Street Market

Knitting and crocheting in art is making a comeback and these three local fiber artists are leading the way. The girls met for the first time this summer and sold as a group at the Avenue for the Arts Market in August. They each value handmade qualities and aesthetics, as well as being environmentally conscious in their work.

Emily Helmus, Rachel McKay, and Rose Beerhorst all share the same passions—gardening and crocheting. It may seem like strange combination of interests at first, but knowing that they met at Barefoot Victory Garden on Wealthy Street helps to connect the dots. On Wednesday evenings at the garden there are small gatherings of artists called Craft Circles. Rachel McKay was one of the founders of this event, and soon after, Rose and Emily became the regular attendees. During Craft Circles, people from the community participate by bringing food for a mini-potluck, and by sharing their knowledge while working on their own unique project that they brought with them.

“It’s really inspiring to talk and share ideas and really learn from each other,” Rachel expresses.

Even though Emily, Rachel, and Rose enjoy some of the same techniques and ideas, each artist is unique in their own style. 

Emily is studying art and environmental studies at Calvin College but learned the art of crocheting from her grandma. Her style of work includes knitted heart pins and button necklaces, small ornaments, and even miniature terrariums in mason jars.

“I am very inspired by nature in my work,” Emily explains. “I’m a gardener as well, so I really enjoy working with my hands.”

A majority of the materials Emily uses are recycled and repurposed. For example, she spins her own yarn from local sheep, and buys wool from the Fulton Street Farmers Market. The material is also naturally dyed from onionskins, carrot tops, and blackberries.

All three girls include natural items in their work, especially Rachel. She likes to incorporate actual things from the outdoors such as crocheted acorns stuffed with lavender buds and topped with real acorn caps. One of the items that Rachel enjoys creating the most are miniature hand bound journals made from scrap pieces of material. 

“I like to make sure nothing goes to waste. I often find fabric that is just too good to throw away. Sometimes it happens that I will be wearing an old dress of the exact same material I just made a journal out of!” Rachel confesses.

Rose Beerhorst has the same talent as Rachel in seeing the potential in things that others might not see.

“I definitely find myself unleashing the hidden beauty of objects in my work. I like to call it ‘reclaiming the unloved,’” Rose explains.

Her use of exclusively recycled material and yarn from places like Goodwill, emphasis her passion for being kind to nature. Rose’s style of work is playful and fun with brightly colored accessories such as button bracelets, headbands, and hairpins, as well as hand sewn sock monsters full of personality.

You can find more of Rose and Rachel’s work around town at places like Clothing Matters. Rose also has items in Global Infusion, Bluedoor Antiques, and with her family on the Beerhorst Wonder Wagon.

To learn more about each of these three fiber artists, check out the links below and come meet Emily, Rachel, and Rose at the last Avenue for the Arts Market of the season on September 11th from 4-9pm on South Division Avenue between Weston and Williams.

More Photos:
Flickr Slideshow

Emily:
Etsy
Blog

Rachel:
Etsy
Flickr

Rose:
Etsy
Flickr

“I enjoy music that is simple and authentic,” Kurt explained. “Songs that are too over processed with excess noise don’t seem true to the music anymore.”

One thing that makes this musician a bit more unique than other artists is that 100% of the proceeds from his album Surface go towards environmental groups such as Friends of GR Parks.

In today’s tough economy it’s hard for an artist to make a living. Sarah Cash of Forrest Concepts is pulling out all the stops by diversifying the range of art she creates and sells. She uses recycling techniques, as well as more traditional metalworking in her work. Having a range of products that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing makes Sarah one interesting vendor to look out for!

Unlike traditional artists, Sarah learned the arts of jewelry and metalworking from her father, John Diem, not an expensive art school. Her father went to school for art and then passed down his skills and passion to his daughter. He taught Sarah her how to create chains, stamp charms, and make a variety of other jewelry out of metal.

“After a long day it’s nice to pound on some metal and play with fire,” Sarah expressed. “I can work on it anywhere from five minutes to five hours. I really enjoy it.”

Sarah began in 2005 selling fine jewelry at the markets with her husband, Butch, and then two years ago transitioned to selling items with better price points due to the changing economy. After her husband rescued a box of discarded vintage books from the library and purchased a bookbinding machine, the star of Forrest Concepts was born. The 100% recycled vintage children’s book journals are a hot-seller at the local markets. Each journal is unique in it’s own way with a one-of-a-kind hard cover and pages incorporated from the original books. Along with the journals, a plethora of colored votive candles in Dixie cups were also created to sell at the markets.

When Sarah isn’t creating art and selling it online or around Michigan, she is helping run a market herself. It’s called the Fulton Street Artisans Market and occurs every Sunday during the summer. Sarah volunteers with a team of three other people and is in charge of artist relations. She keeps up with emails, Facebook, website, and other promotional duties of the FSAM.

“We have wonderfully talented artists that don’t know how to promote themselves. It’s my job to help them do that,” Sarah explains.

The future plans of Forrest Concepts include expanding upon the recycled journals by creating purses or jewelry boxes out of the playful hard covers. Sarah also wishes to create more candles in a variety of colors and styles.

If you would like to learn more about Sarah and Forrest Concepts, you can visit their Etsy page, Facebook, or website. To meet Sarah in person, come to the Avenue for the Arts Market on August 14th and September 11th, 2010 from 4-9pm!

Joel Berry, One of our vendors who also lives on the Avenue for the Arts was featured on Rapid Growth this week!

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Market on Saturday!!
New photos from the event are posted on Flickr. Check it out!

A new style of crafting is emerging and local artisan Ryan Wyrick is one step ahead of the curve. For years, Ryan has been using recycled materials and found objects to create beautiful pieces of art. I was able to get the inside scoop as to why he crafts and his reasons behind recycling.

When most people think about artists who craft, they think middle-aged women who knit or paint birdhouses. This is not the case with Ryan Wyrick. Ryan is currently a Grand Rapids Community College student working towards an Associate degree in Photography. When he is not attending school or working, Ryan finds time to craft and create. During the summer he is able to sell his work at local art markets like the Avenue for the Arts Market and the Fulton Street Artisans Market. He has been a vendor at the Avenue for the Arts Market for the past three years.

“It’s really amazing to see such a great community in action,” Ryan expressed during a phone interview, “The Avenue for the Arts Market really knows how to display everyone’s creative side.”

Ryan’s art is not something you would typically find at a craft show. His work ranges from low-priced pins, magnets, buttons, and confetti, to creative postcards, greeting cards, and collaged picture frames. What makes Ryan’s work unique is the source of his materials. Over half of what he creates comes from found objects or items that have been thrown away. Ryan finds his materials in a variety of places, ranging from his old art homework assignments, to the sidewalk outside. Creatively piecing objects together and making them reusable is a challenge, but it’s what inspires him to create such unique works of art.

“Recycling in art has taught me that it doesn’t have to be something new to be amazing and beautiful,” Ryan explains. “You can find something on the ground and easily turn it into something wonderful.”

Ryan’s one-of-a-kind environmentally friendly art can be found online at his Etsy page and Facebook, or at any of the local art markets this summer.
To meet Ryan in person, head down to the Avenue for the Arts Market on July 10th, 2010 from 4 until 9pm.

Skilled, driven, and ambitious, Adrianne Adelle McCluer, can do it all. From photography and illustration, to ceramics, jewelry, and a variety of other media, this local artist explores multiple directions of fine art and do-it-yourself craft. I was lucky enough to get an interview with Adrianne and a tour of her colorful studio.

Born in Grand Rapids, raised in Cedar Springs, this Kendall College graduate knows how to work with her hands. Adrianne graduated in May a Bachelor of Fine Art: Photography, but has done much more than just that. A jack-of-all-trades, Adrianne, has her hands in almost every type of art media.

“I want to do it all!” Adrianne expresses during our interview, “I would do everything if I could.”

Adrianne has had her work featured in Kendall College’s 2010 view book, a show at Forest Hills Fine Art Center, and participated in the UICA’s Nosh Night and Winter Artist Market in 2009.

Her studio is bright and inspirational. The vivid green walls of her lively room are decorated with a variety of her work including line and watercolor illustrations, graphite drawings, jewelry, ceramic characters, paper collages, and photos. If she needs to work on something a bit larger, Adrianne has the extra space in a second studio downstairs. The room currently contains her large encaustic photography, woodcuts, sewing machine, pastel illustrations, and a variety of other tools.

Outside of her studio, Adrianne has been an ArtPrize photographer and a Grand Rapids Symphony intern. Her internship showed her that she enjoys designing and being busy, but that working at a desk wasn’t meant for her. Hands-on activities are what Adrianne does best. She has found ways to use her skills to financially support herself by photographing weddings and senior photos, landscaping, working on a farm, and selling her work at local art markets. Adrianne hopes to become a successful artist, nail a job at Disney’s Pixar or perhaps join the AmeriCorps.

Currently, Adrianne is preparing her work for the upcoming art markets this summer. The wooden block dictionary pages and kooky, light-hearted illustrations were a big success during her first time at the Avenue for the Arts Market in June. Adrianne plans on selling at the Fulton Street Artisans Market a few Sundays.

If you would like to view more of this multi-talented artist’s studio, go to our Flickr slideshow.
To meet Adrianne, head down to the Avenue for the Arts Market on July 10th, 2010 from 4 until 9pm, or connect with her online:
brooding.artist.inc@gmail.com
adrianneadelle.wordpress.com

17 more days until the July 10th, 2010 Avenue for the Arts Market!!

The 100 block of South Division between Weston and Cherry will be lined with a collective group of local artists, handmade art, and lively entertainment.

Bring your friends and family down from 4-9PM for some local art and FREE entertainment!

ATTENTION VENDORS!
Looking for online places to sell your art?? Check out this list of 84 places to sell your crafts online:
http://www.craftazaar.com/84-places-sell-crafts-online/

Avenue for the Arts Market was featured in 2 Grand Rapids Press Articles!! One about our vendor Lisa Portenga, and one about tips for art market vendors. Thanks Jennifer Ackermann-Haywood!

http://blog.mlive.com/runningwithneedles/2010/06/daughters_wedding_leads_to_cra.html

http://www.mlive.com/living/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/06/tips_for_successful_sales_at_a.html