2018 Creativation Trade Show with Amazing Casting Products
The Creativation Trade show, held in Phoenix, Arizona is the must-go event for craft and hobby industry professionals. It is held by Association For Creative Industries or AFCI, showcasing the many facets of the creative industries from edible arts, painting & drawing, kids crafts, sewing & fabric, paper crafts and more. This year’s 2018 show was a plethora of arts and crafts manufacturers, new products, demos, classes, and networking opportunities.
Once again I was a demonstrator at the Amazing Casting Products/Alumilite Corp booth at Creativation! Here we are first day, right before show floor opening happy to have the booth up and running before the rush of attendees. It was a pleasure and honor to being working with such talented and devoted people!
So many samples were showcased in every corner of the booth!
The Amazing Casting Products Design Team had sent in a wonderful array of projects.
Anything from home decor, kitchen wear, mixed media, jewelry, toys, garden decor, and fine art applications could be found in the booth.
The demo area always had some sort art going on.
With so many samples there was bound to be some art application that would catch the interest of an attendee.
All three days I did demos; First day “Frozen in Time” How to embellish mixed media projects combining Amazing Clear Cast Resin with powders, dyes, stamps, found objects and more! Second day “Crafting Conversation Curios” How to mold and create unique handmade resin pendants, charms and curios with Amazing Casting Products! Third day “Wearable Art, Clay Time” Exploring the creative possibilities of wearable art that can be achieved using Amazing Casting Products and polymer clay! Manufacturer partner, Polyform Products
Yours truly working on the “Crafting Conversation Curios” demo.
Amazing Casting Products Design Team Leader Susan M. Brown starting with her “Moldmaking 101” demo. At this demo people learned how to make quick and easy push molds using Amazing Mold Putty that could be used with Amazing Casting Resin, polymer clay, chocolate, fondant, plaster, soap, and more! Susan also did a fun interactive game “Texture THIS?!” exploring texture plates with polymer clay while learning quick and easy techniques to make and use texture in varied mediums/applications. Game entrants were entered to win a prize package of Alumilite Corp/Amazing Casting Products & Polyform Products.
The wonderful and talented mixed-media artist Cat Kerr‘s demo “Bezel Bonanza” on the first day of the show. Demonstrating three resin bezel techniques that add dazzling dimension and texture to empty bezels combining Amazing Casting Resin, Amazing Clear Cast Resin, and polymer clay. Manufacturer partners, Polyform Products and Nunn Design. A video tutorial of her demo have be found here: Clay and Resin Dimensional Pendant
Cat’s second day of demos was “Personalized Photo Holders” was about making quick and fun personalized gifts using Amazing Mold Putty and Amazing Casting Resin.
Creativation came and went so quickly it almost seems a dream filled with good times, amazing creative people, inspiration and a gateway into the creative industries. Hope to see you there next year!
Until Next Time, Safe Travels!
2016 DesignerCon Recap
This year I was finally about to attend DesignerCon or otherwise known as DCon. While my recap is somewhat belated I still wanted to share some info on a few of the seriously talented artists I met at this show.
So what is DesignerCon? As per their website:
“Designer Con is an annual art and design convention that smashes together collectible toys and designer goods with urban, underground and pop art! DCon is over 90,000 sq. ft. and features over 350 vendors, art & custom shows, live demonstrations, and much more! he show coordinators strive to provide a fun, safe, comfortable environment for fans, artists, and vendors to meet. Join us every November at the Pasadena Convention Center for a weekend of fun, toys, and art!”
While I was only able to attend one day due to scheduling conflicts, making it a mad dash to be able to see all the vendors and wonderful artists, it was an awesome show to attend. With so many talented people selling their art is was honestly hard to pick who to buy from and what. It is not a show to miss and next time I hope to go both days to not just walk the floors but attend some of the special events and panels.
I wanted to show some of the artists I bought from, their links on social networks and where others might buy more of their work outside of DesignerCon!
*Some shops might be down for the holidays or have specials going only for the holidays, make sure to check out their different social networks for updates.
Artists Amanda Louise Spayd and Chris Ryniak had a combined booth showcasing their sculptures, vinyl figures, illustrations, prints and buttons. Their unique spin on monsters and wee creatures has been a favorite of mine for years and it was a pleasure to finally meet them in person and buy some of their art.
Their combined shop: https://www.bindlewood.com/
Amanda Louise Spayd
Created the puppets in the short film The Maker: http://www.themakerfilm.com/
Website: http://amandalouise.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandalouisespaydChris Ryniak
Making Monsters by Chris Ryniak lecture at Patreon’s first ever creator conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81nzmR3jbe4
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisryniak
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisRyniakArt/
Artists Shing Yin Khor, otherwise known as Sawdust Bear and Leslie Levings creator of the Beastlies had a combined booth as well. Each of these artists had sculptures, resin castings, illustrations, prints, cards and buttons of their lovely and playful work. Seemingly lost specimens and denizens of hidden worlds each one of their pieces of artwork is full of personality.
Sawdust Bear
Website: http://www.sawdustbear.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sawdustbear/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sawdustbearBeastlies
Website: http://www.beastlies.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beastlies/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Beastlies/
I had the opportunity of seeing artist Kathy Davis at the 2016 Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show, before meeting her again at her DesignerCon booth. A truly talented doll artist and jewelry designer, her one of kind pieces were not to be missed! Her sculptures and dolls seem to have stepped right out of a fairy tale.
Website: http://www.kathndolls.com/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Kathndolls
Artist Melissa Pagluica, creator of Above the Clouds, a comic that tells two intertwining stories, the adventures of a hero who must save a dying world, and a girl who must convince an author to finish what he has started. Her lovely dreamlike illustrations caught my eye from the aisle, even without knowing they came from her comic series, and I couldn’t leave her booth without buying a few.
Website: http://www.mpagluica.com/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TeacupBee
Artist William Kieffer, otherwise known as Cap’n Bill, had an amazing display of deep sea creature sculptures, cards and prints. His highly detailed and wildly imaginative art harked back to deep sea creature myths and tall tails, while his greeting cards tapped into pop culture humor.
Website: http://www.wondersofthedeep.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/CapnBillKieffer
Artist Dirty Lola, otherwise known as Scarlett River, had a lovely assortment of prints, cards and antique altered decorative plates of her pop culture art. Celebrities are portrayed as saints, dignitaries or one of kind focals in her lovely retro art.
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DirtyLola
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scarlettriverofficial/
Artist shop Sadie Luca had a wonderful assortment purses, bags, pins, prints and aprons with retro horror camp prints with a modern fashion spin.
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SadieLuca
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sadieluca/
After just one day at DesignerCon I came back home with all of these wonderful items to display, share with others and give as holiday gifts!
We need and want beautiful art in our lives, but to have this we need to support artists who’s work we appreciate. Buy their art art, their images, sculptures, clothing, music and more, I can’t stress this enough. We lost a lot of amazing artists in 2016, support artists in their lifetime.
Wishing you all a Happy New Year, Until Next Time, Safe Travels!
Ancient and Contemporary Inspired Artistry