Crafters Inspired By Color

Meet Marie McGlathery from Paper Planet Wearables...
I have always loved jewelry, but felt that there just was not enough affordable handmade jewelry out there. My definition of handmade is jewelry that includes elements that are created by the hands of the artist such as glass beads, clay beads, or in my case, PAPER BEADS!

Making jewelry out of paper allows me to recycle and keep my prices low so that everyone can enjoy multiple pieces from Paper Planet! My jewelry is made from recycled paper beads that are hand-rolled from various sources of paper including: junk mail, abandoned posters, flyers, magazine pages, postcards, scrapbook paper scraps and yes…even cardboard cup warmers. 

After their transformation, my beads are sealed with two coats of acrylic. This creates a water-resistant shell and increases the longevity of each piece. After the acrylic processing, the recycled paper beads are combined with various types of accent beads and pendants to create the Paper Planet Wearables jewelry collection. 

I take great pride in my work and see each necklace, bracelet, and pair of earrings as having its own unique personality. A piece from Paper Planet Wearables can make the perfect eco-friendly accent to any outfit and is sure to elicit comments from friends, family, coworkers, your dental hygienist, or even friendly strangers passing by.

Meet Brittany Christmas from Punchdrunkstars...
I'm Brittany. I graduated from Kent State a few years ago with a degree in English. I started crafting as a kid, but have become more involved in the last few years. In the last year and a half, I put together my own little business, Punchdrunkstars. When I'm not working on creations for Punchdrunkstars you can usually find me at my day job, going on random adventures with my husband, or playing with my two pet rabbits. This is my first Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. I'm really looking forward to it! 

Everything inspires me to create. I'll see things that will give me ideas all the time and then just kind of file them for later. My grandma taught me how to crochet when I was in elementary school. For a good duration of time that was what I mainly did as far as crafting. In the last few years I have branched out into other crafts, but I still do like crocheting and still do it quite a bit. 

My creative process, more often than not, is organized chaos. I know that sounds strange, but I learned pretty early on in my life that I work the best under pressure. Organized chaos has proven to provide me with just enough pressure to be productive and have good results.

The message behind my work is happiness. I tend to use a lot of bright colors. I also try to make things that will appeal to people in the sense that they will get some sort of enjoyment or happiness from the creation. I've always done a lot of handmade gifts for birthdays, Christmas and so forth. Throughout the years I've gotten a lot of positive feedback, which encouraged me to pursue crafting as more than just a "seasonal" activity. Ideally in five years I will still be doing what I'm currently doing (selling at shows, stores, online, etc), but with some growth and perhaps a bit more establishment. 

2012 Summit County Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Sunday, April 28, 2013, 11:00am-5:00pm

The Tangier

532 West Market St.

Akron, OH 44303

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

Visit us on:

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Akron Artists with a Love of Jewelry Making

Meet Steve from Jewelry by Stevie Boy…

I am a single 48 year old Male, born and raised in Warren, Ohio. I joined the Navy right out of high school and lived abroad for about 25 years, then moved back home in 2009 and bought a home in Boardman, Ohio. I Retired early at the age of 43 due to a disability.

I have been making jewelry for 7 Years. This will be my first time participating in the Avant-Garde Art & Craft Shows, and I can't tell you how excited I am!.

What's my inspiration to create? I believe when a door closes in your life God always leaves a window open.

I have always been creative and artistic. I have an Associates Degree in design and have worked in the field most of my life. That's how I got into crafting. 

When I was a child I wrote a lot of Religious Poetry. I was told it was very good. That's how I discovered my talent. 

In 5 years I would like to have a larger online presence.                                                                                                               

What's the message behind my work? Every one of my designs is one of a kind. I believe that my creations are as unique as the women who wear them. 

Look for me here on my new website: 

jewelrybystevieboy.net

Meet Robert Senn...

I am 67 years old and a retired Chief Electronic Technician, US Navy. I served predominantly on destroyers for 24 years. I've lived in Italy and have been around the world three times. I retired in 1995.

I grew up in the Akron area and remained here with my wife of 45 years. I've been a technical writer, a used car salesman, an electronics technician and an electrician in a steam plant just to name a few of the jobs I've had since I retired.

This is the first year I will be participating in the Avant-Garde Shows, although I have been in several shows this last year. I have worked in stone but picked up chain mail two years ago and have been in business for that since then. I work with chain mail and crystal and although some of the designs are timeless, most of the finished designs are my own. I rely on my wife for inspiration and fashion sense. She is my biggest fan.

Meet Dana and Kelsey of Ellaphant Designs….

Ellaphant Designs is a pair of creative sisters and recycled textile artists from Akron, Ohio.  Dana is an elementary art teacher in New Philadelphia and Kelsey is an Interior Designer.  

Both sisters received their Bachelor of Art degrees from Kent State University, which is where Dana first fell in love with the weaving process. It wasn’t until a few years after college that Kelsey began knitting and joining Dana’s love of textile art!  The brand name was inspired by Kelsey’s daughter (Dana’s goddaughter) Ella, who loves elephants.

Kelsey recycles t-shirts into yarn for knitting braclets and other accessories, which can be themed for holidays, school spirit, a cause or simply your favorite color.

Dana creates beautiful weavings for wall art, table runners, placemats and more. 

Both sisters accept clothing from customers for their Keepsake Collection.

They have been doing this for 3 or more years as a hobby, but more seriously within the past year. This will be their first Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show, hopefully of we will participate in many more! 

So what inspires them to create? 

Dana: Colors in nature are a big inspiration to me, it's always fun to look outside as the seasons change and pick out the colors I see to create a weaving. 

Kelsey: I am inspired by colors in fashion and in my daily life, and am always looking for items to repurpose into jewelry and accessories to add to the upcycled nature of my pieces. 

We have been crafting since we were toddlers!  Our family is very creative and full of architects, jewelry designers, quilters, weavers, advertising professionals, art teachers and the like.  As a child, our parents always had fun projects for us to paint, draw or build and the love for designing and creating has stayed with us both.  Dana was introduced to weaving during college, and Kelsey to knitting after receiving a gift of lessons for Christmas one year.  

How did we discover our talents?

Dana:  About 3 years ago I purchased my Schacht floor loom and have been practicing different techniques with many materials. 

Kelsey: After taking knitting lessons and falling in love with the craft, I wanted to find smaller scale projects that could be finished in one sitting, and that’s how I arrived at making jewelry and accessories.

Both: We both began making our crafts as gifts for all of our family and friends before deciding to share them with the world!

How would we describe our creative process?

Dana: I like to find colors that go together rather than picking similar materials. I am very interested in textile art because it can be so versatile. One weaving can be hung on a wall as a tapestry, put on a table as a place mat or runner, and even framed as a picture. If I had to say one thing about the thoughts behind my work it would be to think outside the box! So many times I hear "huh?" Or "weaving?" When I tell others what my preferred medium is to create art. Weavings are everywhere! Rugs, blankets, scarfs, and art! This is why I try to display them in many different ways so it gives others that are new to the media an idea of how to display or use their artwork! 

Kelsey: I am inspired by the seasons and holidays and try to theme my accessories appropriately. Most of my work is based on custom orders though, so I bring the customers' ideas to life. I am always looking for new ideas and gifts to make from unexpected mediums and experimenting constantly.  

Dana: I plan on continuing creating as long as I am able to, I find it relaxing and I love coming up with new compositions. 

Kelsey: I just started learning about ecommerce and selling online and I’m hoping to expand the market nationally in that way. I would love to see the Keepsake Collection grow and utilize more of the customers’ own textiles in both the jewelry and weavings to make them even more personal while also finding ways to work together to blend both unique, yet similar, elements of our creations! 

Both: I think that recycling and reusing is a big message behind both of our art. Turning something old, worn, or unloved into a new and beautiful creation is very inspiring to us. Be creative and have fun with your art, craft or hobby!  

Jewelry and accessories are currently for sale online, weavings are typically made to order and are not yet for sale online – coming soon! 

www.ellaphantdesigns.com

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ellaphantdesigns

http://www.roozt.com/index.php?vID=Ellaphant-Designs

www.facebook.com/ellaphantdesigns

www.instagram.com/ellaphantdesigns

New in 2013, we initiated a few new ideas. The first initiative was to promote the idea of making our work more personal for the customer by launching the ‘Keepsake Collection’.  The Keepsake Collection is not really a collection, but more what the customer makes of it.  They send in their own shirt, or the shirt of a loved one, and we will memorialize it for them into a collection of accessories and/or artwork. The fabric is turned into yarn, or strips of fabric for weaving and used alone or in conjunction with complimentary fabrics. For example, one large T-Shirt typically yields 2-3 adult bracelets, 2-3 child sized bracelets and either 2 floral hair accessories or brooches, or 1 floral pom pom keychain. As a weaving, it is highly unique and can be woven to any size the customer desires. So you really can get a lot from just one shirt!  It’s a unique way to remember a loved one, and is much more affordable than many of the other keepsake gifts out there. Prices range from approximately $10-150 for accessories, and start at $30 for a small weaving. 

The second was in an effort to give back in more of a way than just being environmentally friendly. So for every classic style bracelet purchased, a complementary bracelet made from the same material will be donated to Akron Children’s Hospital along with a ‘make your own bracelet’ kit and a small bundle of t-shirt yarn. So each customer is ‘sharing’ a smile with a patient as they wear their new accessory!

2012 Summit County Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Sunday, April 28, 2013, 11:00am-5:00pm

The Tangier

532 West Market St.

Akron, OH 44303

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

Visit us on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

LINKEDIN

Natural Elements Make the Best Crafts!

Meet Jim Steiner...
I'm a retired city employee and have done woodworking and remodeling since the '70s. My wood turning was an off and on thing until I retired 8 years ago when I got more serious about it. 

Having accumulated a good many turnings, I decided I would "test the waters" and sell some of my work. This show will be my first attempt to do so.

  

The creativity of wood turning and bringing out the natural beauty of a piece of wood is what makes the hobby so enjoyable. Sometimes I put a piece of wood on the lathe and start cutting with a shape in mind but change it as I see a different shape emerging and end up with something quite different. 

I never thought of my work as having a message, I just want to bring out the beauty of wood's color and grain patterns.

Meet Shana Ericson of 1Love Candles, LLC...
Hi, my name is Shana, and I am the creator of 1Love Candles LLC! I live in Chardon, Ohio with my boyfriend and two daughters, who are the light of my life! We have two fur babies-one is a Dalmatian, and a champion show dog! In our family, we believe in living an environmentally conscious lifestyle, helping the earth, so it can help us.

I have been making candles as a hobby for years, and about 6 months ago I decided to create a business! This is my first Avant-Garde Art & Craft show, and I am extremely excited about it! We plan on doing more of them in the near future! 

As a crafter, I have always been drawn to the idea of creating light. Candles bring light to the dark, and to me that is an amazing and beautiful creation.

I have always loved candles, especially intense-scented candles! I started creating candles as a hobby, being something that could satisfy the creativity craving in my life. Being an environmentalist, I noticed a lot of left over wax being wasted, thrown into the landfill. I had an idea to recycle the leftover wax, and create new, beautifully scented candles of my own. We use hemp wicks, which are said to be the most eco-friendly, cleanest wick out there. We also use recycled packaging. Making candles is something that my daughters and I can do together. They help me weigh all of the wax and package the candles.

Currently, I make chunk candles. To make these candles, I put chunks of wax in either a jar or mold, and I pour white wax over them, creating a unique look and allowing the chunks of wax to provide a wonderful scent throw! I love lighting a candle and being taken to a special place within the scent!
In 5 years, I see myself making more candles than ever before, sharing my wonderful scents with as many people as possible!

The message behind my work is, sometimes this world can be a dark place, so by lighting candles, we not only bring light to the dark, but we also can remember loved ones, celebrate births, and celebrate peace and wholeness. Lighting candles provide an unlimited amount of meaning, and to me that is more beautiful than words can say. “I don’t make the candles, the candles make me.”

Visit our website for more information www.1lovecandles.com 

Meet Tracey Hlucky of Redesign on a Dime...
Science has a theory that a person is more geared towards the right brain or the left brain…right brain being related to science and logic, and left brain to creativity and artistic ability. So, do you have to be one or the other? No way!

With a degree in Biology/Chemistry, my right brain runs my daytime life with a successful career in the medical field. But my left brain gave me the inspiration to start my business, Redesign on a Dime. What started as an interior decorating business in 2010 has blossomed into a full line of custom-made home accessories.  

Over the years, I have helped people transform their spaces with wall treatments, one-of-a-kind furniture restorations, and finding that one unique accessory that will inspire the décor of an entire room. I hope that my jewelry organizers, memo boards, and hand-painted accessories will be that distinctive piece that will make your space shine. 

I have been interested in interior design for as long as I can remember. Instead of just playing with my Barbie dolls like most girls, I redecorated her townhouse every week! This will be my first Avant-Garde Arts & Craft Show, and I couldn’t be more excited! 

I’m inspired by everything around me, but I must admit that I’m a true HGTV and DIY Network junkie! I love trying to recreate what I’ve seen on home improvement shows, magazines, or from items displayed in home stores. 

Growing up as the daughter of an artist, it was a bit discouraging that I couldn’t even draw a decent stick figure. But, as I got older, I realized that my creative talent just came in a different form. I have a unique eye for color, space planning and design that I’ve used in my own home to create a comfortable space that tells you exactly who I am when you walk through the door.

 My creative process is very meticulous (there’s that right brain again)! Once I get an idea in my head, I can’t sleep until I get it out there and completed. I love seeing the finished product of something I’ve created. But, most of all, I love the excitement I see in my clients when I make their vision come to life!  

I would love to make this my full-time business and eventually open a small shop here in Akron. My dream is to combine my living and working spaces so that my clients feel right at home when they come to me to create their custom home accessories or redesign their space. 

It just takes one special item to inspire the décor of an entire room. Your goal in decorating should not be to make your space look exactly like someone else’s, but to make it uniquely YOU!

2012 Summit County Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Sunday, April 28, 2013, 11:00am-5:00pm

The Tangier

532 West Market St.

Akron, OH 44303

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

Visit us on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

LINKEDIN