The 3/50 Project

Did you wonder where your money goes when you shop at a big box store? How much of it goes back to the community vs. how much money goes back when you buy from a local, independent business?
Visit the 3/50 Project page to learn more about sustaining your local economy.

A few Cleveland area stores I recommend:
Local Girl Gallery, Lakewood, OH.
Bay Arts, Bay Village, OH.
Banyan Tree, Tremont, OH.

Also search on etsy for "clevelandteam" to find the Cleveland Handmade Team's work. A wide variety of work from a group of very talented artists.

Last Minute Market Love

Check out a great article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer by Evelyn Theiss about the Last Minute Market and Open Studio events. Read it here.

Open Studio Press

In case you didn't get to check this out here is a nice article about the Lake Erie building. Read it here.

Some of the artists in the building will have their spaces open during the Last Minute Market on Saturday, December 19th from 10-6pm. If you missed the first open studio event this is a good opportunity to check it out.

Remember the Last Minute Market is this Sat, Dec 19th. Valerie Tyler, one of the Cleveland Handmade artists has been doing a great job showcasing artists from the group. Check out her blog to see what Cleveland Handmade has to offer. That is one of her foxy necklaces pictured above. Check out her etsy site for more!

The Bazaar Bizarre Cleveland is this weekend!

Visit me this Saturday and Sunday (Dec 12th & 13th) at 1300 w.78th St. in Cleveland.

Noon - 9 pm Sat

Noon - 6 pm Sun

Support local artists and DIY. Shop handmade this holiday season!

For all the eastsiders be sure to check out Animals in Art at the Orange Art Center

(also on the 12th & 13th)

10am - 4pm Sat

noon - 4pm Sun

located at 31500 Chagrin Blvd, Pepper Pike.

Happy Holidays!

As most of you know I have my studio in the Lake Erie Building (aka the Screw Factory). When I moved to Lakewood I never knew it existed. I am from Lorain, a city with nothing to offer artists. My first studio post grad school was supposed to be this great space. I was lucky to have a place right outside of school to work and I found a used kiln. But I was in the hood of Cleveland. Don't get me wrong, I love Cleveland but I can't say I was somewhere I felt safe.

After a series of issues in this space I decided to leave and start shopping around. My friend Ruth told me about the Screw Factory open house she had attended. I checked out the space and decided to call it my new studio home. Because I had to get the hell out of dodge I had to move before my studio was actually built. The landlord was kind enough to let me store my equipment and supplies for free. The tenants were few at that time but my stuff was left untouched and safe during its stay. I could already tell I was going to love the place.

Once I finally settled into the studio I quickly got to work. It was nice for the first time since school and the last studio nightmare to have a space to call my own. No distractions, no one else to deal with. It was my bubble. Often there is nothing I would rather do than spend a Friday night in my studio with some beer and some clay.

After being there for a year I proposed to my neighbors that we do an open studio. The response I got was tremendous. It quickly snowballed and everyone chipped in time, energy and money to help. The amount of tenants has tripled since I first rented a space. The last open studio event tripled in size as well. I feel like I am right where I am supposed to be. I am surrounded by a group of talented and diverse artists. They are some of the best neighbors I could ever ask for. The energy is amazing and I can say that these events are truly a collaboration. The community has been kind enough to give us support and I'm happy to call Lakewood my home.

I love Cleveland but I recognize that there are always going to be people checking in on me to see if I've failed. And I will fail at things. But that's the only way I'll get any better. I'm happy to be right where I am at. I only hope you can say the same.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me and my artwork throughout the years. And thank you to everyone who has supported these open studio events. Your kindness will never go unappreciated.

Yesterday was the Cleveland Handmade Market at Wooltex Gallery. I was scarf sitting for Shannon Okey. It was a good day despite the cold. You have one more chance to check out the Cleveland Handmade crew on Dec 19th at the Lake Erie Building (home to the Screw Factory Artists). It will be a big show. Join us from 10am-6pm.