Chris Crimaldi is a local electrician turned glass blower.
He is from the east side suburbs of Cleveland, OH and has been a hard worker
for his father-son electrician business for the greater portion of his life.
But as of late, Chris' interests have turned down a hotter, more exciting path
of glass blowing.
For the last 5 years this craft has elevated from a simple
interest in taking classes, to owning and operating a full blown (no pun
intended) studio located in Bratenahl.
What inspires us? The process of taking glass from it's original form of
boring, clear chunks, melting it down into a molten consistency and surviving
the technique of blowing to succeed with a unique creation. Along with the
process, it is inspiring to see new people in the studio working with glass for
the first time and learning their capabilities.
How we got into our craft.. The first lesson he took was on a whim, and instantly he was
hooked. In glass blowing it is typically all or nothing. Chris is not the type
to just dabble, this quickly became an obsession.
Nobody starts out as a gifted glass blower. It is a skill
that first must be taught, practiced, practiced again and again and again, and
then eventually you take it to the next level. Chris has spent the last five
years improving his skills and honing his focus to things of a utilitarian
nature. By combining his electrical expertise and glass blower finesse he has
produced some seriously exquisite light fixtures.
Typically the creative process is a lot of trial and error until he
finally acquires a piece that resembles what was in his head to begin with. A
lot of investigation into what is popular, what has been done, and what works
is the first step in the process of creating a new piece or line of pieces.
In five years hopefully my business will have taken off and will be
bringing in people from all over who are interested in learning my craft. I
hope to see employees who can grow immensely in their participation in the
studio, as well as a bigger community connection to the blown glass world. We
The message behind our work is that anyone has the ability to create. Chris is a perfect example
of that. So if we can be your outlet to come in and see if glass blowing is on
your path, that is our greatest joy.
The Glass Asylum is a public-access glass studio that offers
a variety of services ranging from instruction for beginners to studio access
for professional artists. Whether you are a novice looking for a creative
outlet on the weekend or an expert in glass-blowing, our studio offers all the
resources you need to create a unique experience.
Visit our website to schedule a lesson, or book a party, or
simply find out more about us:
www.theglassasylum.com.
Meet Dwanna Douglas from A Walk on the Beach LLC...
I have been married to a wonderful man for 35 years now, I have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren with another grandchild on the way! My first career did not include crafts, I was a rescue worker in my community for 7 years, I then went to college and obtained a bachelors degree in art education. I taught high school art and ceramics, until I dislocated my thumb at work and messed up all the ligaments/tendons etc.. in my right hand/wrist. Once my hand started healing, I started investigating art work again, and here I am! I don’t have the physical strength I used to, but with some adaptations, I am still able to create.
I didn’t start doing crafts till I was in college and a friend of mine got me started! The art work I do now I have been working on and improving upon for about 10 years, glass wise, the jewelry I started about 3 years ago.
I investigate everything there is to know about the specific medium I am interested in. My medium of choice is glass, in any form possible. Beach glass jewelry- my husband and I travel all around picking up the beach glass ourselves and the shells to make my jewelry creations. Mainly California, Mexico, Bermuda and Florida. My favorite place is Bermuda! I am unable to work in a messy area, so I will clean my studio first then start on a specific project. However this changes when I have a show, I do clean first, but after that it looks like a tornado went through my studio!
In five years, besides continually working to master my craft... I hope to be doing shows full time. I have been creating part time, due to work, finishing college, then getting my masters degree. As of may, I have no claims on my time, so hopefully, I can dedicate more time to making a success out of my business!
The message behind my works is that with God all things are possible! A lot of things both personal and mostly medical have shaped who I am today, and I am here today, creating because I have the best support system there is.. God, and family.
Meet Julie Miller from Banner Chic...
I am a former dancer with a masters degree in the arts currently selling real estate in NE Ohio full time, but I have always been a creative person. I have spent a good part of my life repurposing items I purchased at garage sales and free cycling from items found at the side of the road.
In 2013, a friend who is in the sign business asked me if I sew. I answered that, of course, I have been sewing since the age of 12. He said he had these banners at his warehouse that he did not want to send to the landfill, and asked if I could sew them into tote bags. I thought it would be fun to try, so I took some, made a pattern, cut them out, and sewed them into bags. I discovered that not only did the bags look great with fun graphics, and Cleveland references, but my friends loved them and wanted more of these very sturdy and water resistant bags. Thus, Banner Chic Designs was born!
These designs are limited edition bags that are a tiny slice of Cleveland history. They are made from banners that once lined downtown streets, advertising different events. Each one is unique. My challenge with each banner is to capture the best feature of the design and cut it into a tote. Whether it is the graphics, the color or the message, each banner has it’s own special character. Once the banners are used up, there will be no other bags like these.
It is always fun to see each bag develop, and it is really fun to see how happy the people are who buy them. They always are curious to know what the banner advertised, so I try to keep pictures of each one before I cut it up.
This is a hobby for me, but I think it has the potential to grow into a larger business should I decide to take it further. I love it when business is fun!
Meet Regina Southhall from Radish Balloon...
My name is Regina and I just started my new crafty business Radish Balloon. I'm focused on making children's accessories including aprons, quilts, and travel games. I love the fascination on a child's face when they see a new toy, something that gets them thinking.
I have had a love of all things artsy/crafty for longer than I even remember. Some of the youngest pictures of me are of a joyous toddler holding crayons and markers. My mom taught me a lot about using what you have on hand to be creative and I can see her influence in my work daily. In some aspects I may consider myself self-taught, but my mom was really the one.
A very important aspect of my work is to reuse or upcycle items I already have. Almost everything I make has at least one part that is being reused or was saved from the trash in one way or another. Don't worry! I have high standards of cleanliness. Everything is clean and safe. With that in mind, I am still a regular at my local craft store.
My main goal is to provide something unique for kids. The upcoming Avant Garde Craft Show will be my first and I'm looking forward to it!
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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