Meet Megan Cowan from Finch Finery...
I’m
Megan Cowan Founder and Designer for Finch Finery. I started this
feather
accessories business in 2012 on Etsy after my crafting hobby got a
little
out of control and I had more jewelry than I knew what to do with. It
has
been so exciting to watch the items I create reach out to people in
cities
all over the world. I only hope to keep sharing these creations with
those
expressive and artistic customers.
I
having been experimenting with jewelry for a very long time, but we
officially
started our product line on Etsy in 2012. We have since been
featured
in Indie Gift Box, Holiday Markets, and Festivals around the
nation.
We have over 200 five star reviews and are making our way to
almost
1000 sales. We are also featured on Amazon handmade and
facebook.
I
have not participated in any Avant-Gard Shows but admire the photos of
past
events featured on the webpage. Festivals and Craft shows are so
much
fun for community and I love being a part of them. When I was
asked
on Etsy to participate, I immediately investigated the show and was
extremely
impressed with the amount of quality items and artists this
organization
was able to showcase throughout Ohio and now Michigan.
Life
inspires me to create. I love color, jewelry and keeping my mind busy.
I
am an artist in my own way and I love to express that through my
creations.
I simulate them to adventure, music, nature and fashion. It’s so
much
fun to connect with other artists and people interested in similar
avenues
of creativity.
My
parents are both very crafty people and always encouraged us to build
things
throughout our childhood. We didn’t care for TV; instead we took
trips
or did projects. I have always been inclined to create things as part of
my
personality. I would definitely thank music and my friends for the
encouragement
to keep creating.
I
would say the moment I sold something on Etsy and the positive
feedback
I received during my first show made me thing this might be
something
I could do, and do well. But also the lovely comments and
feedback
I receive day to day on my items, whether online or from
wearing
my items around, the compliments are flattering, and
encouraging.
I
have a studio in my home; I often turn music on and get to create day to
day.
I love custom order ideas that help to expand my color palate to
different
patterns and themes. I look to nature and my environment for
inspiration
as well as fashion trends and seasonal color trends. It really
comes
to me everyday pending on what I’m doing, and if I have a moment
to
consider how I can translate my thoughts to a piece of jewelry.
My
husband David & I are a very creative and fun team. We intend on
creating
our own E-commerce website for 2017. It will have featured
product
from all over the world not just hand made items. We will be
tailoring
a line of jewelry, clothing, home goods and accessories for a fully
functioning
online store. Strictly with Finch Finery we are applying to
shows
all over the country, music festivals, craft shows and more, to
expand
out clientele and experience with these events.
All
pieces I create are created with love and heart. The feathers are
sourced
ethically; the items are made with top of the line quality materials.
We
stand behind our product with a lifetime guarantee to ensure
complete
happiness and the freedom of expression.
Meet Kimberly Lock from he Scarfing Artist...
I grew up in Utica, MI with a large, loving
family. I got my Bachelor's in Music Performance from Hope College and my
Master's in Elementary Education from the University of Michigan. I love all
things arts and truly believe they enhance and enrich the lives of everyone!
When I'm not crocheting, I like to go bowling, play golf, and sing karaoke
really well (haha).
I only started crocheting about 6 months ago, and
this is my first ever craft show, so I'm really excited!
I have never been a part of an Avant-Garde Art and
Craft show before, but I am very excited for this experience!
I've always been drawn to the arts and the
creative process. When I was in grade-school, I loved to write and create
stories. As I got older, music became my passion and my creative outlet. If it
had to do with music, I got involved somehow. I create through my fingers on
the viola; I create through my voice when I sing. Music is still my passion
now, but I have found that there are so many people that inspire me to create
new things -my friends, other artists, celebrities, youtube videos, etc. The
only reason I got into my craft is because of my friends and family; so I guess
they are the real inspiration!
I was originally inspired by my family.
Since I have a huge family, Christmas gifts can get expensive. One of my
friends mentioned that he used to crochet gifts for people. So, I taught myself
through youtube how to crochet scarves and hats, and I loved doing it! (Each
member of my 30+person family got a crocheted gift this year!) When I first
started, the product didn't come out perfect all the time, but it is so cool what
can be done with a hook and some yarn. I didn't notice that I was getting
better at it until my friends told me that something looked "good" or
"that looks a lot better than the last hat you made." I keep the
inspiration going by seeing what others have created and trying to imitate it.
Sometimes, if I make a mistake, it turns out to be a neat feature of the
product I'm making. I love finding new things I can make and half the fun is
figuring out how to make it work and making it my own in the process.
Which talent? (haha) When it comes to crocheting,
I didn't really think of it as a talent at all. I just enjoyed making things
and hoped that they turned out ok! I guess I realized I was kind-of good at it
when my friends started noticing what I was making. My roommate started telling
me that she would wear the hats I was making. I found out that I could learn a
new pattern relatively easily and make it my own as needed. As I started
experimenting with new yarn and new patterns, I realized I had a knack for
crocheting!
My creative process is pretty simple. What I make
is based on what I think I need. I use youtube and other crochet pattern
websites to help get an idea in my head for what I want the final product to
look like. Then, I figure out what yarn I want to use, based on the pattern,
the feel of the yarn, and the person I'm making it for. I like to crochet while
I'm binge-watching Netflix and Hulu. It helps me feel like I'm being
productive, even though I'm relaxing. I can make a hat or headband within about
a half hour and a scarf within 45 minutes most of the time, but it all depends
on the pattern.
I'm hoping to be selling my products
more consistently. Right now, I make things as gifts for people and don't
really do a lot of selling. So, I hope that over the next few years I can
really grow my demand by advertising, participating in more shows, and taking
advantage of social media outlets.
The message I would like to come through my work
is that anyone can be creative and find their outlet if they put their mind to
it. If you had asked me 2 years ago if I wanted to crochet something, I would
have laughed. Now, it's my main hobby and I love doing it! You never know where
life will take you, and you won't know if you like something until you try it.
I would encourage anyone to keep trying different things with the arts until
you find you niche.
Meet Richard Pruckler from Whistling Frog...
Whistling Frog Tile is a happy little team of two artists: Rick
Pruckler and Tonya Lutz. We’re the sculptors and makers. Our
hands are on, and in, the clay from start to finish, providing all the extra
care that goes into our handmade items.
Rick founded the company in
‘87, sculpting away, creating tile dragonflies, frogs, and even caribou, all
the while designing and installing custom tile for fireplaces and
backsplashes. In 2011, Tonya joined Rick and introduced narratives
featuring birds, cats, dogs, beavers Wildflowers and Destinations to the tile
collection.
We like to elevate the importance of things we love through art. From Michigan
wildflowers, to endangered species in hometowns, we think seeing what is
special and what is here is what Michigan needs now.
For us, our desire to preserve the craft of handmade ceramics is
the essence of our art. Creating from small bits of very important components,
our work is finished into a lasting piece of joy. It's gone beyond being a
preservation hobby, it's what we do for a living.
Talent isn't something we were born with. Creative thinking, yes,
that's been there for us as long as we can remember. Talent was developed over
time, by trial and error, by not being afraid to contain a bit of 'fail' in our
experiments. Sometimes elusive, hovering like a hat or getting lost in the
couch cushions, it always finds us again.
Our creative process is like that static electricity buildup you
don't realize until it sparks and catches you unaware. Our ideas come from out
of space, so we make time to take long walks. The discipline of the creation,
from taking an idea into form, is a bit more committed: designated sculpting
time, plus not putting off the small tasks of running the business side of our
art.
In five years we'd love to see our studio, set in the country,
& open to classes.
Come on in, sit down and watch us work.
Idyllic rolling hills, happy quonset huts, throwing wheels, a
donation based wine bar, grape arbors and fruit trees plus backyard chickens
would be nice indeed.
Our message is simple: by
preserving the craft of true handmade ceramics, Whistling Frog makes what makes
people happy.
Meet Chelsea Colby from Wild Moon Crafts...
Hi my name Chelsea and I currently live in Royal Oak, Michigan.
I grew up in the Lansing area, and attended Michigan State University for my
undergrad degree in Mechanical Engineering. I currently work at GM in Warren,
and I love it! I'm also currently attending University of Michigan for grad
school.
I've been crafting for all of my life, I've always been into
art. But I've had my Etsy shop for almost two years now, and I don't plan on
stopping anytime soon! This September will be my first Avant-Garde Craft Show!
I draw inspiration from a lot of things, mostly nature &
fashion. I especially love creating a custom piece that someone will love to
showcase in their home!
As I said before I've always loved art, but mostly painting. I
got into embroidery during my undergrad college years, and that started the
fiber arts obsession. Then about six months before I opened my shop, I started
seeing a lot of weavings and whatnot on Instagram, and eventually got so inspired
I got into it myself!
Despite being good at math & science I have a passion and
talent for art. All I do is try my best for each piece and put as much
passion into it as I can, and I find that really brings out the best talent you
have to offer.
Each piece usually references something that I saw and thought
"that would make a great ____!" Once I get inspiration and see an
image of how I want the piece to be in my head, all that's left is executing
that to the best of my ability.
In five years I'd love for this business to take off, however, I
am fully committed to my full-time job as an engineer and getting my Master's
degree. Ideally this business will be with my through the rest of my life
(maybe one day I'll open a small brick and mortar shop!). As long as I'm
continuously progressing, I don't care where I end up in five years. :)
My message with my work is to always make time to do what you
love. Whatever that is. Even at my busiest, I still try to make time for my
crafting, because I love doing it.
Meet Bryan Levy from Bryan Levy Photography...
I am
a Metro Detroit photographer specializing in city, landscape and time-lapse
photography. I love capturing the beauty and character of every city and town I
visit. I seek out the popular and not to known locations to capture my images
and share them on my website and social media. I’ve been working
professionally since 2012. This will be my
first Avante-Garde Art & Craft Show.
Living
so close to a large city like Detroit, where every day and every corner is
something different to capture. Also, education is inspiration. I enjoy
teaching myself different processing techniques that captures the essence of my
subject in my images.
It
all started when I moved to the Seattle area in 2007. The sweeping vistas and
mountainous views of my 18 month stay inspired me to purchase my first DSLR
camera.
I
discovered my talent when I used to explore abandoned buildings. I made it a
point to go to the roof and capture the sunrise and cityscape from above. It
started to resonate positively with friends, family and coworkers.
My
creative process is dependent on the current weather or mood for the day. Some
days I enjoy capturing images that are minimalistic and moody and others the calming
views of a sunset. I don’t know until I wake up in the morning.
In 5
years, I see myself capturing the cityscapes, skylines and sunsets through
still shots and time-lapse videos, creating tourism to those areas for clients
across the country.
My
message is relaxation. I enjoy producing images that induces warm thoughts,
great memories and inspiration.
Meet Mylinda Mitchell from Witty Creations...
My name is Mylinda Mitchell and I am the proud business owner of
Witty Creations. I am a 45 year old mother of 5 and I have been married to the
love of my life for 25 years. In 2012 I lost a lot of my ability to move around
after a bad mesh surgery. So because of my limited mobility I had to put Witty
Creations on hold and I picked up crocheting as a hobby. For hours I would sit
in my chair and crochet gifts for my friends and family. It has truly become a
passion of mine and I've decided to share my creations with others beyond my
inner circle. I
have been crocheting actively for about 5 years now. This will be the
third show that I have participated in.
I would have to say that Pinterest and Youtube were some of my biggest inspirations when I started back up. It amazed me to see people take something as simple as yarn and turn it into all these different works of art. And from that I was inspired to create my own pieces of art from yarn.
When I was a little girl my grandmother taught me how to crochet and I picked it back up after my surgery. It really helped me through the pain and the fact that I couldn't move around like I wanted to. I've always loved creating things with my hands so it was a nice way to keep my mind and hands busy.
I discovered my talent when I discovered that yarn isn't just for making blankets! When I realized that you could make whatever you wanted there was no stopping me. So I took the challenge to create different forms of art with my yarn and needles and they actually all turned out pretty good. As time passed little by little I perfected my craft and now I'm ready to share what God has blessed me to create.
I see something adorable on the internet and then I make a lay out plan of my own design and the colors I would like to use. Then I figure out what stitch pattern to use to create my own version of the image that inspired me. From there I get my needles moving and in a few hours the lay out that I put together slowly comes to life.
My desire is to have my very own distinct design of crochet art and in 5 years I would like to be able to market my pieces online and in my own gift shops.
The message behind my work is to use the gifts God has blessed us with to create gifts to bless others. I am a true believer that our gifts come from God, and that they can give you the greatest joy even when you're experiencing some of the hardest times in your life. Crocheting allows me to focus on others by using my own hands to create special pieces of art to uplift and encourage them. I feel very honored that God blessed me to be able to create things to be a blessing to others.
2017 Detroit Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Saturday, September 30, 2017 - 10:00am-5:00pm
William Costick Activities Center
28600 Eleven Mile Rd.
Farmington Hills, MI 48336
For more information, contact Amanda Look, Event Coordinator at Amanda@ag-shows.com
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