The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
CRAFTERS BUST OUT
Area artisans adapt to show crafts during coronavirus era of lockdowns, masks
Local artisans said they and their shoppers are ready to bounce back from a summer of show shutdowns due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
On Sept. 20, 30 vendors and hundreds of people turned out for the Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show at the Emerald Event Center at the Residence Inn by Marriott, 33040 Just Imagine Drive, Avon.
The show was held outdoors with hand sanitizer at the ready and up to nine feet between crafters’ booths. Shoppers and vendors wore masks to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The show was smaller than some previous ones, said founder Becki Silverstein, who began the pop-up markets in 2010 to provide a venue for creativity.
“My vendors have been hurting. A lot of them, this is like their fulltime job.”
— Founder Becki Silverstein
“Ten years this year — it’s a great year to go 10 years,” she said.
Silverstein had the year’s first event in March. Then, like many other businesses and activities, she had to shut down the shows due to the pandemic.
Silverstein participated in the Solon Summer Market, then began pulling together her own show.
The Avon event was the first Avant-Garde Art & Craft show since March.
“My vendors have been hurting,” she said. “A lot of them, this is like their fulltime job. So I wanted to be able to offer an opportunity to do a pop-up shop. And I think people are just itching to get outside, people
are itching to do stuff, people want to support local makers. A lot of companies are going out of business because of COVID, unfortunately.
“So this is a way for me to help my vendors out while also giving the community something that’s safe to do,” Silverstein said.
At least three of the vendors were emerging Lorain County artisans.
In 2019, the Rowe-Freeman family came together to start Word Wall Custom Scrabble Wall Art, based in North Ridgeville.
Sisters-in-law Susan Rowe and Laurie Freeman said last year they “flew by the seat of our pants,” selling more than 500 custom pieces, so they created a full schedule of 30 locations for 2020.
Then the pandemic hit. They credited Silverstein for her work getting a show together.
“There haven’t been shows,” Rowe said. “Everything really shut down once the pandemic came, which is understandable.”
On Sept. 20, they were joined by Freeman’s husband, Dave, and their daughter, Devan Davitz, along with Rose Freeman, the mother of Susan Rowe and Dave Freeman.
“It’s a fun family thing to do together,” Rowe said.
In April, Paula Lyons, a 40-year herbalist from Avon, created Forage Uncivilized Skincare as a business based on her way of life.
“Basically I raised my kids on everything I made, from medicine to toilet bowl cleaner, you name it,” Lyons said. “We’re a big organic family.”
Lyons and partner-apprentice Meghan Thrasher talked about the benefits of using natural plants and oils instead of chemical compounds. They emphasized they are careful about sanitizing the containers that hold the lotions and liquids.
“It’s a little work that goes into it but it’s a lot of fun,” Lyons said.
During the pandemic, “it was tough” when the summer shows were canceled, Lyons said. So she began building a following through word and online.
“Everything here is researched,” Lyons said. “It’s not a fly-by-night thing. Most of them are things
“I’m shopping all small businesses this year for Christmas. It’s harder than you think.” — Christina Schaefer, North Ridgeville
I’ve been using all my life for my children and things that have been passed on to my family.”
Marie Jereb, half of Amherst-based M2Crafted, said this year her job as a payroll director was eliminated due to the business conditions of the pandemic.
In June, she and her husband, Matthew, began making custom wreaths and table centerpieces.
“It just felt like, maybe it was time to do something different,” she said. Her subjects range from sugar skull motifs to French country to Wonder Woman to football.
It was Jereb’s first AvantGarde Art & Craft Show. She said she is looking forward to future exhibitions this fall, along with developing her social media presence to advertise her works.
Silverstein attended her show as organizer and as an artisan.
She took up her own COVID-19 activity, starting Meraki Fusion Art, with pieces for sale in the event. She uses multiple layers of resin to make home decor and items such as coasters and bookmarks.
It was the “sparkle” of the bookmarks that attracted Christina Schaefer of North Ridgeville, who attended with her mother, Char Schaefer of Grafton.
They bought metal yard decorations, a trellis and other pieces.
“I’m shopping all small businesses this year for Christmas,” Christina Schaefer said. “It’s harder than you think,” she added with a laugh.
“Especially for guys,” Char Schaefer said.