Agora 7: This Weekend!

The Couchfire Collective and Junctionview Studios are incredibly excited about Agora 7, coming up this weekend on May 22. If you've never heard of Agora before...you must be living under a rock! Just kidding.

Agora is an inclusive event that showcases the work of local artists. There will be hundreds of artworks on display, as well as open studios from JV artists, vendors outside, music, performances, drinks, food, and general fun.

If you want to get a sneak peek at the artwork while enjoying delicious food from local restaurants, then make sure to purchase a ticket for the Preview Party on Friday night, May 21. You'll get to meet the artists and enjoy a much less-crowded Junctionview.

Since I don't roll on Shabbos, I will be having limited open studio hours (6-7:30 pm for the Preview Party and 10pm-midnight for the main event). So If I miss you, make sure to grab one of my cards from outside my studio door and drop me a line if you're looking to purchase something!

See you at Agora 7!

Details:
Agora 7 @ Junctionview Studios
Satruday, May 22, 2010
12 noon - midnight
889 Williams Ave.
Grandview Heights, OH
$5 at the door
Preview Party: Friday, May 21, 2010 from 6 - 10 pm
$20 in advance, $25 at the door
Purchase Preview Party tickets HERE.

Snacktacular!

Snacktacular!

New Works & Old Favorites by Amy Neiwirth

April 8 - May 7, 2010

Opening Reception:

Thursday, April 8; 7 -9 pm

Wholly Craft!

3169 N High St. Columbus OH

614.447.3445.

www.whollycraft.net

New Years Resolution Fail

One of my New Years resolutions was to be a more active blogger. And since my last post was about a month and a half ago, you can see how good I've been about keeping that up. Oh well.

The good news is that the reason I haven't been blogging so much is because I'm just so busy! Between teaching, crafting, friends, and trying to have a social life, there just hasn't been much time for the blog. It's been on my "to do" list for several weeks. Whoops.

So, here's what I've been up to for the past 6 weeks:

COUCHFIRE COLLECTIVE

In January, I was excited to become a member of the Couchfire Collective, a local group of creative folks whose mission it is to promote the arts in Columbus. Couchfire organizes many exciting events throughout the year, including Agora and Independents' Day. This year, Couchfire is planning several new events, like FEAST - an evening of dinner and artist grant proposals, and A-Holes - a weekend of artist-designed miniature golf holes.

SWEET STELLA ON TWITTER

I decided that in 2010, I should join the Twitterverse - so far it's been fun! If you're a Twitter user, please follow me - I'm SweetStellaOH!

UPCOMING AND ONGOING EVENTS

Touchy Feely

February 26 - 27, 2010

Reception: Saturday, February 27, 6-10 pm

Ohio Art League Gallery, 1552 N. High St. Columbus OH

This show, presented by the Couchfire Collective, e

ncourages hands-on participation with the artwork. I will be showing an interactive art piece for those with a sweet tooth!

RSVP on Facebook HERE.

Art Makes Noise: A Show for Artists, Musicians, and Music Lovers

Saturday, February 27, 2010

8 pm - midnight $5 cover

Junctionview Studios, 889 Williams Ave. Grandview Heights, OH

One night only! Bands, art, and more. Check out my piece in the show - perfect for lovers of concert ticket stubs.

RSVP on Facebook HERE.

Columbus Music Co-op + Relay Records CD Release Show #2

Sunday, February 28, 2010

1 - 5 pm in the North Market Test Kitchen ($5 suggested donation at the door)

59 Spruce St. Columbus OH

I will be a vendor at this event (along with other local favorites like What the Rock?!, AmyD, and Wholly Craft). Stick around to hear music from local bands Flotation Walls, Time & Temperature, Jordan Martin, and Dan & Sean from Bookmobile.

RSVP on Facebook HERE.

A SHOW OF STUDENT WORK

You, Me, & We: Investigating Identity

Artwork by students from Columbus Torah Academy, Grades K-5

March 4 - 25, 2010

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 4, 2010 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Carnegie Gallery in the Main Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library (2nd Floor)

96 S. Grant Ave. Columbus, OH 43215

The artworks in this exhibition reflect students' perceptions of themselves and reflect all of the wonderful personalities in Grades K-5 at Columbus Torah Academy.

RSVP on Facebook HERE.

LOOKING AHEAD

I have a show of my work coming up in the month of April at Wholly Craft! in Clintonville. More details about the opening reception (and some shnazzy window displays) coming soon.

Holy Upcoming Events, Batman!!

Hope to see you at some of these awesome events I'm involved in.

Ohio Art League - Thumb Box Exhibition

December 3 - 23, 2009

Opening Reception: Thursday, December 3, 6-9 pm

1552 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43201 (new gallery space in the South Campus Gateway!)

www.oal.org

Roy G. Biv Gallery - Members' Small Works Exhibition

December 5 - 20, 2009

Opening Reception: Saturday, December 5, 7-10 pm

997 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43201

www.roygbivgallery.com

North Market Holiday Open House & Craft Extravaganza

Sunday, December 6, 2009 (and Saturday Dec. 5 - Emily of Umbrella Girl Productions will have the spot!)

12 noon - 5 pm (8 am - 5 pm on Saturday)

59 Spruce St. Columbus, OH 43215

www.northmarket.com

Junctionview Open House

Saturday, December 12th

4 - 10 pm

(My open studio hours: 6pm - 10pm, Studio #133)

889 Williams Ave. Grandview Heights, OH 43212

www.junctionviewstudios.com

Sweet Stella Designs Holiday Studio Clearance Sale!

Sunday, December 20th

1 - 4 pm in Studio #133

889 Williams Ave. Grandview Heights, OH 43212

www.sweetstelladesigns.com

You can RSVP on Facebook, just follow this link.

CAW (Creative Arts of Women) - Definitions of Character

January 14 - February 19, 2010

Opening Reception: Thursday, January 14, 5 - 7 pm

Carnegie Gallery in the Main Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library (2nd Floor)

96 S. Grant Ave. Columbus, OH 43215

Oh, Dear...

Wow, it's been almost 2 months since my last post. I must admit that ever since I participated as an emerging artist in the Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival, I've been on somewhat of a crafting hiatus. Between starting both my full-time job (as a K-12 art teacher) and my part-time job (teaching Hebrew school) in September, I really needed a break.

Sadly, my Etsy shop and my website haven't been updated in ages. But I DID add a Sweet Stella Designs BigCartel shop in to the mix, which enables shoppers to purchase items without signing up for a special account! Right now I am featuring 3 items in my test run, and I hope to have the Bigcartel shop as a link on my website soon.

So make sure to check out my site in the next few weeks! It will be getting a lovely face-lift and redesign, as will my online shops and hopefully my poor ugly Flickr page, too.

It's Agora Weekend!

It's here! Agora is THIS WEEKEND at Junctionview Studios. Everyone in the Couchfire Collective (and at Junctionview in general) has been working extra hard to make this event even more amazing than the previous 5 events. There will be over 600 artworks by 300+ artists, food and craft vendors, live music, and other performances.

On Friday night May 15, there will be a preview event from 6-10 pm ($10 in advance, $15 at the door) with drinks and food and a chance to browse the artwork before Saturday.

Even though I have a studio space at Junctionview, my hours at Agora will be limited because I don't roll on Shabbos. However, I will be in my studio (#133) selling my art + jewelry from 6-8:30 pm on 5/15 and after 9:30 pm on 5/16. You'll also be able to check out my work in the display case right outside my studio.

Productive Spring...

I've spent the last 3 months planning a crafty fundraiser called the CTA Craftstravaganza for the school where I teach. This past Sunday, I got to see all the hard work come together! The event was a blast and seeing all the vendors set up with their handmade goods made me feel so proud to be part of such a wonderful craft community in Columbus.

Especially exciting was having my students see all of the creative goodness that is happening right in their own city! Of course, they were pretty excited that their art teacher makes tiny foods out of clay, too.

*Photos taken by my friend, Kevin. Check out his whole Craftstravaganza set on Flickr!*

And, looking onward, there is much more crafty goodness coming up. This coming Sunday is that first day of the North Market's Artisan Sundays! I'll be a vendor there as well, so stop by and check it out between 12-5 pm on May 3rd.

I'm also working on several custom orders, an upcoming collaboration with Pattycake Vegan Bakery, and possibly a special wedding line. Who knows what the next few months will bring!

An Ode to Salvador Dali

My parents' wedding anniversary was last month and I really wanted to get them a unique present for around their house.

Then (on Etsy, of course!) I stumbled upon a fabulous seller from Cincinnati whose business is called Pragmatic Effects. Hilary, the artist, creates an array of melting wall clocks, a nod to artist Salvador Dali.

With clocks in a variety of colors, and even those that look like they're sliding down a bookcase or draping over a mantle, a gift from Pragmatic Effects will delight any art-lover. My parents loved theirs and they can't wait to find the perfect spot for it in their house.

Etsy is really a great place for gifts that you won't be able to find anywhere else!

New Goodies for February!

I have been so busy over the last few weeks making tiny cakes and cute little treats for Valentine's Day. I also just dropped off a bunch of goodies at Wholly Craft, including fresh new cake rings (below). Wholly Craft is being transformed this month in to the setting for the Sugarcraft exhibition. My Tiny Treats will be included in the "Candy Shoppe" portion of the exhibition, which celebrates all things sweet. 

Another popular item has been the Moustache Necklace. I think it was featured on the front page of Etsy today, because I just listed more in my shop and after less than 24 hours, my listing has almost 280 views and 30 "hearts". Wowzers!

I'm also working on another shipment for the Renegade Handmade store in Chicago. So it will be all cakes & moustaches for me...at least for the next few weeks.

2008 Wrap-Up

After a much-needed break from blogging & crafting, I feel re-charged and energized and ready for 2009! I have some great goals for Sweet Stella Designs for the upcoming year, but first, I wanted to reflect on the last part of 2008. 

November: 

Auto/Bio: An MA Thesis Exhibition 

I finally finished my giant MA project (17 pieces of artwork and a 180-page paper) and it was great to see my art on the walls and have my friends and family come out to celebrate. 

People mingle at my exhibition reception

Tiny Canary Indie Design Market

This event is always a blast! So many people came out to this two-day indie craft extravaganza and I split the table space with my friend (she took the space on Saturday; I had it on Sunday) Lori who makes perfumes and bath blends under the name Violette Market. 

Here I am at my Sweet Stella Designs booth

Anne shows off her new AmyD skirt 

December:

Holiday Hop Trunk Show @ What The Rock?!

The wintry weather was a bit of a deterrent for some people, but many others hopped on down to What The Rock to check out items from my holiday collection. 

Pink & sparkly with tiny lights: just the way I like it

In addition to my trunk show, I also had some small works displayed at Roy G. Biv Gallery's Member Small Works Exhibition and the Ohio Art League's annual Thumb Box Exhibition. 

C-Note Art Show 

Every piece of art was priced at $100 and despite the dreary economy, people came out to support local artists. I had an open studio on Saturday night and it was lots of fun to see all of the different types of art on the walls. 

Art viewers enjoy the work at C-Note 

Jen and Coreroc hang out in my open studio, #133

I am definitely looking forward to the rest of 2009. There are some great events happening at Junctionview Studios (including a spiffy re-designed website) and I am getting ready to start making some Valentines Day-themed jewelry. Looking ahead to April, I have an art show scheduled at Haiku Poetic Food & Art in the Short North. 

Naturally, most of my New Years resolutions have to do with being more organized, so I hope I'm able to keep up with that!

New Computer!

Ladies and gentlemen...I finally have a new computer: the MacBook Pro!! It was my graduation present and even though I've only had it in my possession for a day and a half, so far, it's glorious. 

I had been working on a 5-year-old Toshiba laptop, and while my old computer still works, it runs so slowly and it freaks out when I have more than 3 programs running. Especially Photoshop, it hates that. 

Naturally, I'm going to have to start transferring all of my music, photos, and documents. I'll probably spend some solid time on that during winter break. 

For now, it's more art events! Remember that the C-Note Art Show is happening this weekend at Junctionview Studios. I'll be having an open studio & an art and jewelry sale on Saturday night after 6:30 pm or so. So stop by and say hi if you can! I've got some great new creations for the holidays. 

Shop Local for the Holidays!

Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Look no further than the talented artists and crafters in Columbus, Ohio! I created this compilation of local Etsy sellers to show what creative and beautiful work is made right here in central Ohio.

Wondering how you can find sellers on Etsy from your area? Just use the Shop Local tool at Etsy.com!

Holiday Craziness!!

Okay kids, the holidays are almost upon us (well, not really...it's not even Thanksgiving yet!), but I am already gearing up for a jam-packed December.

First up is my trunk show at What The Rock?! (see flyer below). If you haven't been to WTR before, you should definitely get yourself there. They have a variety of rock n' roll themed items from t-shirts to baby onesies to books and CDs. Mike and Heather, the owners, are great people and try to give local artists and crafty folks opportunities to sell their handmade wares. For example: they sell my friend Megan's grenade-shaped StinkyBomb soaps! They also sell my Sweet Stella Designs items.


I have already received some very cool press about my trunk show on December 6th from the Columbus ALIVE, as well as a listing in the Short North Arts District's newsletter (scroll down to the bottom for my event listing).

That same night is the opening for Ohio Art League's Annual Thumb Box Exhibition and Roy G. Biv's Members' Small Works Exhibition. I plan on having a piece in OAL's show and a few at Roy. Stop by during the Short North Holiday Hop and check 'em out!

In addition, C-Note Art Show is coming up the weekend of December 12-13. Visit the C-Note website or see the sidebar of my blog for times, location, and details.

Thanks, Columbus ALIVE!

One great thing about the Dispatch and the Columbus ALIVE is the value they place on DIY & locally-produced items. I think the editors and writers have taken note that people are interested in the do-it-yourself mentality and prefer to buy items that are hand-made or created in Columbus.

This week's issue features holiday gift guides and in addition to my jewelry being featured (in relation to my Holiday Hop Trunk Show @ What The Rock on December 6th), some very fabulous folks also got shout-outs in the 20 for $20 Gift Guide, including WTR, Poshta Designs, Yumi Yumi, Tandi's Glass, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, Umbrella Girl Productions, Skreened, Wholly Craft & Tigertree, to name a few.

Hooray!

Tiny Canary This Weekend!

Saturday and Sunday, November 15-16
10am - 6pm each day
at Junctionview Studios (889 Williams Ave. Columbus OH)

Let the countdown begin... Tiny Canary is this weekend!

For 2 days, Junctionview Studios in Grandview will be transformed into a temporary marketplace where you will have the opportunity to buy directly from local and regional artists and designers.

Skip the mall, buy handmade, and start your holiday shopping early! You are sure to find original, high quality handmade gifts for all those on your list!

Be one of the first 100 guests in the door each day and you will receive an organic cotton tote bag filled with samples, coupons and other goodies from our vendors and sponsors.Food and refreshments will be available from Rad Dog, Pattycake Bakery and Kevin's Espresso Cart. Admission and parking are FREE!

Visit the Tiny Canary website for directions and a preview of the participating vendors.

Inquiries? Contact thebird@tinycanary.com.

* Please note that Sweet Stella Designs will be a vendor on Sunday, November 16th only!*

AGORA V This Weekend!

If you live in Columbus, don't miss this fabulous art event!

AGORA V Preview
Friday, October 17 from 5pm to 10pm
Junctionview Studios
889 Williams Ave.
Columbus OH 43212

$20 online or $25 at the door
Purchase tickets online today at www.agoracolumbus.com

Get the first look at over 200 works of art and 50 open studios while enjoying a performance by DJ Moxy. Food and refreshments from Due Amici and Pattycake Bakery will be provided. Buy your tickets at the door or purchase your tickets today.

* * * * *

AGORA V
Saturday, October 18 from 6pm to midnight
Junctionview Studios
889 Williams Ave.
Columbus OH 43212

$5 at the door

I will be having an "open studio" on Saturday night from 8pm-midnight
Studio #133 (with the pink swirly door)
Stop by for a jewelry sale, art preview (I am making paintings again, hooray!), and snacks!

In addition to lots of artwork and open studios, our public opening features performances by rainer, Flotation Walls, Cosmictraveler, and a special appearance by Adam Smith (Columbus) & Simone Weißenfels (Leipzig, Germany).

Sweet Stella Designs at Open Door Art Studio

I am excited to announce that Sweet Stella Designs jewelry can now be purchased at Open Door Art Studio in Grandview, Ohio!
Open Door is a great space that offers art classes for individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. Their amazing artwork adorns the walls of the gallery. The Open Door Studio is "dedicated to overcoming limitations and giving individuals with disabilities the opportunity to discover their expressive freedom" (source: opendoorstudio.org).

The gallery/shop portion of Open Door is filled with handmade goods from independent artists and designers, including Columbus favorites (and Sweet Stella buddies) Anne Holman and Megan Green of MooganCreations. Some folks from Etsy Team Columbus will soon be added to the mix as well.

I am thrilled to have this new opportunity to sell my designs! Stop by Open Door during the Grandview Art Hop on the last Saturday night of the month.

New Work!

Well, I have spent the last few weeks making lots and lots of new work and trying to stay busy and positive. I am trying to take rejection (in crafting and in life) and turn it in to energy to keep improving my work.

Right now, I am building some fabulous friendships and professional/business relationships. I am also figuring out how this is all going to work when I start teaching again in 2 week (ack!).

I am proud to introduce my latest line: it's called "Sweet Collaborations" and features the work of Columbus artists in my jewelry. Yipee!
Come check out awesome pendants showcasing the art of Jeff Fernengel and the photography of Brandon Presz as well as my other designs at the North Market this Sunday from 11:30-5 pm!

Sweet Collaborations!

Goodbye

...I'd give this world
Just to dream a dream with you
On our bed of California stars
-- Woody Guthrie (music: Billy Bragg & Wilco)

Dust

Randall helped me clean the dust off of my living room ceiling fan the other day. It was pretty gross, although the particles in the sunlight were quite beautiful.