The first annual Austin Craft Riot Summer Show is right around the corner. We hope to see all your smiling faces shopping and having fun on August 18th. To help you get excited and start planning your day, we’ll be spending the next week up until the show introducing you to the talented artists you can expect to see at the show.
Let’s get started!
AmeliaBeth is Amelia Mahlstadt, an elementary school teacher living in Austin, Texas with her husband, Eric, and two cats. She loves to craft and creates jewelry and accessories for men and women, upcycled from Scrabble® tiles. Each piece has a colorful image on the front and letter on the back. Amelia loves to see the expression of delight on people’s faces when they find out her jewelry is made from Scrabble® tiles, and customers often search for the perfect letter for themselves or as a gift.
Old Factory Soap Company provides a healthy, chemical-free alternative to traditional body products with one-of-a-kind scents. Seeking a positive, healthy, and creative outlet, a soapmaker and an artist with severe skin allergies decided to begin Old Factory Soap Company. Each product created by OFSC is made with 99% organic ingredients, many of them bartered, grown, wildcrafted, or locally purchased from the Texas Hill Country.
Handcrafted and uniquely designed, Merritt Gade Fine Handmades is a line of artisan jewelry and a line of hair accessories for special occasions. The majority of pieces are made of sterling silver and gold-filled wire, accented with natural materials like coral, pearls, and semi-precious stones. Colorful plastic-coated wire and various beads of glass or resin are incorporated to enhance leanings toward bright and bold. All designs are original and focus on structure and geometry while still being feminine and wearable.
Crab Apple Designs is Melissa Stewart, teacher and science geek, and Barry Stewart, pop culture enthusiast. Their speciality is vintage and retro-inspired paper goods and home accessories made from recycled books, games, and comics. Original designs and illustrations are part of their rapidly growing business, where every day is about fun and games.
Illustrator Chet Phillips, a.k.a. ChetArt, creates “digital woodcuts” showcased in the form of signed archival prints, trading card sets, buttons, magnets, and limited edition books. Subject matter includes dogs and cats as famous authors, artists, and musicians; Steampunk monkeys; Googie signs; Tikis; and Victorian superheroes and villains. Pictured: “The Refined Henchman,” portrait of an evil minion of Oz reformed by three weeks of finishing school.
