It's Show Time Fairlawn Vendors!

Meet Michael Peskar from Peskar's Leather Goods....
My name is Mike and I live in Parma. I have a son who will graduate in 2019. I'm just starting out with my crafting business and I am excited that Avant-Garde will be my first craft show. My son inspired me to start my crafting business to help save for his college. I make handmade leather tassels and woven leather key rings. I am working on adding leather wallets and other small leather goods. All my items are made with premium quality Horween Leather. In five years I will be retired from my day job and I want to be doing this full time.

Meet Debi Salzman from Debi's Doodles...
I am a teacher by profession. I did my first piece at a friend’s birthday party 5 years ago. I did not like it at all! I didn’t give it a fair chance, so I went back. Now, I think of pieces in my dreams! I have done 3 Avant-Garde shows. 

I love colorful, bright pieces. I am not afraid to mix various colors that would normally not be put together. 

In glass, everything looks beautiful together. Practice helped me become more confident. I usually have an idea of a piece I want to make. I then choose colors. I hem and haw mixing and matching. I then decide if the piece will be squares, circles, mosaic etc. I then cut the glass and start creating. As I learned, most things you have to give a second chance. I am so glad I did. I love glass fusing!

Meet Lindsay from Wanderer Lindsay Photography...

I use imagery and writing to promote mindfulness and focus on the day-by-day journey of life. This helps remove stress and anxiety by showcasing "the little things" that provide peace and inspiration, which should be taken to heart as we face society's limiting beliefs. It is the same peace and inspiration that I used to overcome my own anxiety. My photography primarily consists of the topics of nature and travel, but with a different light as the focus is on the finer details like flowers or doors of infrastructure, instead of the general landscape and tourist imagery. I have been creating since February of 2017 and this will be my first Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. I am inspired to create by my need to help others, the act of being mindful, and the world itself that is full of ideas and inspiration everywhere you look! 

I have always been a creative for as long as I can remember.  I draw, sew, write, craft, anything and everything really.  Photography and writing stand out to me the most because they have impacted my life the most thus far. I discovered my talent while studying abroad in Germany in the fall of 2013.  The amount of pictures I took baffled my family, and a number of them were stunning to them because they were more artistic and meaningful than the normal tourist photos.  Ever since then, I immersed myself in my love for capturing the moments around me. 

I try to have my camera with me every time I go out.  I will find a place to travel to or visit, and then take in the surroundings as I explore and practice mindfulness.  Practicing mindfulness, and always enjoying the smaller things in life, are how I end up finding subjects to capture with my camera, especially if they are particularly stunning to me, or make me feel a strong emotion towards it.  I keep record of the subject and what happened while observing it and taking a picture, so that I can then use those feelings to link the photography to messages and narratives that help overcome anxiety with mindfulness/law of attraction.  In doing this, I have been told that my work is very therapeutic.

In five years, I see myself as a full-time creative that impacts the lives of others to a great extent, and in a very positive way. The message behind my work is to LIVE. Live in a way that makes your heart and personality sing.  Live by doing what makes you feel alive.  Anxiety is a huge enemy to the public, and a lot of the time it's because we feel limited from society's list of do's and don'ts, and outside opinions clouding our own.  Therefore we are caused to pursue things that don't truly make us happy, when life is all about the journey, not the destination.  My work acts as reminders to be positive and mindful as we go through our days, so that we can ultimately realize and discover what we are meant to be doing.  Only that will bring us true peace and happiness, and our inner Wanderers of Life to enjoy the journey as we walk it.

2018 Fairlawn Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday May 5, 2018

St. George's Fellowship Centre

3204 Ridgewood Rd.

Fairlawn, OH 44333

For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, at Becki@ag-shows.com

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Get Ready for a Weekend of Shopping, Fairlawn!

Meet Kellie Wolke from KW Needleworks...
I'm a 20-something mother, video gamer, bookworm, board game enthusiast, and all around geek. I worked professionally as a seamstress for a small business in Hartville, Ohio before giving birth to my daughter in late 2016, and I've been a stay at home mom since then. I've been sewing in some capacity since I was in kindergarten. My great aunt used to paper piece these absolutely beautiful quilts together by hand, and she taught me how to sew with her scraps. I definitely see that experience reflected in how much I enjoy adding hand embroidery to my pieces. But I would say I started really seriously sewing in 2008 out of a desire to make myself a costume for a renaissance festival. I've been attached to one machine or another since then!

This will be my first Avant-Garde show! In fact, this will be the first ever craft show I've participated in for KW Needleworks.  I'm very excited. Almost everything inspires me. In particular, I'm always drawn to clean lines, geometric shapes, bright colors, and plant life. My 1 1/2 year old daughter is also very inspiring to me; everything is so exciting to her! She helps me notice little things daily, especially when we're playing outside. I honestly couldn't tell you what exactly got me into this hobby! I've been crafty for as long as I can remember. I can recall one Christmas where my parents got me a huge (huge to me, anyway; I think I was in preschool) tub full of craft supplies, and I was SO HAPPY.

I discovered my talent from trial and error. I would say sewing is 90% practice and 10% talent! You just have to put in the work and keep on trying. I wish I would have saved the first piece of clothing I ever made, because it came out like a shapeless garbage bag. Ten years later, and I can sew pretty much whatever I want.

My creative process is very methodical. I typically spend more than a month making mockups and test samples of a product, tweaking my process until it's something I feel completely happy with. I don't want to sell anything I wouldn't absolutely want to use myself. I also really utilize Pinterest and a mood board I keep in my workshop. I'm constantly snapping photos on my phone to pin, scanning in magazine pages that inspire me, and writing down ideas that pop into my head. I keep a lot of notes. This is my first year in this venture, and I'm focusing on taking things slow and doing everything right. In 5 years, I'd like to be doing at least one craft or art show per month, have regular sales in my Etsy store, and be offering products in a few handmade retail locations. I'd like to think my products bring little joys into people's daily lives. Bright pops of color and quirky fabrics and designs make me happy, and I want to pass that happiness on to my customers!

Meet Victoria Schmidt from Beyond Borders...

This will be our very first Avant-Garde show and we are SO excited. We have been selling fair trade items for about three years now. We love the constant exchange and blossoming of new product and design ideas. Most importantly, we see real economic improvement and lives bettered through the creation and sharing of their beautiful art. This success is about a true partnership between the Haitian artists, Beyond Borders, you as our retail customers, and your customers… all who get to love this art and share in the story.

In the 1950's a railway mechanic working in the Dominican Republic, Georges Liautaud (born 1899), decided it was time to go back to his home village, Croix des Bouquets, Haiti, to spend his last few remaining years near those he loved. The average life expectancy in Haiti at the time was 56 years. When Liautaud returned, he found that, indeed, many of his friends and family had passed on to the next life. He began to honor them by carving elaborate crosses for their burial sites out of iron, his material of choice from his train-repairing days. Shortly before this time Dewitt Peters, an American Quaker pacifist, traveled to Haiti to teach English. A watercolorist himself, he recognized the extraordinary artistic talent of many Haitians but the lack of organized support for the artistic community. In partnership with the Haitian-American Institute and alongside several dedicated Haitian artists, Peters established Le Centre D’Art in Port au Prince in 1944 with the purpose of identifying and encouraging Haitian artists, giving them a central home to explore and develop their talent.  Peters also scoured the countryside, looking for artists. It was on a visit to Croix des Bouquets that he came upon the extraordinary crosses dotting the cemetery. Learning of the creator, a friendship emerged with Peters encouraging Liautaud to expand his artistic themes. A devout Catholic Vodun, Liautaud began creating sculptures in homage to different lao (spirits from the Voodoo religion – more about that in another blog). His talent quickly became revered at Centre D’Art and his works would eventually find their home in some of the most prestigious museums around the world.

The artists use old discarded oil barrels and with just 3 tools – a hammer, a chisel and a nail – they create these pieces. Well, 4 tools, if you count the piece of chalk they use to draw the design on the metal. In the next five years, we hope to continue employing and empowering more and more Haitian artists!

Meet Dorothy and Maryann from Touch of Mink, Designs in Clay...

Hi! We're Dorothy and Maryann! We're sisters who are the proprietors of Touch of Mink, Designs in Clay. We started doing shows 15 years ago and had so much fun making and selling our products that we haven't stopped! We do hand built and slab pottery, which gives us more flexibility and creativity in the pieces we produce. This is our second time at the Fairlawn Avant-Garde show! And we are really looking forward to it! 

Dorothy is a self-taught artist who enjoys traditional art mixed with whimsical fantasy. A life long collector of old things, she likes to mix those items in with new pieces. Through her art, she enjoys bringing a little joy and humorous fun into people's lives. 

Maryann took some classes in art and likes to look at many different art mediums, not just pottery, which helps her create many different kinds of pieces. Her goal is to build function but fun pieces of art that are unique in style and color, ensuring no two pieces will ever be alike.

Meet Kristin Shamhart from Artistic Pursuits by Kristin Shamhart....

My name is Kristin Shamhart, and I am originally from Sandusky Ohio.  I moved to the Trumbull County area in Nov. 2004,  We bought a house in Newton Falls in Jan. 2005 and have been there since.  While my formal education was in computer programming many years ago, I have always loved anything creative and painted since childhood. Many family members paint so being around them as a child really encouraged me.  My professional  painting with watercolors began after taking lessons from Robert and Elnor Hilty.  They encouraged me to start showing my work.  So for 14 years I showed watercolors around Ohio and Michigan. I also gave lessons to children in watercolors.  I loved how they were so creative, they would come up with colors I never thought of nor would even try using. 

Taking a break after being  diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998, I just returned to showing my work in 2015, when I taught myself to paint on silk. Silk painting is a bit like watercolor painting, but there are still some differences as well. I love how the dye flows, but that is sometimes difficult to control.  After steaming to set the silk, the colors become even more vibrant.  And silk painting lends itself well to my favorite subject matter, flowers.  

I think I have been inspired the most by my grandmother. She bought me my first set of paints when I was nine. She hung up all my work, even though one was upside down. I was very close to her, and spent time with her in her garden, which from Spring to Fall was filled with flowers. I love to paint florals because the flow of the petals are so delicate and the color changes subtle.  I also enjoy painting in acrylics which I sometimes show as well. In that medium I paint many different subject, whatever strikes me at the time. I have been hired to paint a variety of subjects, from a private estate home on barnsiding, to a horse for it's owner, ducks, landscapes and of course flowers. Last count, I have paintings in over twenty states.

What does the future hold for me. I wish I knew. I am almost sixty, so I just appreciate each and every day. I hope I will still be painting, traveling as much as I am able and enjoying my grandkids. Maybe I will get to teach them to paint as well. I have done acrylics of each of them for my home.

2018 Fairlawn Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday May 5, 2018

St. George's Fellowship Centre

3204 Ridgewood Rd.

Fairlawn, OH 44333

For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, at Becki@ag-shows.com

Visit us on:

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Fairlawn, it's Show Week!

Meet Candice Adams from The Haute Bohemian
Hello, my name is Candice Adams and I live in North Royalton with my husband and dog Levi.   I graduated from the University of Akron in 2011 and I am a high school intervention specialist for Lorain City Schools.  During the summer of 2016 I decided to design and create jewelry with the goal of opening an Etsy shop.   

This will be my third Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show and I am very excited!  I am a lover of jewelry and fashion, which sometimes gets me into trouble with my husband!!  I began experimenting with jewelry making when I was 10 years old.   Every summer I would visit family in Michigan and I would spend time with my older cousin creating jewelry using seed beads.  I have amazing memories of visiting a bead store that had me hooked on the jewelry making scene.  

My creative process comes from being inspired by nature.   When I was younger I collected rocks and gems and loved to explore caves.  Every piece of my jewelry incorporates a natural or semi-precious stone which reflects my love for nature.  My jewelry can best be described as having a bohemian/ free spirited style, which inspired my Etsy shop name, The Haute Bohemian.  

I really enjoy creating jewelry that is one of a kind and hope to continue for years to come. My ultimate goal is to learn to solder so I can create rings.  I have several of my items located at Salty Not Sweet on West 25th Street in Ohio City and at Village Square Antiques in Lodi. I hope you like what you see and stop by to see me at the next Avant-Garde Art Craft Show!  

Meet Brittany Christmas from The White Rabbit...

I'm Brittany. I graduated from Kent State with a degree in English. I started crafting as a kid. In the last four years I've put together my own handmade business, The White Rabbit. When I'm not working on creations for The White Rabbit you can usually find me spending time with my husband, David and our rabbit, Chance. I've been doing craft shows for about five years now. This will be my third Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. 

I'm usually inspired to create by the things happening around me. 

How I got into my craft.. My grandma taught me how to crochet when I was in elementary school. For a long time that was mainly what I did as far as crafting. After I started selling at shows I started to branch out into other crafts. 

How I discovered my creative process... Through trial and error, honestly. I've had a lot of failed craft attempts and mishaps over the years. It takes awhile sometimes to find the "right" thing for you, but I think I finally have. My creative process, more often than not, is organized chaos. I work the best under pressure. Organized chaos has proven to provide me with just enough pressure to be productive and have good results.

In five years I hope to see The White Rabbit grow. I'd love to have my work in more local shops and still be participating in handmade events.

The message behind my work is individuality. I try to create products that people can use to decorate their personal space and express themselves. Too often we find ourselves all working and living in cookie cutter circumstances, so I like to make small items that can bring individuality and happiness to people. 

Meet Polly Reiheld from Planet Polly...

I am a creative soul, animal lover, and part-time cat rescuer who lives in Akron, OH with my husband and – you guessed it – some cats!  We also have a condo in St. Petersburg, FL which is where I collect the shells for my jewelry. I have been having fun making jewelry for a couple of years and have been selling on Etsy since 2016.  The Strongsville Show will be the first Avant-Garde show for myself and my table-mate (and fellow animal-lover) Sarah Barford – we are looking forward to it!

I have a BA in Graphic Design and an MA in Arts Administration. I have always seen the world artistically through colors, shapes, ideas, music and words…creating as well as supporting the arts is very important to me. I love the idea of recycling and repurposing things to create new, usable and/or wearable items, and look forward to “rescuing” objects to turn them into something that can be appreciated in new and different ways. 

I began making bracelets from pop tabs because I saw the potential for recycling and creating in a way I had not seen before – my hand-painted bracelets are colorful, unique and versatile. They can be worn as an earth-friendly statement piece or jazzed up with dangling charms for an evening out. The concept of using shells for earrings was born when we started spending time walking the beautiful beaches in FL. I began to notice that many of the smaller shells already had holes in them – perfect for my distinctive, lightweight, one-of-a-kind earrings that creatively capture the beauty of the ocean and the spirit of a beach vacation!

My Etsy shop is named Planet Polly because I believe that we all have the potential – and responsibility - to respect and save our planet and all living things through our words, deeds and actions. I donate proceeds of my sales to animal rescue and environmental groups because their causes are near and dear to my heart, and giving back is a way to pay it forward.

2017 Fairlawn Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, May 13, 2017

St. George's Fellowship Centre

3204 Ridgewood Rd.

Fairlawn, OH 44333

For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com

Visit us on:

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Meet the Fabulous Fairlawn Crafters!

Meet Mark Ash from Relief Carvings and Wood Wizards by Mark Ash...
Hello! I'm Mark Ash and I'm thrilled to be part of the 2016 Fairlawn Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. This is my first chance to show my carvings in Fairlawn and it is also a homecoming for me. I grew up south of Akron in Coventry Township, but have been calling the deep woods of Pennsylvania home for over 30 years now.

I took up whittling and carving as a hobby. At first, I just whittled toys for my children. Then, I discovered relief carving. I am self taught, but I soon realized that I had a knack for it as my carvings began selling in craft stores and even in an art gallery in Pittsburgh. 

Almost five years ago, I stopped taking commissions and began carving what is near and dear to my heart, wildlife! I love studying wildlife and am always looking for that perfect photo to bring to life on the board. I do all of my carvings by hand, no machinery involved, and I never duplicate my carvings! The goal behind my work is to get the audience to recognize the truly magnificent wildlife we have on this planet. 

Meet Todd Hiney from Custom Pet Portraits by Toddy Hiney...
I'm a 43-year old artist residing in Aurora, Ohio, who is happily married and the father of two incredible children. I've been drawing and painting since I was a little kid, it's something that came very naturally to me. Professionally, I have just started my business venture of painting and drawing pets. This will be my first Avant-Garde show!

Being able to express myself and produce artwork that brings me contentment is one of my largest inspirations to create. I find the entire creative process to be therapeutic and enlightening. And, as a father, it's important for me to show my kids that you can express yourself in a variety of different ways. It's been fun to watch them become more interested in what I do and want to share in painting and drawing. 

I want people to respond in a positive way when they see my work. I want them to appreciate the beauty of the subject matter and understand that all animals deserve our respect, love, and protection. 

Meet Dorothy and Maryann from Touch of Mink, Designs in Clay...
Hi! We're Dorothy and Maryann! We're sisters who are the proprietors of Touch of Mink, Designs in Clay. We started doing shows 13 years ago and had so much fun making and selling our products that we haven't stopped! We do hand built and slab pottery, which gives us more flexibility and creativity in the pieces we produce. This is our first Avant-Garde show!

 Dorothy is a self-taught artist who enjoys traditional art mixed with whimsical fantasy. A life long collector of old things, she likes to mix those items in with new pieces. Through her art, she enjoys bringing a little joy and humorous fun into people's lives.

Maryann took some classes in art and likes to look at many different art mediums, not just pottery, which helps her create many different kinds of pieces. Her goal is to build function but fun pieces of art that are unique in style and color, ensuring no two pieces will ever be alike. 

Meet Helaina DePace from Treasured Ink...
My name is Helaina and I'm a wife to a wonderful husband, hair stylist of 8 (almost 9) years, and a volunteer at a non-profit youth ministry, where I work with and mentor at risk youth. I have been creating cards and other paper crafts for a little under 2 years now and this will be my second Avant-Garde show!

I have kept every card that I have ever received, as they hold such fond memories of people, holidays, accomplishments, and more. I cherish those memories and believe others feel the same, so I wanted to be a part of those memories! I draw inspiration from everything and anything but most of my inspiration comes from my love for people. I am a firm believer in encouraging others, and what better way to do that than with a hand-crafted card?

The hope of being a part of a memorable occasion for someone is the motivation that drives my work. My cards have been a first Mother's Day card for a mom who was not supposed to be able to have children, a first anniversary card for a newly married couple, and an anniversary card for a couple married for a decade. There have been so many other awesome occasions I have been able to be a part of. I want my cards to create smiles, joy, and memories to those who receive them.

2016 Summit County Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, November 5, 2016 - 10:00am-5:00pm

St. George's Fellowship Center

3204 Ridgewood Rd.

Fairlawn, OH 44333

For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com

Visit us on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

LINKEDIN

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