I live in Medina, OH with my husband and two teenage sons. I'm a stay-at-home mom and a self-taught artist. I have been creating
things since I was very little. As a child I made my own Barbie clothes
and furniture for a doll house that my Dad built for me and my sister.
That started my lifelong love of (among other things!) miniatures.
As a teen I painted a bit and I've since painted quite a few wall murals
in people's homes. However, I was most fascinated with anything related
to kiln work. I bought my first kiln 15 years ago and worked primarily
with Precious Metal Clay. My PMC jewelry can be found in several
galleries in Kent and Medina. However, after working on such a small
scale with jewelry, I felt the urge to create something bigger - which led to
my love of glass fusing! I have since
purchased a second, much larger kiln that fulfills that urge!
This will be my first
Avant-Garde Art Show and I am excited to be participating. I hope to meet
many new friends!
There are so many things
that inspire me to create. Sometimes I see a particular color that
strikes a chord or possibly an abstract design in a magazine ad. Believe
it or not, a lot of my ideas come to me just before I fall asleep! I
think it’s because that’s when my mind is clearest.
There was no one thing
that got me into the craft hobby, other than my constant desire to create
something beautiful. I'm happiest when I'm creating something and it's
been that way since I was very young. I spent hours at my "art
table" in my parents’ basement making all kinds of creations!
I would describe my
creative process as "fly by the seat of my pants"! I almost
never sketch designs out before working. I've often read that an artist's
designs should be sketched out first and I've tried to follow through with that
but it just goes against my nature. I work best by experimenting while I'm
working.
In five years I would like
to see my Etsy site and my Goodsmiths site to have many new friends and
followers!
All I really strive for
in my work is to bring a little happiness into someone’s life whenever they use
one of my pieces. If someone picks up a platter or a dish that they've
purchased from me and they think "I love this, its so colorful"...
then I feel my work is a success.
Meet
Cristen Magree from Rusty Bear Studio...
I was born and grew up here in Northeast Ohio while spending summers in Western NY state, immersed in the beautiful country life. After attending Kent State University for Earth Sciences, I settled in Aurora with my husband, Mark, and started my art business, Rusty Bear Studio. I have been fortunate enough to have my artwork accepted into galleries both in Ohio and Chautauqua, NY as well as producing commissions for people across the country.
I was born and grew up here in Northeast Ohio while spending summers in Western NY state, immersed in the beautiful country life. After attending Kent State University for Earth Sciences, I settled in Aurora with my husband, Mark, and started my art business, Rusty Bear Studio. I have been fortunate enough to have my artwork accepted into galleries both in Ohio and Chautauqua, NY as well as producing commissions for people across the country.
My mother has been a prominent local artist since long before
I was born so I began to create artwork from a very young age. I continued to
challenge myself with new techniques after my academic career and, at the age
of 25, began to develop my business. Now, at 30, I continue to push myself with
new techniques and commissions and I enjoy every minute of it.
This is my second
Avant-Garde show and am looking forward to participating in another Avant-Garde
event at the Federated Church in Chagrin Falls later this summer.
I have a passion for science, geology and the outdoors, which
I try to convey through each piece of artwork I create. I am constantly
inspired by the colors, movement and history I see in the parks and countryside
that we are lucky enough to have right outside our door here in Ohio. The words
of Cole Porter have always been close to my heart, "Experiment. Make it
your motto day and night." Without experimentation, I would not have found
my footing in multi-media work.
We are lucky enough to live in the age of information and
technology. Without the ability to research and study the many new techniques
that artists are coming up with at the touch of a fingertip, I would not have
learned about fluid pour or alcohol ink painting. I am always pushed by
advancements in the art world to try new things and evolve my style.
I found my talent for art as a child, drawing and painting
for fun alongside my mother and continued to hone my skills throughout high
school and college, focusing on animation and Special FX make up.
Once something inspires me to create a piece, I begin the
process of finding color and movement that follows that inspiration. I will use
several different mediums that will chemically interact with each other to
create new designs and texture. Sometimes I will be working on up to 10 pieces
at a time because my techniques call for each layer to dry almost completely
before I can continue. I chose acrylic paint and alcohol ink as the bases for
my pieces because of their shorter dry time.
In five years I see myself with a new, larger studio space
and a regular presence at more local shows.
The message behind my work has been greatly inspired by Bob
Ross, "I believe everyday is a good day when you paint, I believe it will
bring a lot of good thoughts to your heart." Art allows you to see the world
in a different light, it can change your mood and bring you to a place that you
have never been to before, much like reading a good book. I hope that the
colors, movement and subjects of my art bring a sense of peace and happiness to
those who see them, as well as inspire a passion for nature.
Meet Bonnie Francioni from Bon Bon Originals...
I have been sewing since I was 8 years old and
designing for over 20 years. I love one-of-a-kind (OOAK) things and much of
what I have listed reflects this. I had a children's dress shop in Louisiana in
the 1980's, specializing in all things handmade, especially smocking. My
mother, who was an incredible seamstress, taught me to sew. She is in a nursing
home now and Alzheimer's has robbed her of her sewing skills, but in cleaning
our her house we uncovered an amazing stash of fabric and notions, some dating
back to the 1940's. My goal is to use up as much as her stash as well as my own
so that my daughters will not have to eventually deal with it. I stand behind everything I make and am
careful to check every detail in the construction of my purses and garments.
I have been sewing for
60 years and started designing little girls' dresses when my daughters were
born in the 1960's.
This is my first Avant-Garde show!
Fabric inspires me to
create. I love color.
I got into this when
people saw my daughters' dresses and asked me if I would sew for their little
ones, but Etsy inspired me to sew for children I did not know yet.
My mother taught me to
sew when I was 8 years old I have always felt that I had to create, be it
painting, pottery, gardening or sewing.
My creative process
usually starts with a pattern. I will picture what I want to make, maybe
with different sleeves and a fuller skirt. Then I start pulling out fabric
and trims from my stash.
In five years I would like
to not need a day job and spend my days creating.
The message behind my
work is to dress children like children! Toddlers do not need sexy clothing no
matter what the retail outlets think. My second message is to waste not, want
not. I use a lot of vintage lace and fabric, often mixes with designer
stuff. My patchwork dresses use up every scrap!
Meet Kevin McNaughton...
Kevin grew up in Sault Saint Marie, Michigan with seven sisters and
a brother. Over the years that I have
known Kevin, I have listened to countless stories about his life as a young boy
growing up and the many adventures he experienced, with several I consider life
threatening. Kevin was a lover of the
great outdoors and would often sleep in his clothes so he could jump out of bed
and get outdoors as quickly as possible.
As an adult, he still loves the outdoors, which is reflected in his work
as an artist. Kevin mostly works with
oils on canvas with a focus on landscapes.
He is able to capture the natural lighting often found in nature scenes
and produces breath-taking paintings. He
has a natural ability as well as a formal education from Kendall School of
Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
What makes Kevin so interesting to know is his numerous and diverse
talents. Not only is he an accomplished
artist, his talents range from remodeling old houses to setting up entire
computer networks. He is a master story-teller and can keep a room full of
people mesmerized for great lengths of time.
He is a father of four adult children and a grandfather to a beautiful
little girl. He currently lives in Upper
Sandusky, Ohio and is an Artist full time.
2014 Heights Summer Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Sunday, July 20, 2014, 10:00am-5:00pm
Park Synagogue Main (Kangesser Ballroom)
3300 Mayfield Rd.
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
For more information, contact Becki Cooper, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com
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