How would you describe your style?  Are there any artists / designers that you particularly look up to?

I think my style is fresh and light, with a sense of warmth and homey feel to it. I love to make things that would also inspire me and make me feel at home, something you'd want to keep forever. There are lots of artist I admire but a few of my favorite are Kelli Murray, Lindsay Letters, and Autumn Matney (a Phoenix local)  

What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own? 

All of my artwork is original and hand done. I think today its pretty easy to become and "artist" without much skill or background, but I think my work is a result of not only skill but years and years of practice and education. I'm drawn to things that are pretty and well designed with an unmatched skill. Every piece of my work comes from something I've been inspired by. My biggest thing when creating is creating something I love that also has meaning. I try to produce work that others can bring to their home and feel hopeful and inspired whenever they look at it. 

What sort of things inspire you?  Where do you look for inspiration?

So many things from a good song lyric, to colors on a building, to watching my kids imagination run wild. 

When do you feel the most creative?

When I'm traveling and discovering a new place and experiencing new things I never have before. 

Where can we learn more about you?  

Follow along on my blog or my instagram! 

www.coleykuyper.com

https://www.instagram.com/coleykuyperart/

How would you describe your style? 

Geek Sheik! Our style is highly focused on creative sustainability, while staying true to our geeky personalities. I am always wearing bow ties and Saqouy is always constructing something amazing with legos, so we found a unique fusion of the two when we sat down and really talked about it. What we love most is how universal the styles are with all who wear our bow ties! There truly is something we can capture for anyone.

What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own?

We do not claim to have invented the lego bow tie because the idea itself could be created by anyone. We wanted to take the lego bow tie and and create a fashionable style that was both unique and sustainable. After much trial and error we found ourselves with an idea to ensure the environment was at the base of our building, an interchangeable neck strap! Woven from recycled plastic bottles, you only need one for endless options in styles, characters and sizes!

What sort of things inspire you?  Where do you look for inspiration?

We are inspired by all parts of life interacting together! Drawing our passions from comic books, video games and legos, to being outside in nature, creative collaboration and sharing our ideas of sustainable fashion with anyone wanting to be a part of the conversation. Most of the time we inspire each other and it's been such a beautiful journey to own a father/son business.

When do you feel the most creative?

We LOVE building to loud music and something with a good beat!! It is a 'must' in our creative process and always fuels our interaction not only with one another, but individually as well. Music, laughs and bow tie building.

Any special item you'll be releasing or sale you'll be doing at the fair that we should tell people about?

Definitely keep an eye out for our new bow tie home displays and specially made interchangeable barrette bow ties! 

Where can we learn more about you?  

Please check us out at sonandpopbowtieshop.com and follow us at: FB- Son and Pop Bow Tie Shop, IG- sonandpopbowtieshop. We love interacting with everyone and taking custom orders so please feel free to reach me directly at oliver@sonandpopbowtieshop.com or 517-996-2224.

1. How would you describe your style? 

Girly vintage whimsical! I'm an Interior Designer and retired to stay at home with my two littles. That need to create and work with colors was killing me so I dove into this full time. I LOVE pretty much ever style. So you will find I'm quite eclectic! However at the Boutique shows I try to rein it in to a particular theme.

2. What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own?

Because I'm not stuck on one style I find that makes me a bit unique. My styles are always changing with what inspired me that week or that season. 

3. What sort of things inspire you?  Where do you look for inspiration?

Honestly it's like a hampster wheel in my head! I can get inspiration from anything! Something as small as a ribbon can excite me and then the wheels start turning. "This ribbon will work perfectly with my stripe skirts and I'll make a shirt to match!" I find myself dancing in Hobby Lobby a lot! 

4. When do you feel the most creative? 

In the morning with a good latte or at night...I'm a bit of an insomniac. 

5. What's the coolest artistic tip you've ever received? 

The eye can make a color work. When I was in school to get my degree I bought a wine colored chair with intentions to recover it because my room was more orange, but the chair worked out amazingly to my surprise! A local artist and I were talking about this and she told me that,  "the eye can force a color to work even if they don't match perfectly." This is so true and it actually makes things look more interesting if everything is not matchy matchy. I've used this thought in my creations all the time! 

6. Where can we learn more about you?

My Instagram is the best place to learn more about me at: Lollipop Chic Bowtique. 

Photo by Leon Villagomez http://www.leonvillagomez.com

1. How would you describe your style?  Are there any artists / designers that you particularly look up to?

I would describe my style as geometric, organic, masculine and feminine, minimal at times and over the top at others. I recently went to the MoMa in SF and finally saw some of Richard Cerra’s work and I totally love it. I love how raw his work is. I think there is an incredible amount of beauty to be found in the rougher things in our world. I also love the work of Ellsworth Kelly. His forms are so clean, minimal and refined, kinda genius how his pieces interact with light. I’m also inspired by a lot of local artists who I’m friends with. Anna Sofia Amezcua, is a wonderful abstract painter. Her work is passionate, soft and explosive and her use of colors is incredible. She’s actually inspired me to try my own hand at painting, which has lead to the hand painted effects that I use on my woodworks. There’s Also Shannon Sullivan, who is a talented ceramicist. I love her process and how she uses a limited amount of shapes in forms in different ways to create so many different pieces that look so distinct from each other. Also, there’s Peggy Loudon, another ceramicist. Her work is refined and clean and very precise and is informed by traditional, beautiful practices. 

2. What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own? 

All of my compositions feature triangles. I try to use them in as many ways as possible. I try to find a balance between controlling my materials and allowing the natural, rough stuff to shine through.   

3. What sort of things inspire you?  Where do you look for inspiration?

I’ve always been really fascinated by people and the things that they create. I think that the hardest thing to do is to understand another. There’s a really special sense of knowing a person when you can see what they’ve created. It’s sort of like the old notion of, I wonder if the red I see is the same red you see. I can understand what you are saying, to an extent I can understand what you are feeling but when you create something it’s a synthesis of all of your thoughts, feelings, experiences and hard work. So that can really be anything that people make: paintings, architecture, sculpture, beautiful food presentation, etc. I just try to find any place where people are expressing themselves as purely as possible in what they are creating. That’s the thing that excites me, that’s the thing that makes me want to respond by creating myself. 

4. When do you feel the most creative?

I feel the most creative when I’m in my shop. I have big piles of\ raw materials, processed materials, paints, glue, nails, etc. I sometimes feel anxiety about making things or life, but when I’m in my shop, I feel very focused and the rest of the world can be put aside. I love getting into the process of making things. There’s a lot of tedious aspects to what I do, but I love it and embrace it, it has become to me a meditation.  

5. What is your creative process like?

I do a little bit of sketching, not as much as I use to. When I’m working out new ideas or color schemes, I like to try them out with making small pieces. I might make 15-20 small things until I feel confident that I know what I want to do on a larger scale. I mostly build all of the pieces in my mind before I even cut a single piece of wood. But while I’m actually making the piece, I do allow myself to take a detour whenever I get a new idea. For me, rules and order allow me to actually be more free and creative and strike out in a different direction. 

Photo by Leon Villagomez HTTP://WWW.LEONVILLAGOMEZ.COM

6. Where can we learn more about you?  

On my website jdesoto.com or on Instagram jdesoto_fineartwoodworks

7. Anything you'd like to add that I didn't ask….?

I make art in part as a political statement. We live in a time where unfettered capitalism is the largest and most permeating religion that humanity has seen. This comes at a huge cost to our environment and to each other. We are faced with systems that are tearing us apart from each other and the earth, and causing us to harm and consume everything as much as possible. Ecosystems are destroyed, entire species of animals are wiped from the planet. What we receive from this system in turn, is a bunch of useless, soulless junk that is designed to fail. We have had our psyches hacked and have bought into materialism and money as a source for meaning. 

I want, as much a possible, to know that every step of the process of what I create is made with intention. Where do the materials come from? How are thepeople working with the materials I use treated, paid; what are their working conditions like? How is the environment treated?

I want how and why I make things to be central to my art. I want to make thingsthat reduce our environmental impact, I want to make things that last. Ultimately,  I want to contribute to a society in which people are paid what they are worth,  and through my work, create a place that is supportive of happiness.     

How did you start in the Handmade community?
Creating has always been second nature to me. I worked retail in college while studying Art History. I soon combined the two, running an Etsy shop for custom painted and embroidered shoes and wearables. After working full time as a Creative Director for a women's boutique, I realized my true passion was in the art of the Handmade. As in art, one project leads to the next and I began decorating and embellishing the cow skulls. With Rose & Royce I can combine all my creations in one place for modern bohemian art and accessories. I love knowing someone can enjoy my creation.

What or who inspires you?
I love fashion. The art of combining pieces to create an entire look is a lot like creating something handmade. You might have to try a few things before you get the combination that feels right to you. But in the end, there is no wrong answer. I am also endlessly inspired by the colors, textures, and patterns in fashion. 

What makes your work unique and truly your own?
Each piece from Rose & Royce is one of a kind. The accessories are all handmade, hand embroidered, or hand painted. I source a lot of fabrics, threads, trim and beading from thrift stores creating something new from something old. Similarly, the cow skulls are all authentic, sourced from Mexico. Each cow has it's own uniqueness from the horns to the shape of the skull. The cows get a second life as art in their new homes!

What can we expect to see from you at Jackalope?
I am excited to bring a variety of goodies to Jackalope. I will have the hand decorated cow skulls, mini resin skulls (if you can't commit to a big guy), wrapped antler sheds, dream catcher wall hangings, hand sewn clutches and purses, as well as fun boho Christmas stockings and ornaments! 

How would you describe your style?  Are there any artists / designers that you particularly look up to?
Hmmm. I guess ‘playful’ would be the word I’d choose. I love the work of Chris Antieu! She’s able to make me think and laugh with her clever fabric pieces.

What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own?
I take a lot of time to ensure that each of my Noshkins felt pieces is recognizable to kids in a realistic way. I don’t hold with dumbing down toys. They should be well made and beautiful. I add detail so that multiple senses are engaged. I have a sister and as good friend help me sew. The rule is to create the pieces as long as there is enjoyment in the making. I don’t want any bad juju going into the pieces!

What sort of things inspire you?  Where do you look for inspiration?
I look for inspiration all around me. Definitely nature, but also work by other artists.  I love being outdoors observing natures colors and textures. I also enjoy just observing people and how they interact and react.

When do you feel the most creative?
I feel especially creative after visiting a museum. I heard people say that there is no original art. But I think what we put into our art makes it original.

What is your creative process like?
I try to imagine what will spark smile in someone. Then it starts with a sketch and a rough sample. I could spend hours on a piece but eventually the actual production has to be cost effective. I’m constantly reworking patterns.

Any special item you'll be releasing or sale you'll be doing at the fair that we should tell people about?
We will be offering a 15% discount on all Noshkins sets and a 20% discount on Facekins eco-friendly reusable facial pads.

Where can we learn more about you?
My pieces may be seen at www.etsy.com/shop/noshkins and www.etsy.com/shop/facekins. Both shops have videos about their respective products.

My wife and I were driving through the Texas panhandle when she spotted her first tumbleweed tumbling down the middle of the road, "just drive over it”, I said, “people get in accidents when they try to miss them... it'll fall apart when you run the car over it." One mile later, on the side of the road, as I dug the surprisingly tenacious tumbleweed out from under the car, we decided on the spot that such a determined “weed” should have a place in our home.

After several years of spray paint and tinsel, Halloween ghosts, and Christmas ornaments, our mascot tumbleweed just fell apart into an eclectic display of dried sticks and stems in a beautiful array of colors, resting in the bottom of an old clay pot. The first thought in my artist’s brain was, “if I can get those bits and pieces to stick together, I can sculpt something unique.”

My beginning attempts to dye and press tumbleweed into a viable medium (stable and visually stimulating) for sculpturing firstly became a weekend hobby, then a part-time project, then a full-time obsession! The first try failed, so did the second and third, so did the 78th! With the needed equipment becoming more complex, supplies costlier, patience waning, my commitment often failed me, but I continued to come back to the “vision” of tumbleweeds resting in the bottom of that old clay pot.

Finally, in September of 2012, the very first “fossilized” tumbleweed brick was produced! The first cut into the brick revealed a stable and stunningly beautiful product. When I finally held the very first tumbleweed gem in my hand, with my wife and grandson gathered around, we knew something (never seen before) had just blinked into existence…. And that moment is truly the beginning of my family’s journey.

Mature tumbleweeds are gathered from the Arizona desert, debarked, and dyed vivid colors using plant ­based pigments. The dyed sticks and stems are heated and compressed for 30 days, producing a brick of "fossilized" tumbleweed. From the first cut to the finished piece, each handmade stone is unique in size, shape, color, and grain pattern. Appreciate the slight imperfections that naturally occur during the dying and pressing processes of this re-purposed southwestern icon.

Learn more about Tumblestone on their website at  http://www.tumblestonejewelry.com/

How did you start in the Handmade community?

After 32 successful years in multiple senior management positions in corporate America and successfully beating chemotherapy and Ovarian Cancer, my husband and  I decided to retire early.  

I have always been crafty and did Counted Cross Stitch, Quilting, Scrapbooking and jewelry design.  So, I started designing and making Leather Wrap Bracelets.  Once Customers see the bracelets and realize that they are wrist size specific they started to order them.  Through of mouth, Beading by Diana was born.

What or who inspires you?

I am inspired by fashion in general especially now when there are so many options available.  I believe what I have learned about color and color pairings in Quilting coupled with a "natural eye" for color pallets, has really helped in designing my bracelets.

What makes your work unique and truly your own?

There are other designers making Leather Wrap Bracelets but mine are NOT one-size-fits-all!  I make multiple sizes to fit your specific wrist size and the ability to make them to fit the smallest wrist to a larger wrist, including Men's and Children's sizes.  

I also design the bracelet to look like five different bracelets.   Each of the wrap's five sections are a different design. For example, if you have a 7 inch wrist, Each 7 inch section is a different design.  

What can we expect to see from you at Jackalope?

I have both four and five wrap Leather Wrap bracelets in sizes from 5" to 7.5".  The color combinations are endless.  These bracelets are for all occasions, all seasons and for all family members.  They are great for your own fashions sense and make great gifts.  I have even designed bracelets for a wedding party! 

Visit my website on www.beadingbydiana.com!  Once you buy one....you will buy more!

How would you describe your style?

I’m not sure that I can name my style. So many art movements and cultures inspire me. I’ve always felt that I’m a very intuitive maker. I go wherever the art takes me. Often I complete a design and the final piece looks very different from my original notes and sketches. People that see my work in person sometimes tell me that my work has an art deco or tribal feel and as long as the costumer has a connection to the pieces I’m totally ok with that.

When do you feel the most creative?

In the dark! I feel that my best ideas come to me when I’m laying in bed at night. I toss and turn thinking of all the how’s and why’s of a design. I get so excited to get a sketch out on paper but am too lazy to actually get up and do it. I eventually fall asleep and if the idea still makes sense to me the next morning, then it’s a winner.

What is your creative process like?

I start of new designs with a really loose sketch that consists more of notes than actual drawing. I usually don’t do many detailed drawings by hand; I’m more of a digital designer. When I’m working on a new design I use my sketches/notes and build the design by adding and subtracting elements. I follow my gut and have to keep many things in mind as I design because stitching onto wood isn’t as forgiving as stitching into fabric so a lot of planning goes into the designs. Once I feel good with the design I start building and drilling a prototype. Then once my wood panel prototype is ready that’s when I actually start thinking about threads and colors. The final step is stitching and I finally get to see the design come to life.

When people see my work in person they assume that the embroidery phase is the most time consuming, sometimes a piece does take hours to stitch but what takes the most time is building and drilling each design. It’s a long and detailed process but a true labor of love. Completing each piece brings me joy and pride.

What's the coolest artistic tip you've ever received?

It’s not a tip but a quote by Saul Bass, “I want to make beautiful things, even if nobody cares”. It keeps me motivated to create for me and no one else.

Any special item you'll be releasing or sale you'll be doing at the fair that we should tell people about?

I didn’t participate in any spring or summer fairs because I wanted to focus on producing new designs. So there will be many new and limited pieces to see at Jackalope holiday market. Plus, I always do a small price mark down on all my pieces for craft fairs.

Where can we learn more about you?

I’m most active on Instagram @GracyDesignAndCraft but you can also find me on facebook/GracyDesignAndCraft and on twitter @GracyDesign

1. How did you start in the handmade community?

My previous work as a mapmaker in a city government had been creative and challenging but cubicle life and male bosses eventually wore me down. By chance I'd seen a camera bag made of waxed canvas and lined with plaid flannel. Entranced with the image and believing that being taught to sew in childhood would translate to the industrial sewing machines needed for canvas, I set off to become a maker. As it turns out, there is a great deal more "to it" than that but I'm really glad for the means to claim a position in the tribe of hand-makers. Living rural, as I do, having that community is crucial.

2. What or who Inspires you?

My husband John, a blacksmith operating as Black Bear Forge, did all the hard work of learning how to start a maker business and operate it in the age of the Internet. I copy him! For design inspiration I look to the fabric outdoor gear of the past - things that were made by sailors, carried by the people who first made hiking a recognized activity, taken to the Gold rush, or churned out for the armed services by factories full of women during World War II. In my family such items were familiar, even everyday and I guess I am imprinted on them.

3. What makes your work unique and truly your own?

Any uniqueness I might claim would be based on my design aesthetic, my willingness to search out top-quality materials that fit that aesthetic, and the ways that I combine those factors.

4. What can we expect to see from you at Jackalope?

I plan to bring to Jackalope a number of variations on my ditty bag design, plus tool rolls and aprons for the hand woodworkers who are so much a part of my tribe, and some items with a DeHavilland Beaver floatplane print theme for pilots both real and wannabe (like me). There will be nothing frilly or whimsical, just practical and handsome gear.

Find our more on Camp Robber at: https://camp-robber.com/