………and during our party only……….
get a free handmade paper flower (made by moi) with $50+ purchase
(while supplies last)
Cupcakes by Sweetbox available for purchase
Sip on a complimentary cocktail while you shop! 

 

Enjoy these yummy Sweetbox Cupcake photos!
I can’t wait to eat one (or five)

 

Also, check out our new Valentines Day Section on our website
& pick up a token of love for your sweetie.
Enter Promo Code LoveBird for 15% off your purchase through Feb. 15th!

Here are some quick gift ideas:

stitch up messages of love with these kits by Chez-Sucre-Chez, $12.50-$14.50

"I Like The Way You Smell" print on wood veneer by Spread the Love, $27

You're Sweet letterpress notecard by Sycamore Street Press, $4.50

Now that the holidays are over – its time to get organized.  Pick up one of our 2012 Calendars by Art Star favorites: Amy Rice, Rachel Bone, Eleanor Grosch, & Kurt Halsey.  We worked directly with these artists to create these calendars & they can only be found at Art Star.  We only made a limited quantity, so pick one up while they are still in stock.

Rachel Bone is a Baltimore based artist, painter & apparel designer whose illustrative paintings center around women on absurd adventures with open ended narratives and symbolism.  This series – titled I Bet You – plays with typographical design.  Each painting subtly represents one alphabet letter, while still standing alone as individual works of art. Signed prints of the entire alphabet series are available through Art Star.  Rachel also runs the hand-printed, folk inspired apparel line Red Prairie Press which is carried at boutiques across the country (including Art Star) and sold online.

Eleanor Grosch 2012 Calendar

Eleanor Grosch is a Philadelphia based artists who loves animals; you name it, she’s probably drawn it!  Eleanor’s unique graphic perspective aims to simplify line and playfully arrange form to capture the essence of each animal she draws.  She’s well-known for her graphic take on our feathered, furry, and fuzzy friends.  With roots in modernist design, she brings the mid-century aesthetic up-to-date.

Kurt Halsey 2012

We have been working with Portland based artist, Kurt Halsey, since we opened up shop in 2004.  We had no idea how huge of an online following he had when we asked him to exhibit his work in our shop. He is still by far one of our best selling artists!
Kurt captures small, precious moments in time through his sweet renderings of couples & animals just living life.  The imagery is illustrative in nature & the artist typically incorporates text, which is simple yet poetic.  The calendar includes all new work, rich in browns & sepia tones of drawings on collaged found papers.  Grab this calendar while you still can.  We only have 1 box left!

Amy Rice 2012 Calendar

Beginning with not-so-traditional print making methods (hand cut stencils and a Japanese Gocco printmaking toy) Minneapolis based mixed-media artist Amy Rice makes original, one-of-kind pieces by additionally employing acrylic, gouache, ink and collage.  Her “canvases” range from weathered wood panels and discarded objects to antique envelopes, age-worn love letters, and found journal pages yellowed with time.

Amy’s imagery, nostalgic and wistful, is largely biographical and reflective of her pensive nature. She draws inspiration from childhood memories growing up on a Midwestern farm, the urban community in which she now lives, bicycles, street art, gardening, collective endeavors that challenge hierarchy, acts of compassion, downright silliness and things with wings.

Amy has exhibited her work in galleries throughout the United States, Canada and the U.K.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Company: Concrete Polish
Proprietor: Angela Monaco
http://concretepolishstudio.com/
Jewelry Studio & Showroom: Concrete Polish
716 N. 3rd Street, Philadelphia
find her at booth # 3 at our upcoming art star craft bazaar!

Art Star: Tell us a bit about your background.  Are you professionally trained in jewelry/metalsmithing?

Angela Monaco: I grew up in Chicago and Cincinnati Ohio. I started school in Ohio studying Psychology.  This quickly made me realize that I would much rather be creating fun jewels with my hands.  I took an evening jewelry class for one of my extra credits that I needed & I instantly fell in love with metalsmithing and expecially casting!  I applied for an artist grant to build my own studio and started my quest as a jewelry designer and maker. I later transferred to the Maryland Institute College of Art to pursue my interest in Jewelry and Printmaking.  While attending M.I.C.A I took a casting class where I first started to create my line of jewelry.  I have always collected gems and minerals and had the idea to start making molds to reproduce them in bronze and silver. That idea never faded away and has become my main focus in design.

Double Finger Quartz Knuckle Duster

AS: What made you decide to move to Philly & open up a studio/showroom

AM: After I lived in Baltimore a few years I decided to take a leap to a new and bigger city. I always felt a great creative energy when I visited and it was time for a change. I love this city and I think it was a perfect choice for me to start my business and open my first boutique.

AS: What types of materials do you use?

AM:Silver, bronze, and many types of gemstones.  I have a large collection of faceted and natural crystals. I also love chain. I mainly buy antique chain at flea markets or silver and bronze stock chain.

AS:What is involved in the making of each piece?  Do you carve your pieces out of wax & then cast them?

AM: I mainly design jewelry using wax. I am either carving or manipulating an organic object that I have made a mold of.  After I come up with a prototype I am happy with, I then make a mold of that and cast it in either silver or bronze.  I can plate the bronze or silver in yellow gold, rose gold, or black rhodium.  If requested I can also cast in solid gold, platinum, or rhodium but I do not keep stock in the store of those metals. I also have a wide variety of gemstones i use.  My favorite are natural amethyst points and smoky quartz.

a piece in the works

AS: What is your creative process like?  Do you sketch your ideas out first?

AM: I mainly work in 3D. A lot of my designs come from playing with the different rubber molds I have made over the years.  I cut them apart and make my own formations that suit a piece of jewelry.  Over the years I have carved a few different ring bases that I re-use with different crystals on top.  For example, I make a mold for a double finger ring with my logo on it that i can use for multiple designs.

AS: What inspired your current collection?

AM: My current collection is inspired by the formations of raw crystal growth, like an amethyst or natural quartz crystal. Since i was a small child my Mother and I have been collecting gemstones, crystals, & all sorts of fossils.  My childhood phases never seemed to thin out and now crystals have become the main focus of my design.  I keep finding more and more creative ways to tell the story of why these forms are so attractive to me.

Ring

AS: How did you come up with the name Concrete Polish?  What is the story behind that?

AM: The name Concrete Polish sprung to me one day when I was thinking about what my jewelry represents visually and emotionally.  The pieces I create have a rough and refined exterior, but with a feminine polished touch.  It is a balance of sculpture that creates an edgy yet sophisticated piece of jewelry. Concrete Polish represents that idea of balance.

AS: Your collection seems to mostly include rings & some necklaces.  Do you have any plans to expand into earrings or other types of jewelry/accessories?

AM: Yes, you are completely correct.  We have soo many rings here at CP.  I seem to have a small obsession with rings lately. This is of course my mothers fault . I am working on releasing a new catalog for the spring.  There will be 10 ring designs, 3 bangles, 3 stud earrings, 3 drop earrings with chain, and about 4-5 necklaces.  I am also designing a bolo right now for a friend, which I feel will become a successful unisex piece for a future collection.  Linda Smyth of Topstich Boutique and I are also working towards collaborating on a jewelry line of Rabid Fox and Concrete Polish Jewelry.  Can’t wait!

jewelry studio & showroom

AS:Tell us about your storefront.  What do you carry aside from your own work?

AM:Walking into Concrete Polish you will find a great ambiance of well crafted hand made jewelry mixed in with a warm atmosphere of antiques and taxidermy.  The alchemy-nautical inspired showroom carries all handmade jewelry – 80% of which is made right in the back of the shop and the rest at nearby studios in Philly!  There is a wall of mirrors that hangs to help separate the spaces.  Come and check out what we have made and are currently working on.

AS:Where else do you sell your jewelry?

AM: So far my jewelry is showcased in the following stores: Arcadia Boutique,  WERK, Topstich Boutique and our home boutique in Northern Liberties!

jewelry studio & showroom

AS: What can customers expect to find at your ASCB booth?

AM: I have actually completed 3 new ring designs and a few earrings in the last 2 weeks – just in time for ASCB!!! We have been working hard here to get ready for the holiday shopping season. Much more thought has gone into the idea of gift giving.  I will have a large assortment of new necklaces, one of a kind charm bracelets, earrings with pyrtie and quartz crystals. See you soon!

photo by Chris Sembrot

Artist: Shawn Hileman
http://www.shawnhileman.com/indexhibit/
Gallery/Studio Space: Masthead Print Studio
http://mastheadprintstudio.com/
Located In: Philadelphia
find him at booth # 54 at our upcoming art star craft bazaar!

Art Star: When & where did you learn silkscreen?  How long have you been doing it for?

Shawn Hileman: I printed a bit in college but it was just a hobby. I started screenprinting on a regular basis when I opened the studio in Dec 09′. It’s been quite a ride figuring out all the kinks!

AS: What drew you to work primarily in this medium?

SH:I was sick of sitting at the computer all the time so this gives me the opportunity to get really hands on and test my craft skills. When you have multiple copies of a piece as well it allows everything to be able to afford custom art. No print is ever exactly the same and it’s funny because I can remember all the tiny differences on my prints that nobody will ever probably notice.

Beirut Poster

AS: Tell us a bit about Masthead – your studio space/home & art gallery.

SH: Masthead started as a place where I could print and live. Then I had the first show in Feb 10′ with the NoDivision Design Syndicate. Since that was successful I starting doing more and more events. Now we usually have a show every 6 weeks with the occasional lecture or rock show. It’s a ton of work but I’ve had some great people help out with the space. Jp (Flexner) and James (Heimer) do so much for the space. Without them none of this would of been possible. They are also mind-blowing screenprinters and have taught me basically everything I know about printing (and drinking whiskey).

AS: What other artists do you show?  Are they all printers?

SH: We have had a ton of great artists pass through the space. Dan Knapp is always making some of my favorite pieces in each show. We had Kevin Mercer do a solo show last year that turned out amazing. Most people do screenprint their own work here, which is awesome. I have been trying to get more non-printers in and teach them. That way it would give the opportunity for more painters, illustrators, and designers to learn the process.

AS:Do you do design work / print for other companies/individuals?

SH:I work a lot with Urban Outfitters and some other ad agencies doing design work and usually do a good amount of print jobs for other people.

Neol Gallagher Poster

AS: Are there any particular printers or artists in general that have inspired your work?

SH:Definitely Erik Hamline of Steady Print Co. in Minneapolis. His style is really versatile and always top notch. Tim Gough has been a favorite of mine since I was in school. Steve Speir has been honing his style lately and just cranking out sick work as well.

AS: What is your creative process like?  Do you sketch or do you work directly on the computer?

SH: I have to dwell over the concept before I start sketching and digitizing. Once I have that down, I sketch out the layouts and then scan in the elements. I do a lot on the computer and this is why you should make your scanner your best friend.

AS: Where do you see yourself and/or Masthead in the next 5 years?

SH: Oh man, this is a hard one. I was just planning everything around 2012! I would like to keep doing freelance and screenprinting, but we’ll see. I would like to check out some other parts of the world like London and Australia.

Ride Away With Me, limited edition print

AS: Aside from your etsy shop & Art Star (and Masthead of course) where do you sell your prints?

SH: I actually just sent some prints to Little Paper Planes in California. I get a lot of purchases from the UK which is great that people are seeing my work overseas.

AS: What can customers expect to find at your ascb booth?

SH: I have a good mix of abstract, commercial and music posters. Maybe a pinata as well. Just don’t come by during siesta time.

AS: Any fun/exciting projects in the works?

SH: I finished some packaging for the Yards Brewing Company last week and a couple of music posters. I am also working on some branding for a film company in New York City.

Melissa Crotty working in her studio (with her dog!)

Company: Miss Millie
Proprietor: Melissa Crotty
Located In: Philadelphia
http://shopmissmillie.blogspot.com/

Art Star: How did you learn your craft? Are you formally trained in ceramics or are you self taught?

Melissa Crotty: I started working with clay through an apprenticeship about 12 years ago. I worked with a woman in Western New York who in trade for working in her studio taught me how to throw. She was an inspiration and a mentor. She really pushed me to study the arts even further. I wasn’t totally convinced on going to a 4 year art school right away so I enrolled in CCP and traveled a bit doing workshops at places like Penland School of Crafts and Anderson Ranch. Eventually, I landed at Alfred University where I received a BFA in sculpture in 2005.

Duck Bud Vase by Miss Millie

AS: What drew you to working primarily in porcelain?

MC: I’ve worked in a lot of different materials and a lot of different clay bodies. I like porcelain because I apparently really like a challenge and I love the way it feels in your hands. I also love the way color pops on and next to the stark white of the raw clay body.

AS: When did you start your business?  Do you work on Miss Millie full time?

MC: I’ve dabbled in craft shows for the last few years but really started taking my business to new levels this last year, doing more shows and gearing up for more wholesale. I work on Miss Millie pretty much all the time but I also waitress a few days a week.

Miss Millie's Studio

AS: Where do you work on Miss Millie?  Do you have a separate studio?

MC: I have a studio at 13^th and Carpenter. We have a great community of artists in the building. We do craft shows there twice a year called The South Philly Handmade Brigade.

AS: Do you have any employees/interns?

MC: I do not have any employees but I might take on an intern next semester. I could really use some help but I’m somewhat of a control freak so I’m going to have to figure out what I can have someone else do.

Bowl & Tumbler by Miss Millie

AS: I went to school for ceramics myself, so I know that there are many steps involved in creating each of your pieces.  Tell us a bit about how your work is made.

MC: I start out slip casting lots of parts (heads, legs, arms, bugs, animals, flowers, ect.) and put them in a wet box so I can use them later. I then roll out slabs and build forms such as mugs, bowls, vases, tumblers and cups. Then comes the really fun part, assembling and designing what goes on the forms. Like a collage process I take a form and add some cast pieces and then maybe more pieces and then possibly a drawing. Then they dry for about 2 weeks. They are fired once I apply glaze & then they are fired again and are finished (unless I’m adding a decal – then they are fired a third time).

AS: What is your creative process like?   Do you start with a sketch/plan or is it more of an intuitive process?

MC: I start out with an idea of what form and then the additions and drawings are intuitive. It’s really fun for me that way because I’m never exactly sure what I’ll come up with.

Flower Earrings by Miss Millie

AS: What are some things that inspire you?

MC: My inspiration comes from so many places like nature, traveling, architecture, food, people, animals, dance, music and seeing other artist’s work. I also really love vintage dolls and I’m totally fascinated by the people who collect them. When I was younger my great aunt was a collector of clowns and I really loved going to her house even though the dolls were kind of bizarre. I’ve been thinking of her collections a lot lately and feel like this doll series is inspired by her.

AS: Who are some of your favorite artists/crafters?

MC: Oh man this is a hard one because there are so many. Off the top of my head… Frida Kahlo, Bansky, and Nick Cave (the fabric artist, not the musician, although I do love the musician also.) There are so many amazing crafters in this city. I really love Peg and Awl, Bloodmilk, madebyhank, Dahling Accessories, girls can tell, DMT Design, Fabric Horse and Volta Organics to name a few.

Girl Vase by Miss Millie

AS: There are many different kinds of pieces in your collection – mugs, bowls, vases, lanterns, jewelry, pill boxes, herb markers, etc.  Do you have any new forms in the works?

MC: Yes I have dessert plates, salt and pepper shakers and soap dishes that are new. Oh and some new jewelry!

AS: Where do you see Miss Millie in the next 5 years?

MC: In five years I hope to be running smoothly doing mostly wholesale with a few employees, always working on new designs and hopefully in a warmer climate.

Boots Tumbler by Miss Millie

AS: What do you enjoy the most about running your own creative business?

MC: I can bring my dog to work!

AS: What will you be selling at the upcoming ascb?

MC: I’m going to have new jewelry and some new ornaments. I’m also working on some packaging for gift ideas, which I’m really excited about.

the ladies behind Kaye Rachelle; Susan (L) & Bonnie (R)

Company: Kaye Rachelle
Proprietors: Bonnie Kaye Whitfield + Susan R. Dreifuss
Located In: Philadelphia / New Jersey
http://www.kayerachelledesigns.com

Art Star: Tell us a little bit about yourselves.  What are your backgrounds & how did you two meet?  When did you decide to transition your art making into a business?

Kaye Rachelle: We met at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY in 2008 as MFA candidates in Printmaking.  We were studiomates, busy focusing on our independent work.  But within the next year, we were asked to collaborate as designers & printers for a special Pratt project – we designed & screen printed all the home textiles for two showroom apartments at 3rd + Bond Apartments in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.  We had never before screen-printed on fabric – and it rocked our world.  Custom orders started rolling in from our friends and family.  After getting entrepreneurial advice live on Fox Business News just days before graduation, we dove forward & have yet to look back.

Autumn Morning Cloth Napkin

AS: Are you able to focus on Kaye Rachelle full time or do you have day jobs?

KR: While Kaye Rachelle certainly feels like a full time job for both of us, we have day jobs, too. Bonnie is a teaching artist for the Mural Arts Program, and Susan teaches art classes for a non-profit organization in NJ.

Cloth Napkins

AS: Do you both work on all aspects of the business, or do you each have specific jobs that you focus on?

KR: We collaborate from start to finish but we do have specific tasks.  We live about two hours apart, so we are constantly communicating via g-chat and email.  Primarily, Susan is in charge of inventory, printing fabrics, & research, whereas Bonnie sews & works on daily communication, such as emails, Etsy posting, & social media.

Bonnie & Susan in the studio

AS: What is your creative process like?  Do you fully plan out a piece from start to finish?

KR: Our goal is to release a new batch of designs twice a year, with other special & custom design projects in between.  After deciding on a main theme & creating an inspiration board, we then work individually to come up with a variety of designs.  From manipulating photographs we have shot to scanning in drawings, we pull imagery from our daily inspiration.  Together, we choose & polish the designs that are the strongest and most complimentary to one another.  Lastly, we select our seasonal color palette.  We like the idea of customers being able to pick a product, design, & color that fits perfectly with the aesthetic of their home.

AS: What types of items can we find in your collection?

KR: Our collection includes screen-printed pillows, placemats, table runners, cloth napkins, tea towels, wall organizers, market totes, cocktail napkins and small prints on paper.

Fire Escape Pillow

AS: What are some of the inspirations for your collection?

KR: Our latest line (Fall 2011/Winter 2012) is called Transported.  It consists of a collection of prints inspired by travel and transportation, such as crosswalks, traffic lights, bicycles & Philly’s 30^th Street Station.

AS: Where do you hope to see Kaye Rachelle in the next 5 years?

KR: We hope to be in a variety of retail locations nationwide and to eventually open our own space.  Our goal is to find a location where we can print, teach, sell, eat & entertain. (We are both avid cooks!)

Tea Towel

AS: Do you have any new products in the works?

KR: Yes! We are currently working on wine totes, aprons, and Philadelphia-inspired recipe cards.

AS: Aside from the Art Star Craft Bazaar (and soon Art Star!) where can
customers find your work?

KR: In Philadelphia, our products can be found at COOK, SquarePeg Artery & Salvage, and Lodge215.  We also sell at Clover Market in Ardmore, PA, and will be at the Crafty Balboa Holiday Market on Sat. Dec 17th at the Broad St. Ministry.  We also have products at Teich in the West Village, NYC.  Last and not least, you can find our latest creations on Etsy, at www.KayeRachelle.Etsy.com.

AS: What can customers expect to see in your ASCB booth?

KR: From floursack tea towels to linen throw pillows, expect to see a cozy array of our screen-printed textiles, ready to wrap up as gifts.  We will also have hostess gift bundles, a sweet way to say thanks to your holiday hosts.

Visit Kaye Rachelle at Booth # 10 at our upcoming Art Star Craft Bazaar

Our Holiday Ornament/Card Display

We are stocked to the gills with holiday ornaments & cards that have been handmade by over 20 of our artists.  Artists include Noosed Kitty, Happy Owl Glass, Oh My Cavalier, Kurt Halsey, Andrea Kang, Ecoleeko, Hoosier Magnolia, Miss Millie, Bedhead Sheep, Horrible Adorables, Abby Glassenberg, Damned Dollies, Abbey Christine, Eleanor Grosch & more.  Give the gift of Handmade this holiday season!

Reindeer Ornaments by Andrea Kang - a shop favorite!

Felted Animal Ornament by BedHeadSheep - new this year!

Shop online or stop by the shop.  We will be adding more ornaments to the site regularly.  Check out what we have up so far here
Cards will be added soon!

Winter Ornament by Happy Owl Glass - New this year!

Holiday Display at Art Star

Snow Gazer Winter Coat

Company: Meerwiibli
Proprietor: Sarah-Maria Vischer
Located In: Phoenicia, NY
http://www.sarahmariavischer.com

Art Star: When did you first learn to sew?  Are you professionally trained or self taught?

Sarah-Maria Vischer: I’m mostly self taught, though I did get some sewing and other crafting skills in elementary and middle school – they were considered important parts of education in Switzerland (at least for the girls). My mom also helped me enormously and then I took some pattern making and draping classes in the past few years. One must have the technique to deliver the quality…

AS: You were born & raised in Switzerland.  What made you decide to move to the US?

SMV: I always felt that Switzerland wasn’t quite my place in the world. When I got the opportunity to be an exchange student in the U.S., I ran and never looked back…

AS: When did your craft turn into a business?

SMV: I started selling a couple of years ago in a small shop in Woodstock. The store is no longer there, but the love of seeing other people wear my creations stayed.

Zig-Zag Dress

AS: Where does the name Meerwiibli come from?

SMV: Meerwiibli means mermaid in Swiss-German – it’s been the name I’ve sewn onto my clothes for many years now. My family crest is the two-tailed mermaid I use as my logo, I love that she has the two tails – it’s so much more powerful (though I do love all mermaids).

AS: I love the way you combine textures, colors, & pattern in each of your pieces.  What inspires your clothing designs?  Do you follow fashion trends at all?

SMV: My day job is working at a photo agency where we have huge historical archives. I find a lot of inspirations browsing through those images, though the biggest inspiration for me are the fabrics. Once I hold them in my hand, the creations start to emerge.

Orange Knit Sweater Dress

AS: Tell us a bit about your creative process. Do you plan out each piece from the start?  Do you work from a sketch?

SMV: I rarely sketch. I’m not very secure with my drawing abilities! I visualize everything in my head or sometimes just start draping the fabric on my dress form and see where it takes me.

AS: You are also a photographer.  Do you shoot all the photos of the clothing?   Is your photography another side business?

SMV: I used to take self-portraits in all my designs. I love that my little line has let me live all my daydreams and use the many skills I’ve acquired throughout my life. I get to be a fashion designer, seamstress, graphic designer, model, photographer, etc. Though now, since I’m so busy making the clothes themselves, most of the photos of my clothing are taken by other photographers, though I still model them myself.

Striped Hoodie

AS: Do you work on Meerwiibli full time or do you have a day job?

SMV: My line has begun demanding more and more of my time. I do have a day job, but fortunately I’ve been able to cut back a bit. Soon I hope to be able to spend even more time working on my clothing line. I do love having the balance between the two jobs though. I enjoy going to the office and working with a cool team. I’m a photo researcher in my other life, which is a nice job. I get to look at images all day.

AS: Aside from Art Star, where can we purchase your clothes.

SMV: Well, at the moment there really is just my Etsy shop (meerwiibli.etsy.com). Art Star has been such an amazing experience that it’s hard to find other stores that live up to it. But I am working on securing additional outlets. I’ve just finished my Spring/Summer 2012 collection and I’m shopping it around quite a bit.

Alpine Muff

AS: What will we see at your ASCB booth?

SMV: All your favorites and some new items too (hello scalloped hoodie!). I will have belts, hats and fuzzy muffs, as well as winter coats and lots of cozy and elegant and colorful clothes.

Sarah-Maria roaming Zurich

Find Meerwiibli at Booth #41 at our upcoming Art Star Craft Bazaar
View her collection at Art Star