Artist Feature: Celia Smith

Celia Smith works with acrylic paints on canvas, paper and linen.  She has been painting for at least 40 years and started with watercolors when she was very young.

When possible, Celia paints outside "en plein air".  When the weather is not cooperative, she paints in her studio using sketches of nature and people for inspiration.  She has been participating in the Bizarre Bazaar for many years and remembers when it was just a small group of artists. 

Celia has done portraits of individuals and families, which she refers to as "Portraits of the Soul" because they involve much more than physical features. She has also done large pieces and will take custom orders.  More of her work can be found on her website and on her Facebook page. 

Etsy items from BizBaz artists

Just a sampling from some of the artists who will be at the Bizarre Bazaar at the Lawrence Arts Center on November 25 and 26--there will be over 145 artists there this year!

Live performances schedule for the 2011 Bizarre Bazaar

One of the things that makes the BizBaz such a unique, fun event is the live entertainment.  This year we will have two stages for live performances...one on the ground floor outside the gallery and one in the basement by the kitchen.  Several musicians will be selling CDs and we will have a tip jar out for them as well.

Want to know who is performing and when?  Here is the amazing lineup! 

Biz Baz Music Schedule 2011

Friday Nov. 25^th   - Upstairs Stage

5-5:45:   Les Cerises

6-6:45:  Tasha Haas / Rebecca McAnulla

7-7:45:  Gloria Roach /Alonzo Beardshear

8-8:45:  Maria Anthony and Megan Hurt

Saturday Nov. 26^th – Upstairs Stage

9-9:45:  Mojo National

10-10:45: Ardys Ramberg and Walt Babbit

11-11:45:  Cindy Novelo

12-12:45:  Raghsidad Belly Dancers

1-1:45:  Heebie Jeebies

2-2:45:  Lana Marie Haas

3-3:45: Barry Barnes

4-5:  Vera, Chuck and Dave

Saturday Nov. 26^th – Downstairs Stage

9:15-10:  Savage Junkie’

10:15-11:  Natalie Cox

11:15-12:  Deborah Pine/Mark Eldridge

12:15-1:  Joe Bickford Trio

1:15-2:  Michael Paul

2:15-3:  Mike Corrigan and friends

3:15-4:  Darrell Lea

4:15-5:  Byron James 

BizBazBucks giveaway details!

It's time to enter the giveaway for BizBazBucks on the Facebook page! 

We will be giving away four gift certificates for $25 each to spend at this year's event.  Entries will be accepted until midnight on November 18th, 2011.

Entry is simple:  Like the BizBaz Facebook page and fill out the entry form.  Winners will be notified via email.

Announcing BizBazBucks!

Wouldn't it be great to get some extra holiday shopping money to spend at this year's BizBaz?

And even better...all you have to do is show some support to the artists and event you already love?

Entry is simple:  Like the BizBaz Facebook page and fill out the entry form (quick, I promise!), then sit back and wait for the winners to be announced.  Not on Facebook?  This is the reason to finally give in and sign up!

Watch the BizBaz Facebook page for details!

Artist Feature: Mary Lynn Gress

Mary Lynn Gress uses heirloom materials from old watches, brooches, and broken necklaces and transforms them into a new jewelry.  She began doing this work at the request of her mother in law, who has having trouble with her hands and needed some of her pieces reworked.  Mary Lynn took some classes to learn the basics and eventually became drawn to using antiques in modern jewelry design--she loves working with cameos most.

Mary Lynn works from her home and a large portion of the work that she does is from custom orders; she meets with customers to talk about the existing piece and how it can better fit their personality.

This will be her first year at the Bizarre Bazaar and more of her work can be found on her website, in her Etsy shop, and on Facebook.

Artist Feature: Penny Valladares

Penny Valladares blends and bottles body care products from pesticide-free, mostly organic ingredients.  Herbs and plants like dandelion, plantain, comfrey and calendula flowers from her garden are infused the into the oils over several weeks.  Other ingredients are ordered from out of state when they are fresh and in season to be added to the blends. 

Penny began creating these products after working for several years as the herb and aromatherapy buyer at Wild Oats Market in Kansas City.  These products are made from Penny's home and custom oil blend orders are welcome.

Penny can be found online on Facebook and at www.penmarkpotions.com. 

Artist Feature: Rachael Sudlow

Rachael Sudlow creates jewelry with gold, silver and copper. Although she started making jewelry as a child, she has been working full time as an artist since 2005. She has taught classes at the Lawrence Arts Center for the past few years and considers her main work to be her shop on Etsy.com (she just hit 9000 sales there!).

Rachael creates her pieces in her own studio or at the Arts Center and this will be her third year at the Bizarre Bazaar.  About 50% of the work she does is customized--she makes a lot of stamped items, special ring sizes, and specific cutouts (check out her state cutouts--very fun!) as requested.

More of Rachael's work can be found online through her Etsy shop or her website and has a newsletter as well. 

BizBaz artists on Etsy

Ok, so the online shop isn't for everyone, but I recognize several of BizBaz artists with shops at Etsy.com and thought a treasury was in order...check out these unique items and the shops they come from!

Artist Feature: Edie Teubner

Edie Teubner is a mixed media artist working with fabrics, stones, silver, and found pieces.  She uses recycled and vintage elements, and this broad use of materials provides great variety to her art.  Her work ranges from vintage tie headbands and scarves to recipe keepers to ruffled vintage pillowcase aprons to purses and hobo bags.  

Edie started sewing and making jewelry when she was very young.  She doesn't like using conventional patterns or instructions, so her work has evolved into her own unique designs.  This will be her first year at the Bizarre Bazaar.

She enjoys working on custom orders and more of her work can be found online on Facebook and her website. 

 

Artist Feature: Vivan Robinson

Vivian Robinson is a needle felting artist who makes whimsical characters like cowboys and trolls with an amazing amount of detail.  She does this work from her home, getting her start after hearing about needle felting from another artist.

Her creations are made over a wire armature and wear hand sewn clothing.  She does this work from her home and uses Shetland wool that she hand dyes as necessary for each item.


This will be Vivian's first year at the Bizarre Bazaar and she is open to taking custom orders.  More of her work can be found at Kansas Originals or online in her VR Farms Needle Felted Creations Etsy shop.

Artist Feature: Kara McKamey

Kara is a ceramics artist and will be joining the Bizarre Bazaar for the first time this year.  She makes pottery and potters at Muddy Waters Studio, a little ceramic art center behind the Merc in Lawrence.  

Kara has been doing this artwork since 1995 and takes custom orders.  She also teaches others how to make pottery and has open studio rental available.  She loves being a part of the Lawrence community and more of her work can be found online on Facebook and on her website, muddywatersstudio.com.

 

Artist Feature: Kathie Duguid

Kathie Duguid creates art with a technique called quilling.  She uses small coils of paper to make a variety of things including decorations, flowers, and jewelry.  Kathie learned how to quill from her mother about 35 years ago.  She has a bedroom in her home where she creates artwork, but often ends up doing projects at her kitchen table.  Her husband is a great support to her business; he will tell others he just drives the truck, but but he also makes Kathie's displays, creates special things she needs to complete a project (like a basketball net for a quilled Jayhawk), and helps at all of her shows.

Kathie has participated in the Bizarre Bazaar for the last three years and loves to take custom orders.  Her work can be found online on Facebook and Etsy.

Artist Feature: Rachelle Pulkkila

Rachelle Pulkkila creates amazing jewelry with sterling silver, 14k gold, and sterling plated copper.  She has always been intrigued by art and started working with metal four years ago when she took a class at City Arts in Wichita.

Rachelle works from her home studio in an old house she shares with a husband and two dogs and loves custom orders; she has done wedding rings, custom bracelets, personalized items (think "dog tags for people").

This will be Rachelle's first year participating in the BizBaz and you can find more of her inspiring work online on Facebook and in her Etsy shop.

Artist Feature: Hally Crangle

Hally Crangle is an artist with a focus on photography, creating thought provoking images by manipulating food.  She enjoys thinking about the food we eat and the relationship we have with it. She explains that while it's vital to our existence and something we interact with multiple times a day, we seem to have become very disconnected from it. The food landscape is constantly changing and she wants to be able to help others become more interested in the matter. 

Hally has loved photography since childhood.  It helps her remember things and to show others what she has seen.  She doesn't work from a studio; she takes her camera with her everywhere she goes and seizes opportunities for photos as they arise.

Hally has been involved with the Bizarre Bazaar for two years and graduated last spring from KU with a BA in Design/Photo Media.  More of her work can be found on her website: www.hallygracephotography.com.

Artist Feature:Jane Getto

 Jane Getto

Jane creates decorative chicken feet.  She has laying hens for pets and noticed how gracefully they walked and how deliberate their foot placement was. It reminded her of wealthy women showing off their diamond rings.

She has a friend who processes his chickens for food and she started experimenting with dehydrating chicken feet she got from him and decorating them for Christmas ornaments. It's a very time consuming process, but each piece is a unique creation with an obvious attention to detail.  She does her artwork in the evenings throughout the year from her home.

Jane has been a participating artist of the BizBaz for six years and has done some custom orders.  She can be contacted via email at jgetto@sbcglobal.net.

Have a suggestion for the Artist Features?  Leave us a comment--we'd love to have some feedback!

Getting started

Welcome!  You've found the little corner of cyberspace that discusses all things BizBaz--the artists, the techniques, information about the show.  Want more information about a specific artist or a certain technique?  Have a question about the show?  Leave a comment on the blog or on Facebook and we'll see what we can do! 

Don't forget to subscribe to these posts by submitting your email address in the sidebar, and follow the link to the right to our Facebook page.

First up: a bit of history about the show!

The Bizarre Bazaar began about 25 years ago by a handful of artists with a vision of a show to celebrate unique art with a sense of community. 

Today, the BizBaz consists of over 130 artists but the vision remains the same.  Many of the Founding Mothers are still involved and it's a show put on completely by the artists; all participants serve on committees to support advertising, decorating, set up, and more.

Held annually the weekend after Thanksgiving in Lawrence Kansas--come see what this year's BizBaz will bring!