Our Artisans

 

Alison Erazmus Photography and Art, STL

Alison Erazmus is a visual artist, fine art photographer, and curator originally from the flat agricultural landscape of northern Illinois. She is currently based in Saint Louis, Missouri. She welcomes clients for portrait photography (especially family and pet portraits), architecture photography, interior design photography, and branding photography.

 

Ann Erickson Jewelry, Minneapolis, MN

Ann Erickson is an artist based in Minneapolis. Quality handmade adornments - largely earrings and hair accessories - are the focus of her current creative pursuits, though her background is in painting, ceramics, leatherworking, and sewing. Working in primarily brass and sterling silver, Ann is interested in making versatile utilitarian pieces that complement the wearer's sense of beauty and expression - especially for those leading an active lifestyle. For this reason, you will find that even the largest statement earrings are lightweight enough for everyday wear, and are designed to minimize snagging clothing and hair. 

*Ann is open to custom orders.

Bright Spots Paper, Lincoln, NE

I’m Kelli. A cardigan and road trip fan living my best life in the middle of everything. Or as most people call it, Lincoln, Nebraska. 

I’ve been a paper goods enthusiast my whole life. I’ve got cute boxes filled with cards for every occasion from the best makers and designers around. And I’ve talked about starting my own line for at least six years.

My grandmothers loved sending hugs in the mail through the written word. I have a file folder labeled “bright spots” in my office filled with notes and well wishes to find joy in moments that have been joyless. And one time a pal sent me a card with glitter and rainbows because she saw I was pinning some deep shit on Pinterest and thought I needed a pick me up. All this led me here.

So. Welcome. I am obsessed with every piece of Bright Spots. I have never been happier than when I’m writing, designing and making each card with my own two paws.  Thanks for bopping by my little corner of the web. Bright Spots Paper. A labor of love, handmade with laughter. xo,Kelli 

Crown and Heart Ceramics (Sarah Kharatyan) KC

Modern porcelain ceramic jewelry to pair with the minimalist wardrobe. Fun, whimsical, colorful, yet still sophisticated. Handmade in Kansas City, MO, by Sarah Kharatyan.

Jam and Bee Ceramics (Laura Gallardo) STL

Kawaii, coloful, nand sometimes profane. We are a husband and wife team based in St. Louis, MO. Though we both have different styles, we both love making FUNctional batches of cute and teeny ceramics to brighten your everyday. 

Katie Schaefer Illustration, STL

I’m Katie, an illustrator and art teacher working in St. Louis, MO, though I have called Arkansas, Mexico, Georgia, and New York home as well. My silly illustrations have been published by the likes of The Door, Ladybird Press, and the Baltimore Sun.

Though I may seem the world traveler, my favorite place is in my cozy home with my hairless pup Mysterio.  When I’m not working in my studio you can find me in my garden trying to make things grow.

Kinaloon (Barbara Raidl) Chicago IL

I am a painter who has fallen in love with screen printing. Like my paintings and drawings, the images on my cards come from whatever happens to interest me. I love flowers. All the flower designs come from the flowers in my backyard. Which isn’t so much a yard as it is a garden. Some of the other designs come from my friends love of birds. Or being impressed by the thousand oragami cranes a friend and his wife made for their wedding. Or just from the fact I get a kick out of my nieces and nephews and their suggestions about what I should draw.

 

Lily Dawson Design

I’m a jewelry artist, yoga and meditation teacher and licensed therapist living in Kansas City, Missouri. I have been professionally making jewelry for nearly fifteen years. I focus on statement pieces that are materials-driven. (This means, I curate & collect the pieces that I like and then figure out what I’ll make with it later).

Custom bridal projects are my favorite part of the job. I am always so impressed by the ideas that are brought to me to bring to life. 

If you’re not a bride-to-be and are looking for my other jewelry, you can visit my Kansas City studio or attend one of my upcoming events (typically announced on my social pages). I still offer my pieces at the retail level, have no fear!

 

Little Things Studio (Kate Whitley) NASHVILLE, TN

Little Things Studio brings beauty and truth to the special spaces in your life through art prints, calendars, cards and bookmarks. Mississippi-born and Nashville-based artist Kate Whitley weaves word and image with lush floral designs, vibrant and vintage color schemes and lovely hand-lettering of hymns, songs and quotes.

I’m from the small, Southern town of Yazoo City, Mississippi. If you talk to me, you’ll think I’m faking my accent. But it’s for real. My first degree was in Public Relations, and I worked in the corporate office of a bank. I hated my job and decided to go back to school for graphic design at Mississippi State University. I had not taken an art class since I was eleven. I didn’t even know there were different weights of pencils. Becoming a graphic designer felt like I was getting my life back. I’ve never been happier.

My thick Southern accent comes with a big personality, a love of color, and design, and passions for food, hymns and history. My work is heavily influenced by folk art, including Scandinavian, Russian, Native American art. I strive to put depth and truth in my work to communicate the joys and sorrows of life. Little Things Studio is an extension of me. I make work that I want to see out in the world and that I need myself. It’s a joy, privilege and honor to be able to do this work. I love getting to know my customers and hearing how my work has ministered to them in dark seasons.

Little Things Studio is located in a fun little studio in East Nashville, Tennessee, one block from my house where I live with my husband Dave, daughter Agnes, and cat Weezie.

 

Lost and Found Designs (Tara Tonser), KC

Pairing the technology of laser cutting with natural materials to create wearables and home goods.

 

MackBecks (Mackenzie Becker), KC

My name is Mackenzie Becker and I am a Jewelry Designer based in Kansas City, MO. I have been making jewelry since 2017 and have sought to use my practice to help menstruating people in my community.

I am the Chapter Representative of The Homeless Period Project of Kansas City, MO, which is a project that provides menstrual projects to those in need in our community and seeks to end the stigma of menstruation in our society!

My UTERUS line is dedicated to impacting the lives of those menstruating in need in Kansas City, MO. 20% of the proceeds of all UTERUS designs are donated to The Homeless Period Project of KCMO.

To learn more and follow mine/our story find
@mackbecks @homelessperiodprojectkcmo on Instagram!
Thanks & Enjoy!

Messner Bee Farm (Erik and Rachael Messner) KC MO

Hi, we are Erik and Rachael Messner, and welcome to Messner Bee Farm!!

ABOUT  US

We keep bees in the Kansas City metro! We focus on natural beekeeping practices and bring you products made with beeswax and honey from happy bees! We make products with the beeswax like lip balm, Beard oil, deodorant and solid perfume. We also sell yummy raw honey! Erik is the head beekeeper, Rachael creates the products and designs all the packaging.

The whole process of the wax from start to finish is amazing. First we watch our bees build their comb, then we collect it, melt it, filter it, melt it again, blend with oils, pour into our containers, label it and then see the product get sold to our customers (and use it ourselves!). It's so rare to see an in ingredient all the way from conception to a finished product and we feel privileged to be a part of it. 

Beekeeping is a blast, lovely, hot, scary, a blessing and addicting. How did we get into all of this? It's two-part. Erik has terrible allergies and wanted to get the local honey as a treatment. Rachael read a book about homesteading on their honeymoon that inspired her to keep bees. We asked for a hive for Christmas in 2012 and got one from Erik's grandparents. Best Christmas gift EVER! Thanks Grandma Mary and Grandpa Jerry! We have been in love with bees ever since. 

 

MettaGood (Nicole Spear) San Francisco, CA

METTA GOOD was created by Nicole Spear in San Francisco, CA in the tight-knit neighborhood of Bernal Heights. After her son was born she realized it was time to create the business that incorporated her passion for making healthy skincare products using whole ingredients into other peoples skincare routine. Nicole developed her signature lip balm recipe over a span of two years before she finally felt it was finished. This care goes into all her products and delivers a quality you can feel and trust. 

 Nicole grew up galloping horses over fences, driving go-carts, and surfing in the irrigation canals of her home town in California. She spent her summers in the Sierra Nevada mountains where she would walk through giant sequoia groves and splash in cold rivers. Growing up the daughter of an almond farmer gifted her a love of growing plants and caring for the earth. METTA GOOD marries her passion for mixing handmade pure skincare products, her love of design and nature, cooking, and her devotion to sharing with others who seek healthy and sustainable alternatives.  

Handmade, small batch, artisan lip balms inspired by love and nature. METTA GOOD is kindness for your skin.

ModernMinimalist (Samae Claspill) Columbia MO

As a graphic designer by day, I spend a lot of time in front of a computer. I really missed the messy days of being in a studio. So, I started making these modern necklaces as holiday gifts for friends. One such friend owned a local boutique and asked if she could offer my necklaces at her curated, handmade makers shop in Columbia, Missouri. Thus, the Modern Minimalist brand was born. Each necklace is hand painted in my Columbia, Missouri studio. I love mixing color palettes, playing with clean lines and shapes. I also wear a lot of neutral colors, and adding a Modern Minimalist necklace really completes a look. They are great for dressing up tshirts and jeans – or adding some modern, fun color to your outfit. Each necklace is unique, so if you see one you like you better grab it.

 NidaLu Handmade (Courtney and Suleyman Vardar) KC MO

Nida Lu was created from a romantic gesture.

An American Girl Traveling the World meets a Turkish Boy running a famous Tree House Hotel.  Boy buys girl some Traditional Yemini shoes the rest is history.  Thirteen years of marriage later, they ‘ve traveled the world, started three businesses, birthed two children, Nida & Lu, and returned to the shoes that started it all.

Our shoes are a modern take on a 700 year old Turkish (yemini) shoe! they are all Handmade by a family in Gaziantep that have been crafting shoes for generations.  We use five different kinds of leather, all organic and natural dyes. Each shoe is first moistened to soften the leather, making it pliable, then sewn together with cotton thread that has been soaked in beeswax.  This crafts a unique and well formed shoe that will last a lifetime.  we hope you enjoy our magic shoes created from love! 

 

Olio Goods (Judy Lee Gehrke-Gilbert) Denver, CO

Olio Goods is hand turned wood and horsehair tassel necklaces and shaving brushes and  a variety of home accessories including vases and kegerator tap handles. 

Rugged Beauty, MN

We Are Rugged Beauty.  We designed our brand to represent the expectations, values and lifestyles of the women who inspired it's creation.  As a result, our nail polish is free from ten harsh chemicals and is made here in the USA.  It's both vegan and free from all animal testing.  We have lively collections that represent the various lifestyles our customers embody which contain a wide variety of color palettes for women of all skin tones and ages.  Being of the highest integrity, these polishes go on easily, dry quickly and are incredibly durable.

 

(Sarah Smith Shoot Mixed Media (Sarah Shoot), CARBONDALE, IL

 Mixed Media for the Home and Body. I am a gatherer. I am always searching for found objects to use on future pieces. My obsession with rust and texture inspires my mixed media collages and jewelry. I create my work in our 1890"s farmhouse in beautiful southern Illinois. I graduated in 2000 from SIUC with a BFA focused in Fiber Art. Since then I have been creating mixed media work that can be found in shops and art fairs throughout the midwest.  

Sennit + Sauvage (Allyson Bailey Wilmowski), STL MO

Sennit + Sauvage (pronounced like Senate and Sew-vaʒ ) is a handcrafted collection of leather goods and textiles for wear and decor.  My theory-- that being handmade does not mean an item shouldn't be held to a high quality standard-- guides everything I create.

I am often influenced by color, texture and pattern and the way they make me feel. As a clothing and textile designer, I hand-paint and dye fabrics and textiles in order to create one-of-a-kind wearable art clothing for my customer. I strive to make pieces that are unique and well-made, while still being wearable on an every-day basis. I also work to make my pieces fit a wide variety of body sizes and shapes right from the rack. That said, a majority of my clientele, including myself, are in the plus-size range. It can be difficult and sometimes impossible to find high quality art clothing and hand-created textiles in that size range without prohibitive costs for custom sizing and design. I have made it a personal mission to create a size-inclusive range of clothing that is completely hand-designed and made here in St. Louis.

By utilizing techniques and materials handed down through generations, I strive to make beautiful, well-made, useful objects and size -inclusive clothing that can be enjoyed for years to come. All of my pieces are created by my hands in St. Louis, MO and are either one-of-a-kind or limited edition. 

 

Sunhouse Craft (Cynthia Main), BEREA, KY

Sunhouse Craft specializes in home goods inspired by the timeless traditions of Appalachian crafts. Designed and made in the rolling hills near Berea Kentucky, wooden wares are hand made, often hewn with axe and knife. Brooms are hand woven, with a non-electric process, and time and attention is paid to the details of each piece.  Wood is sustainably sourced and harvested from nearby, and locally farmed, and natural fibers inform the design process.

Sunhouse Craft is the work of designer/maker Cynthia Main that allows her to combine her background as a fabricator with her strong desire to find sustainable and harmonious ways of working.  Each piece is made by hand in her Kentucky studio, weaving together crafting traditions of Appalachia, natural materials, and timeless design.  The end result are tools that bring back a sense of everyday magic into our daily work and chores.

Cynthia Main’s work focuses on relating to land as part of the tradition of craft. Cynthia's strong background in woodworking and traditional crafts surfaces in most of her projects, work that often uses traditional techniques for work that is collaborative, community building and plays with ideas and movements around embodiment.  Born in New Zealand, Cynthia spent most of her childhood in North Carolina, where she became aware of her deep connection to nature.  She currently works in Berea, Kentucky.

 

Stuntwood STL Woodworks (Jason Vellmer), STL

St. Louis Homegrown small business that handcrafts jewelry, trinkets

and other personal items made from recycled skateboards.

 

TRU CANDLE Studio (Julie Tynes), Creve Coeur, MO

tru

by hand

soy wax. cotton wicks. incredible scents.

 

West Park Creative (Bill Bubenick), STL

My name is Bill and you should know that I’m a smart ass. But I’m not as rude as I might seem. I’m actually quite friendly. I just don’t care what people think of me. And I think it really shows in my products. I really, truly enjoy creating these sweetly offensive items because they make people laugh. And that’s the best thing in the world for me.

My passion is to create – most frequently, I’m doing this through letterpress greeting cards and wedding invitations. My focus is to create the most amazing print and design work that I love as much as my clients and customers do.

The truth is that I can’t stop making. I hustle hard to bring amazing work into existence. But I’m just a simple man and I run a simple business. Don’t let all the hype fool you, I’m not as cool as you think I am. My business model is simple: make beautiful things that people fall in love with.

 

WUVE (Cari Ann Golden) Las Vegas, NV

Wuve Handmade was formed in 2012 by Cari Golden. Cari has always been the creative type, making home decorations, sewing garments and other goods, painting and upcycling furniture and many other types of things starting at a young age with her mother. She comes from a long line of craftsmen and trades people. Wuve Handmade is 100% handmade in Fargo , ND. Cari is the main designer, with help and support coming from her business partner and husband, Jason Remmen. Jason is an avid beer brewer, biker and has played in several bands. He currently helps Cari with all travel, merchandising, photography and is starting to learn how to make jewelry! He also helps Cari figure out color schemes for her Ready to Ship Clothing. Time, consideration and care is given to each piece produced from the Wuve Handmade line. Each piece is handmade so no two items will be exactly alike!

Production Methods

All jewelry is handcrafted in my home studio using unique combinations of traditional and modern methods. I am continually learning, experimenting and creating to bring you the best in handmade products. Inspiration is drawn from modern and vintage films, with a emphasis on updated color palettes.

Custom Orders

Average Production Time for Custom Orders: 3 days

Custom Order Options: I accept custom orders for all of my jewelry. Custom jewelry can take up to an additional week or more if supplies need to be ordered. Like that pair of earrings but you want it in black instead of red? Ya sure you betcha that won't be any worry!

 

Zak Pottery (Sandra Zak) STL MO

Sandra T. Zak earned a bachelor of fine arts degree with an emphasis in ceramics from Webster University. After a 30-year hiatus, she began working again with clay in 2011. 

Sandra believes that her pottery reflects both the practical and the creative sides of her personality, contrasting strong, utilitarian forms with designs that complement the spontaneous nature of clay. 

In her work, Sandra uses smooth and rich glazes to emphasize—rather than conceal—the rough, earthy nature of clay. Dishwasher, microwave safe. Made to be used and enjoyed.