My name is Alex Draven. I've always wanted to be an artist and would settle for nothing less. Taking my childhood influences and passions, I have built a name for myself in both the art and artisan worlds. I split my time between sculptures, watchmaking and commissions, leaving time for very little else, though at the end of the day I see it as all being well worth it.
I have been a jewler since 2002, watchmaker since 2003, while taking classes as a metalsmith at The University of Akron. I opened Exquisite Corpse Boutique officially in 2004 after walking out of an interview with Sterling vowing to never restrict myself in those regards but realizing I will need to support myself and my passions.
This will be my first time with the Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show, I have only recently decided to vend at more shows. I'm interested in returning to my roots and having a local presence once again, rather than doing all my buisness outside the state/country.
I pull inspiration from anything and everything. I seek out inspiration from past and current artists, lines in books that spark a certain something, or our greatest resource, the dream. My creative process is what I would describe as theroputic, psychotic, and obsessive.
I decided I wanted to start my own business when realized I could make a lot of money and become successful in my work while I participated in a holiday sale for my metalsmithing class in school. Since then, I have not stopped or slowed down.
I like creating something the world hasn't seen before, the alchemic birth from another plane. Every stage of the process has its own seperate love/hate, and I usually look forward to both. With my artwork, I typically have an idea or theme that means something to me. However, I leave it to the viewer to walk away with a message that speaks to them.
Meet Daryna Kutuza from Barvinok Designs...
Welcome to the world
of Barvinok Designs! Where unique designs meet creativity and the pursuit of
excellence in jewelry making, utilizing the very best of freshwater
pearls and semi-precious stones, as well as gold and silver plated materials. We
strive to provide the best that nature has to offer in a way that is just too
good to resist.
Our delightful products range from exquisite earrings
to necklaces and bracelets. Handmade by a small team of artisans based in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, our goal is to create organic jewelry that
can be worn for any and all occasions. Be warned, you just might never want to
take it off.
Barvinok is the
Ukrainian word for both the color and the flower called Periwinkle. We are very
proud of our Ukrainian origins and in love with the unique color that is
represented by this name.
Between birthdays
and graduations, holidays and special events, there are many opportunities for
making someone smile with a unique and heartfelt gift. Yet I am at a loss for
words at the things that I stumble across in stores, especially when it comes
to jewelry. Most jewelry seemed to be made by machines in some distant
countries and were so mass produced and flimsy that my heart broke at the
thought of spending any amount of money on such things.
When I first began
making jewelry, it was out of desperation for not being able to buy things that
I thought my friends would like. One day, instead of buying yet another
overpriced necklace for a friend's sixteenth birthday, I found a pair of flat nose
pliers and a spool of wire my father had lying around in his garage and decided
to make something special myself. Using the stone chips out of a bracelet I had
broken not too long ago, I created the first of our signature pieces, the Tree
of Life that is now the centerpiece of our homemade fashion.
When my friends
saw what I had made, they all wanted something similar as well, and then other
people at school took notice of it. Soon I was taking requests for specific
jewelry pieces, expanding beyond trees. I began reinvesting my gains into the
best quality materials available – none of the cheap imported materials that
frustrated me so much in the past.
Over the next two years this small time
hobby grew into a jewelry making business that strives to help others share the
joy of personalized gifts that can be made to order for any occasion and are at
the utmost peak of quality and fashion. With the help of my mother and
cofounder, Roksolyana Zabolotna, we are the artists in residence of
the company with our dear friend and business manager, Ihor Koval, who is
helping us to spread the message of quality jewelry at affordable prices.
Welcome to the world of my imagination and the best of creation – Barvinok
Designs!
Meet Shannon Boyle from S&N Jewelry Box...
When Shannon was six years old, her mother bought her a craft box filled with beads and findings. Little did her mom know that twenty some years later, her daughter would still be creating jewelry.
S&N's Jewelry Box was started by Shannon Boyle and Nick Zeletski in 2010. The duo specializes in creating affordable, unique, beaded jewelry. S&N’s Jewelry Box typically uses semi-precious stones, glass beads, crystals and vintage beads in their one-of-a-kind pieces. While in college, Shannon joked if she did not find a job in her field she would resort to moving to the beach to sell jewelry. Five years later, Shannon is making jewelry with her loving and supporting fiancé Nick, who pushed her to do what she was passionate about, creating jewelry. The two are not living at the beach, but are motivated to do big things.
The Summit County Winter Show is S&N’s Jewelry Box first time participating in an Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. The team currently participates in craft shows and festivals in the Pittsburgh area and the couple enjoy doing home parties. One day they hope to own an all artisan shop or consignment store.
Meet Rachel Balko from The Queen B Collection...
I am a
25-year-old professional who has enjoyed living in Akron, OH for my entire
life. By day I work as an Associate Buyer at Sterling Jewelers, Inc., however I
am always looking for different ways to nourish my creative spirit outside of
my 9-5 gig. I graduated with a degree in Voice Performance from Kent State
University in 2010, and have enjoyed having more time to spend in my craft room
since.
I have
always enjoyed crafting and began beading, crocheting, embroidering, sewing—you
name it, I’ve done it— at a very young age. I remember selling handmade jewelry
and pot holders at a family garage sale when I was around 10 years old, so even
though I only began The Queen B Collection this past July, my entrepreneurial
interest is nothing new. I officially opened my Etsy shop and ramped up my
business in late July, and I have really enjoyed it so far. It is so humbling
to know that ladies enjoy wearing my designs as much as I enjoy making them.
This will
be my first Avant-Garde event! I am particularly excited to be a part of this Avant-Garde Art and
Craft Show, because it is the first time I will be showing my collection ‘live
and in person’, rather than online. The Tangier is such a great venue for a
show—crafts and cocktails, what could be better? :)
There is
plenty of creativity in my family; I would say I am blessed to get my
creativity from both of my parents and my grandmothers. My mom and I enjoyed
working on craft and sewing projects together when I was young, and my dad and
I both have a deep love and appreciation for music. I also remember working on
projects with my grandmothers, aunts and Great-Aunt Pat throughout my
childhood. My entire family has always encouraged me to nurture my creative
side, whether it be music or crafting, and I feel very lucky to have their
support in my creative endeavors.
I can’t
pinpoint exactly what sparked my interest in the craft hobby. It is something
that I have been interested in as far back as I can remember. My favorite gifts
when I was little were the ones that allowed me to create: big boxes of colored
beads, weaving loom sets, even a big box of crayons and coloring books—I loved
anything that would keep my hands busy (and I’m sure my mom appreciated them
too).
I think
beginning a business with some kind of craft was inevitable for me. I put my
hobby on hold throughout college to focus on music, and my 2011 wedding really
sparked things back up. I designed and created my own wedding invitations and
included a lot of creative touches throughout the event. A friend of mine
helped me make handmade jewelry for all of my bridesmaids as their thank you
gift, and my interest in making jewelry began there. A few months later, my
best friend got engaged and asked me to be her MOH. She wanted a lot of DIY
touches in her wedding, but didn’t have the creative knowhow that I tend to.
So, I spent a lot of time on projects for her vintage-inspired day like making
her brooch bouquet (see photo) and bouquets of storybook roses. After
that event, I decided to really focus on jewelry. Soon I realized I had created
an unintentional buzz over my designs, and decided to take everyone’s advice
and start selling!
I am
inspired most by the women in my life who I am close to and their personal
styles/tastes. For example, one of my closest friends is a fun mix of
attitudes—classic, flirty and just a little bit edgy. She inspired a bracelet
design that includes pearls, rhinestones and different sizes of chain link
wrapped in leather cording. The result is just like her personality and
something I could see her loving to wear. I also gather inspiration from the
fashion that is on trend today. I love following personal style blogs to
educate myself on what colors and trends are hot right now. Macramé is making a
big comeback, so I’ve been working with a few different new designs that
incorporate an update to the knotted technique.
I love making custom pieces after a
conversation with a customer about their personal style and attitude—getting to
know them a bit. I especially love making bridal jewelry that fits the bride’s
vision for her day perfectly. My favorite thing about creating handmade jewelry
is knowing that when a person wears a Queen B piece, they know that no one has
anything that it exactly like it. No two pieces are ever identical, and I
rarely repeat designs exactly. I also enjoy creating pieces that don’t
necessarily match my personal style, but may appeal to another woman’s taste.
It allows me to tap into all kinds of different creative outlets. One piece
might be boho, another glam, and another edgy.
My
message is to invest in yourself to feel like the beautiful, unique woman that
you are. Jewelry isn’t something that anyone needs, but it is something that
can make you feel great about who you are and how you present yourself—and that
can translate into a world of positivity and optimism, and just plain fun.
Check out these featured vendors at the 2012 Summit County Winter Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. This show will feature a large selection of talented handmade artisans and crafters. A portion of the show's proceeds will be donated to Jade's No Kill Rescue for animal rescue.
No comments:
Post a Comment