How did you get your start in the handmade community?

I started in December of 2015 and basically taught myself how to make candles.  With only a couple instructional books and no one showing my the ropes, there was a lot of trial and error and definitely costs that came along with those mistakes.  But with repetition, I got better and better until I created a quality product, which was eventually turned into a concept for the business that I have today!

What or who inspires you?

Generally speaking, other entrepreneurs and small business owners who are successful definitely inspire me to achieve great things. I always look for inspiration from other creative individuals who are not afraid to take risks and think outside the box.  When I decided to start a business, i knew that I had to be unique and different in order to be successful.  I enjoy meeting people who love to go against the grain.  More specifically speaking, the inspiration for the collection of candles is mostly what I personally perceive as a cool looking and good smelling product.  I try to put myself in the customer's shoes, while also trusting my gut instinct on what makes a product work.  70% of my customer base is female, so I have definitely learned how to look at things from a woman's perspective and subsequently market my brand appropriately. 

When do you feel the most creative? 

I feel the most creative when I am either sitting in a coffee shop with my earbuds in, or when I am sitting on a plane traveling somewhere.  I rarely purchase the WIFI on the plane and solely use that time to just focus on writing down ideas in Microsoft Word.  Good coffee, good music, and traveling are keys to creativity for me!

What can we expect to see from you at Jackalope?

My product is unique, different and will make a great gift!  The scents in the collection are perfectly accurate to their description and definitely surprise some people! I can't wait to be a part of the Holiday season.

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

Break the rules!  Don't break the law, but break the rules.  It's impossible to be a maverick or true original if your always following the "rules".

How would you describe your style?

I would describe my style as eclectic and contemporary. I like going beyond the boundaries of whats normal and think outside the box to accomplish designs that are beautiful and bold; designs that help people make a statement. I admire artists like Joan Miro, David Hockney and Zaria forman. And I admire designer Carolina Herrera and designer house Hermes.

What makes your work unique?

That each piece I create and design, whether it is one of my paintings or one of my handbags, has my very own mark of boldness through the art I create, where each one is a one of a kind. My techniques and my composition of colors, shapes and volume are not conventional yet inspiring. I am a pioneer, always pursuing the gift of uniqueness in everything I do, which is transplanted in my artwork.

What or who inspires you?

I would say anything and everything inspires me, all the time. Im constantly inspired by everything that surrounds me. But above all things, the beauty of nature inspires me the most: the glow of the mountains after a rainy afternoon, the translucent pearl white color of aspen trees with their ever moving leaves, the passion of skiers go down the slopes, the snow that covers everything in white, etc. Living in Aspen Colorado, it's very easy to find fresh new inspiration, all I need to do is open the door and go outside.

When are you most creative?

Its funny to say this, but I feel the more creative, meaning that the best ideas come to my mind, when I take a shower or go for a run.

Tell us a little about your creative process.

My creative process is very spontaneous. When I see something that inspires me or I get an idea for creating something that's cool, I either take pictures or write it down and then paint it. I really don't spend much time sketching what I am going to paint, I just go right to my canvas and start doing it when I feel the inspiration is there to motivate me.

What's the best advice you've been given?

Interesting question. It came from my grandmother, a great amazing artist herself. When I was about 10 years old, my grandma told me: "people will tell you that you should take classes to improve your artistic talent, but I tell you never take classes. Teach yourself and discover who you are as an artist and believe it. The rest is for those who need direction. You, follow your passion"

What can we expect to see from you at Jackalope?

I will be releasing a new collection of paintings  called "Pow Pow". This collection of paintings will be all about skiers and snowboarders, skiing down the mountain on beautiful, fluffy, powder snow. In addition to that,  I will have my collection of unique handbags designed by me and handcrafted in New York City. Each handbag has an original piece of artwork that I paint myself and they are one of a kind, meaning they will not b e duplicated. So say you buy the handbag called "Jump and risk" with the painting of a skier, you will be the only person to ever have that handbag with that painting. Really really cool.

Where can you be found online?

You can learn more about me on my website garaffagalli.com <http://garaffagalli.com/> and also my Instagram account isabellagaraffa_art and Facebook account GaraffaGalli

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

Björn's Colorado Honey and BeeCareNature offer local Colorado honey and European-made bee-based skincare featuring beeswax, honey, and propolis.

We are small batch, local, honey producers based in Boulder. Pontus, our beekeeper, grew up in Sweden and learned the practice from his grandfather Björn; the company namesake.

The focus of Björn's Colorado Honey is to provide top-quality local honey produced in our Swedish family tradition. It can be said that Swedes typically enjoy their honey crystallized as this version is smooth, spreadable, and possesses a texture that is not too thick. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy honey, a fantastic natural sweetener. We also offer a traditional version for customers who prefer the fluid variety.

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

Björn's Colorado Honey is the only producer in the USA that sells a propolis honey, meant for people who eat honey to stay healthy. Propolis honey was created by Pontus’ father Torbjörn in Sweden and it quickly became a hit. When Pontus moved to Colorado, he couldn’t resist whipping up his own batch. By blending Colorado honey with high-quality propolis extract we boost honey's health benefits. Propolis, an age old remedy made by the bees from tree and plant resins, is known to bolster the immune system and contains antifungal and antibacterial properties.

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

Honey has a unique taste of the land it comes from and Bjorn's Colorado Honey is a taste of the Colorado front range. We are inspired every day by the wonderful open spaces of the front range, the delicate wildflowers and clover that grows on that land, and of course, the honeybees. 

As far as insects go, honeybees are pretty special. They live in amazingly advanced little societies. They coordinate with each other, perform so many duties and they do it all as a team. Plus they help keep our food supply pollinated and diverse, without them we'd have one-third of the food variety we currently have.

4. Where can we learn more about you?  

Our website:

https://bjornscoloradohoney.com/

Our Social Media Properties:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BjornsColoradoHoney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bjorns_co_honey/

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

Pontus, our beekeeper, also chose to import high quality European bee-based skin and oral care products that we sell under our BeeCareNatura line. The producer of BeeCareNatura is a professional beekeeper and pharmacist himself, who understands bees and their benefits, as well as traditional cosmetics production. He is also a long-time family friend of Pontus and his family of beekeepers in Sweden.

BeeCareNatura lotions, creams, and salves leverage the wonders of honeybees, from beeswax to propolis and, of course, honey. The products are mild and suitable for all skin types and are never tested on animals. By placing emphasis on quality ingredients rather than fancy packaging true value can be passed along to our customers.

Our signature products are our Traditional Honey, our Propolis Honey and our Honey and Propolis Handcream. I have included links to those products but I also have images of them below. I also included a shot of all three varieties of our honey, it's a bit more artistic than the other shots, so feel free to use that one. The third variety of honey included there is our Crystallized Honey. 

1. How did you get your start in the artistic community?

Fresh from school I escaped the icy tundra of Pittsburgh, and started my professional Phoenix career, in the massively growing architecture field as an architectural graphic designer.  My extensive knowledge in 3-dimensional design dovetails nicely into my current passion of painting fantastically bold, graphic, and colorful artwork.

2. What or who inspires you?

The Southwest Sonoran Desert is a never -ending source of inspiration. Both the "Mars like"plants, and the super fast desert animals, (running for shade) fascinate me! 

3. How do you come up with your creations?

Although proficient in all mediums, I enjoy the spontaneity of acrylic... But, the smell of oils! Sometimes, watercolors, too.

4. When do you feel the most creative?

My Zen happy place is with a canvas in front of me, a brush in my hand and a fantastic song in my ear! I live and breathe art 24-7!

• How would you describe your style? 

I tend to bounce around various styles that challenge me artistically. My natural style is rather cartoonish but I like to delve into realism, abstraction and folk styles all the while balancing against the absurdist nature of designing fezzes.

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

My work is an unique combination of my training in Fashion Design, my love of millinery, my background in the graphic arts, and my interest in embroidery design. All of this came out of my desire to find a creative outlet to freely explore embroidery design without needing to deal with the restrictions and expectations of the fashion industry. What started as a hobby shared with friends has grown into a full-time career where the business as a whole is my creative expression. 

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

I look for inspiration wherever I can, but I find that most of my passion comes from classic literature, mythology, science and fringe cultures.

• What is your creative process like?

Typically my work will start with random little sketches in my well-worn sketchbook, almost stream of consciousness stuff. I'm usually looking for some idea that will trigger a change reaction of creativity. From a partial rough sketch I will then go to the computer and work up a rough vector pass on a full design with the structure of the embroidery in mind. From there it goes into the embroidery design software where I will work out the final design with all of its stitches. I tend to have a style and color of the hat in mind while working up the thread version. Then it is a series of thread tests and design tweaks before finally creating the finished prototype. If all goes well, the design heads into production.

• 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 revisiting a design I did many years ago and producing a special edition run of our Jackalope Fez for the fair.

• Where can we learn more about you?  

Fez-o-rama.com

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

 My work is pop with strong influences from comics and graphic design. I like art that has a painted surface along with a three-dimensional quality. Artists I enjoy and find myself looking to are Ed Emberly, Elizabeth Murray, Rex Ray and Charles Addams.

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

I think I make things that are cute and a little absurd. Maybe the subject matter is a little dark, but I’ll make it fun and soften the edges. The cutouts come from a craft tradition that I observed when I was younger. But I feel that painting them puts them within a different context. It becomes more of a statement than just decoration.

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

 I love vintage children’s book illustrations, graphic designs from old packaging and vintage toys. Things looked less refined and didn’t worry as much about appealing to everyone. Really weird things that are out of fashion and tend toward kitsch.

Tell us a little bit about your process of creation:

People usually ask me if “I paint first and then cut” or “cut and then paint.” I always start out with a cut piece and then paint. I’d be too nervous to cut a finished painting. :)

When do you feel the most creative?

I feel the most creative late at night. I put on a classic rock album and just get lost in sketching or painting a cutout. There are a lot fewer distractions at night than during the day. It leaves the mind more open to whatever inspiration may come.

What is your creative process like?

I usually start with an ink sketch that I transfer to a piece of wood that I then cut out on a scroll saw. I like how the cuts aren’t necessary laser-cut perfect, but still have a hand-done look to them. It creates more opportunities for randomness to affect the outcome of the work.

My ideas come from sketchbooks or things I see out in the world that might make a cool cutout. Ideas will bounce from sketchbook to sketchbook for years until I finally feel like it’s developed enough to paint. Sometimes I’ll look at a scrap piece of wood and a fully realized idea will just jump out at me.

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

 “It doesn’t have to be perfect.” Sometimes perfectionism can stop you from starting or finishing art. I can only do the best I can do at any given moment in time.

Where can we learn more about you?

 My instagram account @eneuschwanger usually has art that I am currently working on and photos of things that interest me. You can check out my completed work on etsy at ericneuschwanger.etsy.com

How would you describe your style?  Are there any artists / designers that you particularly look up to?
My style has this duality to it-- there's the finished pieces that are polished and elegant, but there's this whole messy behind-the-scenes that goes into the making process that I absolutely love. I like my work to feel natural and fresh and inviting. I'm a Taurus, and very home-centered, so I want my viewers to feel comfortable in my space and for my art to be something calming that they would enjoy living in or adorning their space and self with. 

I love the work of both Egon Schiele and Ana Mendieta, as well as the writings of Italo Calvino and Gabriel García Márquez. I think each of them has something unbelievable and magical about them that carries over into their work, and I strive for each of my pieces to have a little bit of magic in them as well.

What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own? 
The handmade quality-- there's a repetition of process and a part of myself that goes into every piece. I'll spend hours crafting by hand, whether it's embroidering or woodworking, until I get every last detail right where I want it. There's a meditation in the stitching and the sanding-- and I want my viewer to experience it. So much of our everyday is now digital or exists in this intangible universe and I think there's something truly unique about owning something handmade and special.

What sort of things inspire you?  Where do you look for inspiration?
My ultimate muse, of course, is mama nature. I'm outside-- whether it's hiking or camping, in the woods or at the ocean, every chance I get. And this translates into my work-- I source local and organic materials and I'm always looking to the landscapes and the animals I surround myself with for new ideas. The animal world has been a huge catalyst for my artwork. Oh, and my dog-- he's kind of like my cheerleader and just being around his energy is always inspiring and motivating me to work and be better.

When do you feel the most creative?
All the time. I'm not sure it is something that ever turns off for me. I especially feel it being outdoors, but I can justbe going about my day-to-day, and I'll see something or find inspiration wherever I am. Hands down, my favorite is to wake up early and just work in studio all day. There's this sort of "creative high" I get from just being in my space and working with my hands-- like I'll get so lost in what I'm doing that I have no concept of time. It's the best feeling.

What is your creative process like?
Messy, experimental, a lot of trial and error and then going back and refining. I get so into making new things that I'll have four or five different projects going at the same time. I love being busy and I'm always reading or taking classes to learn new skills or processes.

What's the coolest artistic tip you've ever received?
A had a teacher once tell me to keep making art until it's all you do. And especially when you're sad, or feeling self-conscious about your work-- that's when you have to force yourself to look at it and work on it the most. Art is easy when you're happy and feeling inspired, but life isn't always that way. And some of my best work, truthfully,  has come out of my darkest times-- all of that emotion it comes out in your work and if you embrace it, and power through it, I've found you can make some really beautiful stuff from it.

Where can we learn more about you?  
www.peyote-coyote.com 
And if you have social media you can follow me @la.peyote.coyote on instagram.

How did you start in the Handmade community?

After I had my son a few years back I was looking for something to inspire me creatively. I was also looking for something that I could do on my own, for me. I have always had a deep love for stained glass. Being an Art History minor I would be drawn to stained glass and the stories they tell. I found a great class at Stained Glass Supplies, which is now in Pasadena, and I took classes there. I found that my drawings translated really well into glass. It all kind of grew from then on. My friends started wanting me to make them pieces and I saw that I had finally found my medium.

What or who inspires you?

Books! I am a reader so all of my pieces are named after a character, a setting, or a feeling within my favorite novels. I am also very inspired by the world around me. I have been known to find patterns in nature, clothing, and architecture.

What makes your work unique and truly your own?

All of my pieces are original. I first hand draw them then my husband who is a graphic designer vectors them onto the computer. He will tweak my designs and make them a little more “balanced”.  It is very special to be able to work with him artistically. I am lucky to have him look over and help me with my designs.

What can we expect to see from you at Jackalope?

You can expect to see many of my handmade original sun catchers, a few panels, and mobiles.  Each piece is made in the copper foil method. Within my pieces I use both translucent and opaque glass.

How did you start in the Handmade community?

I have been making things my entire life. I have always been drawn towards anything I could try and put together myself. With Crassholes I am at the point now where I don't have to make every single thing myself, which frees up a lot of time to explore making new things. Handmade is so special to me because it is just all people like me trying their hardest and believing in what they do. How could you NOT love that? The community is supportive and kind to each other, and I have met great people and had awesome experiences thus far. 

What or who inspires you?

I get a lot of inspiration from my boyfriend. He is extremely creative in ways totally different from me, and its fun to be creative together. Whenever I doubt myself, he is there to provide the push I need. I also get a lot of inspiration from social media platforms. Taking what I see people talk about and turning them into products that are fun is what I like to do. My family, especially my cousins and their kids are freaking hilarious, and listening to them talk provides a lot of material. 

What makes your work unique and truly your own?

When I started Crassholes I started with just the balloons. I had never seen one person do that before. There were the traditional happy birthday balloons, sure, but there was nothing to help anyone with a sense of humor decorate for their parties. Now we have 50 styles of balloons, cards, journals, water bottles, and so much more to come. Everything I think of I search around and make sure I haven't seen something like it before. Companies now have started to try and copy the balloon idea, which while frustrating, also shows me that it was a niche in the market that people didn't even know they wanted filled until it existed. 

What can we expect to see from you at Jackalope?

I can't wait for Jackalope! I will have all sorts of products there this year- the full line of balloons, all sorts of cards and stationery, accessories, journals, plus of course my awesome dog Tank. (see adorable pic attached)

How did you start in the Handmade community?

We (Brown Bag Books), have been doing pop up events with-in the handmade community for over twelve years now (gasp!), and it still feels like we’re just getting started. I also think that if you’re a ‘handmade kind of person’, it’s always been in you.  So in that way I started as a kid making DIY, custom stickers and selling them out of the garage. But the real deal started when I became interested in doing something with books and their often times overlooked, amazingly vintage covers. That’s when I created Brown Bag Books, a kind of mobile book show, as I like to refer to it as. Like a librarian in reverse, I started deconstructing books, as well as collecting them for our constantly growing book collection. I then stated making cool books into a kind ‘ideal journal’ for someone who is both a writer and an avid reader. Early on I started to save the ‘innards’ as I like to call them, pages and pages of amazing illustrations found in older books, cookbooks, kids books, whatever I found to be eye catching, and began making unique, one of a kind cards from them. It’s understood that we are all moving towards a digitized world, but there some of us, many of us actually, who still need these kinds of unique, handmade items to help us … feel right in the world. It takes a lot of work to make the dis-CARDS (as we like to call them), and now my niece helps. She’s got a great graphic design eye.

What or who inspires you?

Entrepreneurs inspire me. And really, anyone working in the arts, musicians, chefs, painters, film-makers, writers, they’re all entrepreneurs really. I have a background in teaching as well (hence the book love?), and I found myself teaching students not to follow others, not to go for the ‘safe bet’ in their lives, which often times isn’t. I would always say, “Do what you love,” to young people, so I think the people who I admire are those you can tell are doing what they love. Sometimes when I’m having it tough, something didn’t work out, etc., I’ll listen to Radiohead and think man, thank goodness these guys are doing what they love. Music, a great movie, an amazing book – the idea of doing what you love inspires me. And when you’re doing what you love, it feels like everything is in its right place.

What makes your work unique and truly your own?

Our customers, friends, family, people who happen to find us at an event, or even those who follow us on Instagram can tell that my passion is for books, in any way, shape, or form. My two passions are for reading, and writing and everything that we (the business), creates goes into promoting those two fundamental pursuits.  I am a book nerd through and through and people notice that upon their first visit. I love to hear someone in our booth say, “Boy, somebody around here sure loves books …” Heck yes! Because that is exactly what I want to promote, book love. As people who are creating something unique for the world to see, can we ever explain why or how we got there? Sometimes, but I do think you should be able to see the special quality of a presentation, and know that it came from someone’s passion.

What can we expect to see from you at Jackalope?

You can expect to see one of the best, highly curated, small collections of books concentrated in one place. We choose books specific for each event, so in the case of Jackalope, art, design, textiles, hard to find cookbooks, vintage, classics, anything that we think pertains to the discerning crowds at Jackalope Pasadena. We like discerning people, that means someone cares about what they purchase, that its meaningful. And that’s a great thing.

We’ll also be highlighting our handmade creations; Rescued book journals made especially for Jackalope, and our dis-CARDS, which we’ve been saving up as well. Oh, and anything with Pasadena on it. We love local history. Book nerds love history, I don’t know why.