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| My booth at Blue Genie |
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of chatting with a small group of attendees at the Blue Genie Art Bazaar, a lovely month-long holiday show where over 200 local Austin artists showcase their crafts. This show is pretty much the mecca of holiday shopping and even better, every sale supports a small local business like my own! In addition to myself, three other artists chatted about their works and shared their creative story with the crowd. Listening to these other artists, it helped me to remember how much passion goes into creating these handmade goods. Of course, I create every day, but after 5 years of photographing rescue pets and making tote bags, I sometimes forget how lucky I am to be able to run a successful small business and still enjoy the work I do every single day.
The theme last night was 'critters', decided upon by Dana Younger, one of the founders of Blue Genie Art Industries. Each artist that spoke had a different reason for choosing critters. From feeling more connected to animals than humans (I bet we have all felt that way at some point) to finding inspirations through dreams and wanting to connect to the universe, each artist spoke of their works from the heart and I felt honored to be part of that experience.
After the chat-portion of the evening, I spent some time walking around the show, it almost felt as though I were seeing some of the works for the first time. Animals are a common theme throughout so many artist's pieces. I felt compelled to share some of my favorite 'critter' themed gifts at the Blue Genie Art Bazaar below (if you are not in the Austin area, I also included links so you can shop online, please support small businesses this holiday season!).
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| Blue Whale Tote Bag by Pet Studio Art This is currently one of my favorite totes in the Pet Studio Art line. I am fascinated by the ocean and I feel that whales represent everything majestic and mysterious about the water. |
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| Wolf print by Flip Solomon Flip was one of the fabulous artists that spoke at our event last night. Her works are incredible pen and ink drawing and reach up to 8 feet in size! Her work is stunning and you could have a print of your own! |
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| The Wagging Dead Print Fans of The Walking Dead rejoice! I ordered this print on a T-Shirt for my husband last year and it was a huge hit! |
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| Adorable felted woodland creatures by Gypsyharte Another speaker at last night's events, I was in awe of the time, love and intensity that goes into hand-felting. It is a process that I knew absolutely nothing about and now have a new appreciation for. You can also find videos of her work on YouTube. |
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| Happy Pandas Utility Apron by Crescent City Couture Could this get any more adorable? I personally have a pac-man themed apron by CCC, which I use to hold treats and squeaky toys during photo sessions at my local shelter. |
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| Dino Succulent Planters by The Plaid Pigeon I got one of these as a gift last year and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! |
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| The Jumping Fox woodblock print Elizabeth Stettler spoke yesterday about her works as well. Each print is hand-carved into a wooden block then pressed onto paper, giving each print a little something unique to love. She has everything from his fox to squirrels down to a cockroach (which as she lovingly put it, "might not be for everyone"). Gorgeous works with a personal touch! |
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| The Lazy Lion Crochet Taxidermy by The Plaid Pigeon I hate hunting, I think it's cruel and terrible, so naturally, I have fallen in love with these humane and incredibly cute crochet taxidermy animals by The Plaid Pigeon. These make adorable gifts for nurseries or just to hang on your own wall to enjoy! |
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| The Crazy Cat Lady Candle While I firmly believe there is nothing crazy about loving cats, this candle is too much to pass up! It smells ahhmazing, very fresh and clean and is made right here in Austin! |
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| The Jungle Hook Elephant Wall Hook These are perfect gifts for your kid's rooms. Adorable jungle themed wooden hooks! |
Go shop, support your local artists!
Stephanie Conrad
Pet Studio Art | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com
Facebook | Instagram
Stephanie Conrad
Pet Studio Art | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com
Facebook | Instagram
