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On Saturday I had the opportunity to attend the 36th annual American Craft Council Baltimore show with our social media coordinator/videographer, Olivia Obineme. What an amazing show—full of artwork, jewelry, clothing, and mixed media pieces. I got to chat with some of the local artists, while Olivia photographed the experience. Here are some of the highlights.
Susan Levi-Goerlich (above) displayed her two bodies of fiber artwork, the first being stitched paintings. Creating stitched paintings is multi-step process that uses both traditional and innovative silk painting techniques to apply silk dyes, as well as a sewing machine to blend and mix the colors by layering threads. The artist's other work consists of paintings in fiber, which combines dyed and hand-painted silks with layering and needle felting. Stitched Impressions, www.SusanLevi-Goerlich.com.
“Do what you are good at.” That’s exactly what self-taught designer David Sleightholm has done since his first art show—where all of his pieces sold. He uses metal, glass, and upholstery to create both residential and commercial pieces. David Sleightholm, www.sleightholmarts.com.
Jewelry designer Lori Meg Gottlieb started making jewelry in high school and college, but didn’t come back to it until after 15 years of being a practicing surgeon. Her collections are made from various metals, with the hinge pieces being the most popular. A large part of Meg's inspiration comes from her daily bike rides, and seeing different textures, forms, and the layering of objects in the environment. LoriMeg Designs, www.lorimegdesigns.com.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Yoshi Fujii last month for our February issue. This is his first ACC show, which he seemed quite excited about! He also works at Baltimore Clayworks, where fellow artist and founding member Ronni Aronin encouraged him to take part in the ACC. His porcelain carved tableware uses a traditional Chinese and Korean glaze called celadon. www.yoshifujii.com.
Starting off bartering in materials with one another, Aric Wanveer (metal) and Tim McFadden (glass) eventually teamed up to create a technique fusing metal to glass. Blowpipes and tools created by Aric specifically for these designs have made this process possible. Their method allows the metal framework to be part of the art as well, displaying it in a unique way. Zero Gravity Creations,www.zerogravitycreations.com.
Ed Kidera has a true gift in finding junk and making it into art. These recycled pieces include compressed gas cylinders (oxygen tanks and fire extinguishers), and different parts from trucks, cars, and industry and weld shops. His most recent venture is a line of steampunk weapons, canes, and time machines (!). The Steam Emporium,www.thesteamemporium.com.
David Bacharach has yet to miss an ACC Baltimore show. Over the years he has created many different forms of art, ranging from jewelry, to utensils, to woven metal wall panels (which he is best known for). Wanting to create larger pieces, and realizing that most houses are either too cluttered or not large enough for this type of work, he began using copper, bronze, and stainless steel to create outdoor sculptures. Bacharach-Metalsmith,www.bacharachmetals.com.
