Business Name: Groovin’ Bowls

Art Medium: Up-cycled Materials

ALBH: I have to know . . . how did you get into this?

GB: Actually, I’m not in my art, I’m outside my art. It’s outsider art!

ALBH: How long have you been at this?

GB: Not long enough

ALBH: As a buyer, how would I care for one of your pieces?

GB: Very carefully…Instruction manual from Chinese is included…Greek available soon.

ALBH: What’s your long-term goal as an artist?

GB: I know what my long term goal is, but that is boring, I don’t want to answer that… To make some money and world peace…that is everybody’s long term goal.

ALBH: What does the word “Hippie” mean to you?

GB: Smelly artists that make record bowl art.

ALBH: What’s your favorite and least favorite part of your craft?

GB: The freedom and The French Man.

ALBH: Would you be willing to teach others?

GB: Sure, as long as they have their own gas masks. And, not just from the “hippie” smell.

ALBH: How long does a typical bowl take you to make?

GB: 3 days, 4 hours, 37.2 min plus or minus 1.7 hours.

ALBH: What is your typical day like?

GB: I sleep in and then work until I am overcome by the stench of melted records.

ALBH: Why do you think your art is a good fit for our customers?

GB: See above…

ALBH: How did you get into making incense burners? We don’t see a lot of that other than from certain suppliers.

CD: I began pottery 4 years ago through classes held at the Brambleton Center. It wasn’t hard to learn – just something that required a lot of practice.

ALBH: Your pieces are all so different – I’m sure no two are ever the same?

CD: Yes! And custom orders are my favorite – it keeps the work all unique.

ALBH: What’s your favorite and least favorite part of your work?

CD: Getting messy with the earth’s clay but then having to clean it up.

ALBH: What does the word “hippie” mean to you?

CD: Being spontaneous, loving & caring; a relaxed frame of mind.

ALBH: Finally, why is your art such a great fit for our customers?

CD: Lots of folks enjoy incense – my burners make an excellent addition to them!

RVMS will have an open house/earth day celebration on Saturday, April 28 from 10am- 2pm. We would love to have parents volunteer on this day to help with the bouncy castle, making recycled crafts, Frisbee spin art machine, milk can toss, etc. If you would like to volunteer or have suggestions or ideas for our open house/earth day please feel free to share them with us.

http://earthdayroanoke.com/

Age Group (under 15 is Pussy Willow; over 15 is Cherry Blossom):  Cherry Blossom (but feel free to add old cherry seed as an age group lol)

Business Name:  Novel Notions by Sherry

Website:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/novelnotionsbysherry

Art Medium:  polymer clay

 ALBH: How did you get into working with clay and making jewelry out of it?

SB: Jewelry making I’ve done for years as a hobby but one day my son brought me several packages of polymer clay he had and told me he thought since I was “artsy” I may find them fun.  I purchased a book and from the day I opened the first package I was hooked!  I have been self-taught through books and the internet, trial and error.

ALBH: Was the medium hard to learn?

SB: Some of the faux techniques are difficult and getting things just the way I want them took practice, practice, practice (and still causes me to discard some of what I make). The basics, however, are not hard and it’s a really fun medium even for hobbyists.

ALBH: How long have you been at this?

SB: Jewelry…about 6 years, polymer clay specifically….about 3 years

ALBH: As a buyer, how would I care for one of your pieces?

SB: Polymer clay is very light weight but extremely durable.  Once cured it is resistant to breaking and water, but I recommend no continual or prolonged water exposure.  Cleaning is as easy as a damp cloth.  For silver plate wire or silver wire, you can use expensive silver polish, but a really easy method is to use a little toothpaste on a soft bristled brush to gently scrub, rinse, then dry thoroughly.  Do not use gritty brands such as those containing baking soda as it can cause pitting and scratching. The same method can be used for copper unless you love the verdigris patina of old copper in which case…little to no cleaning.

ALBH: What does the word “Hippie” mean to you?

SB: A hippie to me is someone who not only can think outside the box, they refuse to be put IN a box, and actually are more likely to go around taking everyone’s box and recycling them!

ALBH: What advice do you have to offer other artists?

SB: Express yourself no matter what…even on the darkest, gloomiest days when you think no one cares and no one appreciates your efforts.  Even on those days YOU do, and an artistic personality must not be stifled.  And pump up the volume to whatever music makes your soul sing!

ALBH: How long does a typical piece take you to make?

SB: A new creation that I want to be able to duplicate can take several days because first I have to create the sketch, transfer it to clay, etch it in, bake then create a mold and bake that.  Some of my molds such as the paw prints are extremely intricate.  Once a mold or a process has been perfected, I can create a completed piece within a few hours, taking into account baking and cooling time.

ALBH: What do you do for fun, outside of your art?

SB: We love to spend time at playgrounds and parks, also swimming, the beach, anything going on in the community that is interesting.  I would love to do more traveling and take every opportunity that presents itself.  Reading….constantly.

ALBH: Why do you think your art is a good fit for A Little Bit Hippy?  To me, A Little Bit Hippy is eclectic and “earthy”, fun with a kick of “making a statement”; I like to think that defines my art as well.

Well, recently, I enrolled in a program with Les Cheveux to get my braider’s license so I’m around 4 or 5 other cosmetology students all over varying levels of their program for 2 days a week. They all want to practice something and who am I to deny them the opportunity? So I’ve had all my hair cut off (I was growing it to donate it) and I’ve volunteered my fingernails more than a few times for manicures.

One of the girls watched some video where they used glitter in the manicure and I thought, “Hey . . . we sell body glitter, wonder if I can pop off the roller cap?” Guess what? I could. So she bought a bottle and the whole class rocked out glitter manicures for a couple weeks. With 12 different colors of glitter, the opportunities are darn near endless!

Want to learn how to do it? Come see me – I’ll give you the run-down. And then you can visit the school and ask for a student to practice on you (they need the practice and if you’re willing to let them, they give you a break on the cost of the service). If you do come in, ask for Heather. She’s the gal that did mine.

Age Group (under 15 is Pussy Willow; over 15 is Cherry Blossom): I’m more like a petrified redwood

Business Name: Cosmo Glassworks

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cosmo-Glassworks/130655036948602#

Website: www.cosmoglassworks.com

Art Medium: Glass

ALBH: How did you get into your specific art?

CT: My wife and I started making jewelry, and we started buying glass beads. I got more and more interested in how they were made, and we went to a bead show in Philadelphia that was offering an introductory glass blowing class. We took the class and were hooked.

ALBH: Was your medium hard to learn?

CT: It’s pretty simple to get the basics down. I have taught many beginner’s classes. It’s nearly impossible to master. Every time I work I learn something else.

ALBH: What materials do you use?

CT: Glass mainly, but also use fine silver and 22k gold a lot. Occasionally opals, although they are getting harder and harder to find.

ALBH: How long have you been at this?

CT: I think about 8 years now.

ALBH: As a buyer, how would I care for one of your pieces?

CT: My pieces are glass, but that doesn’t necessarily make them fragile. As long as you treat them like you would any other piece of jewelry, you’ll be fine.

ALBH: Do you make a variety of items?

CT: Yes. Jewelry (pendants, beads, etc.), marbles, paperweights, vases, sculpture, functional pieces, etc.

ALBH: What’s your long-term goal as an artist?

CT: I haven’t decided. Right now to just learn as much as I can about the medium. If I can make a few bucks along the way, that’s good too, but honestly I really only sell my work to be able to buy more glass to work with.

ALBH: What does the word “Hippie” mean to you?

CT: I don’t like labels, unless it’s on a jar of salsa so I don’t accidentally buy the hot stuff again.

ALBH: What advice do you have to offer other artists?

CT: Do what you love. If you don’t love it, it’s just a job.

ALBH: What’s your favorite part of your craft?

CT: I have a couple. The first is going to a show and having someone pick up a piece and wonder about how it’s made. I like explaining the process to them. It gives them a better understanding for the craft and also helps them to realize why pieces cost what they do. I also love the people I’ve met during my time working with glass. Yes, I’ve met some people I wish I didn’t know, but I’ve also made a lot of life-long friends in the process.

ALBH: What’s your least favorite part of your craft?

CT: The business side – selling, shipping, paying taxes, etc. I wish I could afford to pay someone to do it for me.

ALBH: Would you be willing to teach others?

CT: Absolutely. I have been teaching classes for 4 or 5 years. I teach private classes and group classes. I have also written three books on the subject and am working on an online class.

ALBH: How long does a typical piece take you to make?

CT: With glass, there is no “typical”. Some pieces take 30 minutes. Some take several hours. The main challenge is that once you start working on a piece, you need to keep on working until it’s finished. Glass doesn’t like to be heated and cooled repeatedly. Once it’s hot, you need to keep working on it and keep it hot until you’re done.

ALBH: What’s your inspiration?

CT: The ocean and space. Many of my pieces are inspired by ocean life. Many also look like things you may see in space or on other worlds.

ALBH: What is your typical day like?

CT: Typical? What’s that? I wish I had a typical day. I’m famous for spreading myself too thinly. Right now I’m working part-time, doing freelance graphic and web design work, going to school full-time, raising kids, and trying to be the best husband I can be. I also try to ride my bike and go running when I can. Somehow I find time for glass among all that.

ALBH: What do you do for fun, outside of your art?

CT: I ride my bike, I run, I spend as much time as I can with my wife, I play the guitar, and I have a huge Lego collection. Yes, you heard me. Legos.

ALBH: What is your draw to your specific craft?

CT: I guess like a lot of boys growing up I was always drawn to fire. This is just a natural extension of that. Plus, I love the challenge that glass provides. One of the most famous glass blowers once said “The secret is not in telling the glass what to do. If you try to control the glass, you will fail. It’s letting the glass tell you what it will do, and you learning to adapt to that.”

ALBH: Why do you think your art is a good fit for A Little Bit Hippy?

CT: The glass culture as a whole is one of friendship, sharing, and caring. The people that I know that shop and work at A Little Bit Hippy share those same qualities. It is my hope that the love and passion I put into my work will be appreciated by those very same people.