are so creative and come up with great ideas making so many cool crafts. I have always loved to give something unique or different as birthday/holiday gift to my family and friends, so I'm always thinking of what they need and then try to make it.

I’m just always looking and thinking about where there is a need for something to be created from scratch or how to make something just a little bit better or more useful. After getting an idea then it’s challenging to get the creative wheels spinning and figure out how to make it. There’s trial and error for sure but then sticking with it until I figure it out. In the end all the time and effort is usually worth it. I would like to keep being creative, design new things that are useful and practical for people. Maybe, hopefully not only selling my crafts online, but I would like to have a little craft store. I also hope to do more craft shows and meet other artisans and people who appreciate handmade things. 

The message behind my work is that buying and having handmade items is just so much more rewarding then buying things off a shelf at a store. Having a "one of a kind" or unique item just makes you feel better (you’re also helping an independent artist.) I hope more and more people will find that my handmade things are not just beautiful but also useful, unique, practical and really well made. And that they will appreciate all the effort, patience, time and love that I invest in making crafts. 

Meet Barb and John from JB Wood 'n Craft...

JB Wood ‘n Craft is a small company creating hand-crafted wooden items for garden and home.  We design and make all of our products ourselves, using locally rescued/re-purposed wood for our products whenever possible; including vintage barn wood, recycled cedar fencing, rescued hardwoods and wooden pallets. 

We offer a wide range of items for gardeners (trellises, tuteurs, planters, etc.) and bird enthusiasts (bird houses and feeders) as well as culinary products for smoking/grilling, preparing and serving food (wood chips and planks, herb sets, cutting boards, serving trays, etc.) We take great pride in the originality and uniqueness of our products as well as in their design and the quality of their construction. 

2013 West Side Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday & Sunday, November 16th and 17th, 2013, 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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