It's Show Week Fairlawn!

Meet Marcia Kusnyer from Crafton Crafters…
Marcia and Gretchen are sisters, a retired nurse, and teacher, adventuring in a new direction. For years, we dabbled in the creative process for friends and family but were not afforded the time to pursue it completely because of our careers. We started out small, local shows and bazaars, and found a market for our designs and creations. We love coming up with new ideas and we bounce them off each other. Our individual strengths are very different but mesh well together. We translate our creative vision to into items for cooks, kids and to spruce up your home to make you and your family smile.

Meet Berry Jo Houck from Clever Idea...

I am a grandmother to two grandchildren in Columbus, Ohio, and a long term crafter/creator. I've been creating for 15 years and I'm always on the look-out for new items. I started crafting when my last child went to college. I wanted to create something I had seen in a magazine and figured out how to make it better.

I look for inspiration every day. I like to create affordable items for my customers so my message is you can find value in unique items for a low price. I've attended numerous Avant-Garde Art & Craft Shows, these are very nice, with unique items and vendors. In five years, I see myself still working at creating items to share with my customers.

Meet John Bean from JNT Bean...

I was born in Akron, Ohio and grew up in Sagamore Hills right across the street from what is now the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I am one of nine children that my folks had. I worked in the printing industry for most of my adult life until my retirement in 2016. I have two adult children, three adult stepchildren, and three grandkids that I love and spoil! I also attend Cuyahoga Valley Church in Broadview Heights, Ohio. I have been doing this for about 2 years, and have attended other craft shows. This will be my first Avant-Garde.

I got into the craft hobby when I bought a cheap burner and played around with it. I realized how much I enjoy doing it. I just kept practicing. What inspires me to create is the beauty of nature and the complexities of God’s Creation. I see animals, fish, trees, etc. and that ignites a desire to reproduce their images. Over the next five years, hopefully, my skills will improve. My message is that God is the creator, I just copy his amazing handiwork

Meet Melissa White of Melissa and Derek...

My name is Melissa White. I am 48 and recently divorced. I am on disability and needed to find a way to supplement my income. My best friend and I were talking about my different talents and ways to make money. After a long night in March of 2019 of laughter and tears (and a few bottles of wine), I decided on jewelry making! This will be my first Avant-Garde show!

I love being creative it is so relaxing and what woman doesn’t love jewelry!??! I love looking at a stone or beads and seeing the possibilities. I am able to see the finished product while I’m making it. I find myself happy during the creative process which is a welcomed emotion after the last few years of heartbreak. I create jewelry to make women feel and look beautiful! In five years I hope to have a small store in Wakeman, Ohio.

Meet Amanda Kliever of Amanda Alyise... 

My name is Amanda, I am 29 years old and I love art! I play piano, guitar, and violin, and enjoy reading, writing, and crafting! I’ve been doing arts and crafts for as long as I can remember. I started doing wood burning in 2017 after taking a stroll through my local craft store and stumbling across a wood burning pen. This will be my first ever show! I started drawing from a young age and it’s something that I continued to develop over time while experimenting with various mediums.

I could describe my creative process in one word: spontaneous. I never really know what will inspire me. Sometimes I just have a vague idea of what I want to create and wait to find inspiration. I am inspired by the natural world. I deal with clinical depression and art is the best form of therapy for me. Wood burning is so therapeutic because it engages multiple senses at once. My lifelong dream has always been to make this my full time career. I’m very much a stop and smell the roses kind of person - so I think that’s the underlying message in my work - to appreciate the little things and celebrate life.

2018 Fairlawn Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, May 18, 2019
10:00AM-5:00PM

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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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

Visit us on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

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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:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

LINKEDIN

INSTAGRAM

Get ready to shop till you drop!

Meet Barb Hubert From Eagle Wings Art...

Hi, my name is Barb Hubert and I’ve been retired for about 5 years now. I took up watercolor to give me something to do with myself, and I fell in love with art! After just 1 year with a friend/teacher, I took off and now after only 5 years and never painting a day before that, have over 300 + original watercolor paintings, mixed media paintings,  plus prints of my paintings and print blank notecards.

I feel this is a gift that God has given me, so I give back to Him!  40% of my profits go to help, The Cleveland Pregnancy Center or the Bible League Int’l.  I love painting, using different mediums, like real leaves, salt, saran wrap and anything else to make my paintings different and unique!  I love to experiment!  I am inspired by all of nature around me, and I marvel at the works of God! 

I, always, always have a painting in process, usually 2 or 3!  You will find birds, animals, owls, landscapes, children’s art, florals,  modern and abstract art , plus I now am offering to paint your home in watercolor called “Pen and Wash”! There are three sizes with separate prices, so ask me about them! I will also be showing my favorite winter/fall art, so take advantage of the coupon, save $5 off a 30.00 purchase and get your Christmas shopping started!

I have beautiful summer/fall/winter blank notecards for sale and (I've started a new section to my art, which I call, “Scripture Options”, with some of my paintings including gold with black plaques inscribed with inspirational scripture!  Ask me about them!

Meet Kathleen Modory from A Moment For Mom...

I am a working mom of two beautiful kids and I live in Medina Ohio. I love all types of crafting! I have been making bath bombs for over a year now and have participated in about 10 Avant-Garde show so far!

I love to challenge myself to make new interesting things. One of my favorite things is to dream up ideas and figure out how to make them come to life!

The thing that really got me into making bath bombs is that I really liked buying bath bombs but they can be so expensive! So I started to make my own. I wanted to provide people with an affordable bath bomb option. I worked hard to figure out the chemistry behind bath bombs. It took more than a few batches to get it right.

In 5 years I will still hopefully be working the crafting circuit. I want to give people an affordable option to take a relaxing bath.

Meet Debi Salzman from Debi's Doodles...

I am an elementary school teacher in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. I never excelled at art when I was a child. I really couldn't even draw a straight line!

I started doing glass fusion art almost 4 years ago. A friend of mine at a 65th birthday party at Spirit of Clay in Mayfield, Heights, Ohio. I hemmed and hawed, whined and complained that I wasn't creative and couldn't design the 6 inch square we were given to decorate. I made some sort of design, the whole time thinking that I would never be back. About 2 days later, I did return and have been glass fusing ever since!

I LOVE color! On one website for glass fusing on Facebook, I am called the color lady. I love bright colors. Color brings a smile to faces. I have an Early Childhood background, so many of my glass pieces are whimsical and fun.

I begin pieces by deciding what colors I might want to use. I then cut various shapes with no design in mind. I then design and redesign. I move pieces, add new colors and take away colors. A design appears! I begin gluing and sometimes the design changes for the better.

I have made platters to match dishes, bowls, plates, business card holders, spoon rests, menorahs, soap dishes, plaques, candy dishes/vases and mezuzahs. I can make special orders to match kitchens, bathrooms etc.

Glass fusion and Spirit of Clay is my happy place. It is really my cheap therapy!

If you haven't tried glass fusion, Try it yo will like it!

2017 Fairlawn Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday September 16th, 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:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

LINKEDIN

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