At the Merchandise Mart December 3 to December 6, 2009, and boasting about five hundred artists and artisans, this year’s One of a Kind has something unique for every taste and style. Roaming the eighth floor of the Mart, visitors can find paintings, drawings, clay, glass, and metal sculpture. Gifts for loved ones abounds in the form of jewelry in paper, metal and stone, or hats and headbands, or clothing and even handmade paper clocks with delightful animal faces and moving pendulum tongues.
Show Floor. Photo by Carol Johnson.
In the Emerging artist section, this author found original paper earrings by Gigi Bijou, featuring handmade Japanese papers and Kenyan fabric in a variety of delightfully abstract colors and textures. Nearby the tastefully extravagant hats of Forme Millnery molded of felted wool, silk and sinamay flowers, and ostrich feathers offered the finishing touch to a fashionable holiday costume. For warmth and colorful beauty, see the loom woven rayon and delicate Japanese lace technique scarves of Amanda C. Jeffrey. The playful encaustic and ink paintings of Henry Bolzon incorporate the artist’s own signature script style and objects like delicately scribed bicycles.
For those who enjoy the traditional materials of jewelry in unique new formats… See the blue topaz, enamel and sterling silver necklaces of Jeff Zoalner at Stone Temple. For delicate floral designs in silver, fresh water pearls and silk fiber, visit the booth of Moira K. Lime. For organic and textile inspired forms, see metal smith Alisa Miller’s necklaces, rings and earrings. If your style is ultra modern and you appreciate the strong clean lines of mechanical engineering matched with exquisite jewels and lustrous pearls, see the works of Ivan Sagel.
Mary Lynn O'Shea Studio. Photo by Carol Johnson.
Working in painting and mixed media, the strong forms and simple beauty of Jeanette Durand are bold and colorful, merging masterful handling of paint strokes and composition. In addition, Durand works in fabric, machine appliqué and gorgeous textures further compliment her signature form, a spiral branched tree, designed as part of her series Growing in Rasnov. For those who appreciate a finely wrought line, dynamic composition and the subtlety of color, see the scratchboard and pencil works of Kristin Rangal Vallari. The distinctive clay and bronze sculptures of Audrey Cramblit draw on classic figural forms while embarking into the sense of modern times. Her forms crackle with a mute record of ancient sculptural ruins while employing delicious color combinations and cross cultural inspirations. The crisp linear works on paper, canvas, glass and glazed ceramic stand out and invite examination at the booth of Julia Salameh, Cinerealmatter.
In the Fine Arts section, returning artist Dale M. Reid spoke about her distinctive black and white photography in an artist demonstration at the Studio, hosted this year by Blick Art Supplies. These animated and dynamic compositions of pears, flowers and captured moments in the urban and natural landscape defy the restraints of tone to embrace a full range of values. Jiving Pears manages to evoke such viewer comments as “I hear the music!” The movement of Steve Slavin’s handmade paper animals at F.B. Fogg, many with clocks, encourages joyful laughter and evokes the playful spirit of our favorite pets. Working in natural dyes and forming paper on sculpted foam, Slavin’s creations are colorful, lifelike and innately humorous. Taking a cue from urban architecture, natural forms such as flowers and trees, Carl Voghtmann gives us panoramas and crisp close ups using his unusual take on sights such as the Rookery Building. Providing colorful wall or mantle decorations, and glittering pendants and other jewelry, fused glass artist D. K. Solomon works dichroic glass into deeply scooped wall plates and captures light with her creations. In the large format mixed media paintings of Pablo, aka Paul Easterwood, fish cavort in boxes, bicycles linger waiting for the playful, and unusual textures encourage viewer’s to linger and inquire about the painter’s process. Working with digital photography and a discriminating eye, Dylan Punke creates sparks of color in his black and white landscapes. In works like Odell Farm IV, the American landscape acquires a new poignancy where the touch of man has marked it, yet the bold blue of “chicory flowers still dance.” Around the corner, the playful aluminum and copper mobiles and jewelry of the husband-wife team of Marvin and Michelle Shafer at Q3 Art, Inc. dance with subtle air currents. These colorful and textured forms, range from delicate earrings, to patented micro monitor mobiles for easing eye tension at the computer, to larger indoor and outdoor table top or hanging forms.
One of a Kind shoppers bag. Photo by Carol Johnson.
Thursday, December 3rd’s entry fees for the One of a Kind Show and the proceeds of sales by show sponsor Votre Vu of Paris were contributed to Children’s Memorial Hospital. Watch for additional highlights from this author and Artist Profiles to come.
For samples from the show, watch the slideshow!
For more information about the One of a Kind Show: http://www.oneofakindshowchicago.com/index.cfm/showoverview/
For more information about the artists visit them through Sunday at their booths, or see their websites:
Gigi Bijou, booth 8-9031, www.gigibijou.com
Forme Millnery, booth 8-9043, www.formeonlineshop.com
Amanda C. Jeffrey, booth 9048, www.amandajeffrey.com
Henry Bolzon, booth 8-9054, www.henrybolzon.com
Jeff Zoalner at Stone Temple Jewelry, booth 8029, www.stonetemplejewelry.com
Moira K. Lime: Organically Handmade Jewelry, booth 9052, www.moiraklime.com
Alisa Miller, booth 1057, www.alisamiller.com
Ivan Sagel, booth 8046, www.Wyzensageldesigns.com
Jeanette Durand, booth 8-9050, www.jeanettedurand.com
Kristin Rangal Vallari, booth 1064 , www.avanzare.com
Audrey Cramblit, booth 8-9037, www.audryc.com
Julia Salameh, Cinerealmatter, booth 8-9046, www.cinerealmatter.com
Dale M. Reid Photography, booth 1061, www.dalemreidphotography.com
F.B. Fogg: Steve Slavin, booth 1062, www.fbfogg.com
Carl Voghtmann, booth 1055,www.figleafgraphics.com
Dee. K. Solomon, booth 1053, www.fusedglassonline.com
Pablo, aka Paul Easterwood, booth 1050, www.callmecoco.com
Dylan Punke, booth 3029, www.dep-artgallery.com
Q3 Art, Inc. :Marvin and Michelle Shafer, booth 3029A, www.q3art.com
For more information about show sponsors and beneficiaries:
Blick Art Supplies: http://www.dickblick.com/
Votre Vu Luxury French skincare: www.votrevu.com
Children’s Memorial Hospital: http://www.childrensmemorial.org/
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