MINNEAPOLIS GIFT & ART EXPO

NOV 1-3, 2024 - MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER

Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Jennifer Manning and I love to make wire wrapped gemstone pendants that my customers love to wear!

Who are you and what do you do?   

We are Tyler and Lindsey Steinkamp from Marion, Iowa. We started making homemade flavored pasta in our small kitchen to sell at farmer’s markets and other local events. To make our flavored pasta, we infuse the dough with ingredients like parmesan cheese, spinach, and garlic. We’ve since grown our business to also include meal kits, soup mixes, and pasta salad mixes – all with our made-from-scratch pasta!

www.pastaoftheprairie.com

www.instagram.com/pastaoftheprairie

Who are you and what do you do?   

Have you always been passionate about art and design?  

Yes! Since I could hold a pencil, I have been creating artwork. It wasn't until I was nine years old watching my Grandfather draw on the living room floor with me that I knew I wanted to be like him - a professional artist.

What has been your favorite moment since creating your art/business?  

My favorite moments happen when connecting with individuals and communities that my art has impacted. When I started to create artwork surrounding my own chronic pain, I had no idea that it would speak to people on the level that it does.

What motivates you to create? 

Art is in my heart and soul. It's a gift. I think about it constantly - dreaming up new ideas, problem solving, and pushing myself to grow my skills. I have a desire to use my platform for good and to impact people in a powerful, meaningful manner. There is a drive inside of me that must use my hands to get down what's in my head and my heart. There is this quote that resonates with me from Marc Chagall, "“If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing.” So I also only create the things that impact myself and matter to me.

What valuable experience/knowledge did you have before starting your art/business?  

I had a really significant experience spending a semester in New York City, where I was told by a professor that I didn't have what it takes to be a painter. Feeling lost in my work and direction, I picked up pencils instead of a paintbrush. But without that harsh criticism, that yes, could have been handled better, I would not have discovered my potential for technical drawings. 

What are some tips or suggestions you would like to offer?  

I want to show other, younger artists, to just keep going. Keep honing your skills. No matter what anyone says, no matter the critics, you have a gift and only you can use it, and it's worth the pursuit.

What do your customers love most about your product(s)?  

My customers really enjoy the combination of anatomy and botany, and bringing joy and beauty to maybe something they are going through with their own body. Many of us have connected through my work and shared chronic pain. I think that my work can remind people in their own spaces and homes that they are not alone, that their pain matters. And of course, I'm quite popular with the medical field - specifically chiropractors and OBGYN's. 

What is the latest thing you have been working on?  

I'm currently working on a mixed media portrait titled "Valerie" focusing on the female reproductive anatomy. She represents inclusivity, equality, and reproductive rights and justice for all. 

What will you be bringing to the Gift & Art Expo for attendees to purchase?

I will have originals and prints of a variety of sizes and prices of my anatomical and botanical drawings, along with my new piece "Valerie."

www.laineswanson.com

www.instagram.com/laineswansonart

www.facebook.com/laineswansonart

Who are you and what do you do?  
My name is Reggie Carter and I am the owner of Must be Ruff. We are a soft baked dog treat company that specializes in high quality pet products and treats. We are based out of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota and are happy to serve our neighboring communities in the Twin Cities.

Why did you start working in this field?
In early 2021 when I created the company, we had recently welcomed Kirby, a black and tan European Doberman to our family. We wanted Kirby to be healthy and to live her best life and one way to do that was to hand-make all of her food and treats. Growing up on a farm in Mississippi, I knew that I wanted Kirby to be as healthy as the dogs and animals I was surrounded by as a kid.  So I set out to find a way to make treats that were high-quality and loved by dogs in Minnesota. After sourcing the ingredients, testing new recipes, and hoping for Kirby’s approval, Must be Ruff was born.

What has been your favorite moment since creating your art/business?  
My favorite moments since creating the business have been the process of bringing my thoughts and ideas to real life and being able to bring these treats to hundreds of dogs in the metro area

What is the latest thing you have been working on?  
The latest things I've been working on are shelf stable dog treats. Right now, all of the treats do require refrigeration.

What will you be bringing to the Gift & Art Expo for attendees to purchase?
We will be bringing freshly baked dog treats, pet birthday cakes, pup-cakes and more! We will also be bringing the MBR collection of leashes and pet bandanas and bows.

www.mustberuff.co

www.instagram.com/must.beruff

Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Mike Denney and I’m a woodturner. I make wooden bowls, vases, and various other items on a lathe.

Where did your business name come from? Is there an interesting story behind it?
Our name, Good Wolf Bowls, was inspired by the story of the two wolves fighting inside you. The one that wins is the one you feed. Woodturning feeds my good wolf. We have a large plaque displayed at our booth with the full story of the wolves.

Is this a full-time business for you?
I’m officially retired so this is an almost full-time hobby. I also fish, garden, camp, canoe, and generally enjoy the great outdoors.

What has been your favorite moment since creating your art/business?
My favorite moment is when a customer, from a previous show, returns to my booth to show me a picture of my work in their home. It’s the best compliment I could ever receive.

What sets your designs apart from others?
I have a large variety of styles and species of wood, and I do a fair amount of inlays, mostly with turquoise. I have one bowl design where I inlay a band of turquoise just beneath the bark live edge that I don’t believe anyone else has done.

What is the latest thing you have been working on?
I’ve recently started making slab tables from slices off the top of stumps. I fill the voids with turquoise, bark, coffee grounds, colored resin, or whatever the customer wants. My next table I’m going to pour molten metal into the void!

What will you be bringing to the Gift & Art Expo for attendees to purchase?
I will have a wide variety of bowls made from salvaged wood. I’ll have walnut, ash, maple, honey locust, oak, cherry, elm, and other species if available. I’ll also have vases and various kitchen items. There’s also the possibility I’ll bring a slab table or two.

www.goodwolfbowl.com

www.facebook.com/GWBowls

www.instagram.com/goodwolfbowls

Who are you and what do you do? 
Hello! My name is Angel Teske, and I am the designer of Earth Angel Jewelry.

Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Mitch Heil and I am a woodworker and an outdoor enthusiast. I make 3d Laser cut lake maps.

Where did your business name come from? Is there an interesting story behind it?
My company Horn Dog Maps is named after my dog Sterling. He is a German Wirehaired Pointer and he is pseudo trained to find deer antler sheds, so I called him my little horn dog.

How did you get started in your art / business?
Like all things, it was something I wanted for myself. I posted pics of my map online and other people liked it and they wanted their own. I scaled it up from there and turned it into a real business.

What made you take this leap into being your own boss?
I’ve always been more of a solo worker. In college one of my teachers gave me some feedback once that was something like “I hope you aspire to work alone because you don’t take critique/play well with others” and that statement is so true.

What has been your favorite moment since creating your art/business?
My favorite thing is hearing the stories behind the lakes the customers order. Some of them are places the couple met, got married, or are family cabins dating back multiple generations.

Have you had any major failures? If so, what were some important insights gained?
For every success I have, there are a dozen “failures” behind it. That could be the material, paint color, glue brand/type, how they are cut, the order of assembly, sizes, packing material, or any other multitude of things. It’s only a failure if you don’t learn from it.

Have you always been passionate about art and design?
I’ve always been interested in art, but it was never really my goal to make it a full time job. In high school I took all the art classes and had a study hour my senior year and I ended up sculpting an approximately 15” long car out of drywall mud.

What motivates you to create?
My maps can bring people joy that other gifts just don’t have. Some people have decades of memories on these lakes and the maps bring them right back there, even though the lake may be several hours away.

What is the latest thing you have been working on?
Customer orders of lake maps, but also a birch and walnut computer desk for my wife, as well as planning out a dining room set made out of red maple.

What will you be bringing to the Gift & Art Expo for attendees to purchase?
I have about 20 different lakes in a few different color/frame combinations but also am able to take custom orders of the over 1300 lakes that I have mapped and ready to go.

www.horndogmaps.com
www.facebook.com/horndogmaps
www. instagram.com/horndogmaps

Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Melissa Becker and I am the founder of VIR Natural Grooming Products for Men. I have committed my career to learning the most I can about men’s hair and the grooming products that can take it to the next level.

How did you get started in this business?
I spent 6 years of my early career as platform artist and educator with American Crew. I traveled the nation educating stylists on how to cut hair and how to style the latest trends using different products. During this time (and even currently) I work behind the chair as a men’s hair designer. I have found that guys prefer to use grooming products made from natural ingredients! My clientele has inspired me to create these products along with helping me test them and telling me exactly what they want in a product.

What has been your favorite moment since creating your business?
My favorite moments since creating VIR are when our customers get as excited about our products as we do! Whether it’s a new or repeat customer, when we see your love for our products that’s what keeps us excited to continue making more!

What is the latest thing you have been working on?
We are currently working on a NEW clay-based styling product that will be launching in the fall of 2024!

What will you be bringing to the Gift & Art Expo for attendees to purchase?
At the Gift and Art Expo people can look forward to seeing a variety of men’s grooming products from us including beard oil, hydrating shampoo, styling products and shave and body bars.

Instagram: @virproducts
Facebook: @virformen
www.virformen.com

Who are you and what do you do?
Hi, my name is Isa and I’m passionate about painting and traveling. As a flight attendant, I’ve been able to travel to beautiful destinations that later serve as sources of inspiration for my paintings. My favorite subjects to paint are still life, landscapes, and abstracts. When I’m not flying, you can find me painting in my home studio and spending time with family.

How did you get started in your art / business?
Where did your business name come from? Is there an interesting story behind it? I needed to find a short name for my Etsy shop, so I came up with IsaStudioArt for the three initials of my first name ISA.

Have you always been passionate about art and design?
Yes!! From an early age, I’ve always find a paint brush in my hand.

What has been your favorite moment since creating your art/business?
I love the joy my paintings bring to people’s lives, especially when someone feels a connection to my work and wants to display it in their home.

What is the latest thing you have been working on?
I’m currently working on a collection of spring flowers, called “Spring Bouquets.” I’m also working on a collection of larger abstract paintings. What I love about creating abstract art is the element of surprise— you never know exactly how they’re going to turn out. I enjoy playing with color and texture, layering different hues and materials to create depth and complexity.

What will you be bringing to the Gift & Art Expo for attendees to purchase?
I’ll be bringing a variety of still life, landscape and abstract paintings. I’ll also be bringing seasonal Christmas-themed paintings, such as nativities, angels and winter scenes, in addition to ornaments, handmade cards and prints.

Website: www.IsaStudioArt.com
Instagram & Facebook: @IsaStudioArt

Who are you and what do you do?
Betty Jean Christian, creator of BJChristian Designs handmade jewelry. I’ve been artistic for as long as I remember and have played in many different types of art media, but for the past 20 years I am finding much joy in creating jewelry from wire and beads. Mostly I prefer gemstone beads combined with the wire but I use a variety of bead materials; pearls, Swarovski crystals, wood, etc. I make all the wire components in my pieces and this wire is sterling silver, 14K gold-filled, and copper.

How did you start working in this particular craft?
I came across wirework jewelry and have been enjoying this for the past 20 years. I bought how-to books, tools, and started bending with copper wire. I fell in love with it. I still have my very first bracelet and wear it occasionally. I soon began including sterling silver to my designs, and then gold-filled wire.

What is your favorite thing to create?
At the moment bracelets are my favorite thing to create. One of my styles of bracelets is double strand which is really fun, and I like to mix lots of different types of materials for these bracelets.

What was your first memory of making something?
I have been artistic and creating things my whole life. When I was a toddler, I hid under the bushes in front of our house making mud pies in the dirt after the rain. That was the first memory.

What do your customers love most about your products?
When I am at a show, or anywhere talking about my jewelry and someone says, "What fun designs!", it is the best compliment. In that statement, they really get it. When I create my designs it is a fun process of enfolding from start to finish.

What sets your designs apart from others?
You will notice that most of my jewelry pieces contain a spiral of some sort. I have always been attracted to spirals, and have been doodling them as long as I can remember. Its meaning is about creation, evolution, journey, and enlightenment. Spirals are found in the plant kingdom, throughout nature, and in the symbolism of every indigenous culture on Earth.

What's your favorite item you sell?
I love making bracelets that include a variety of gemstones. Each one turns out so unique. When I finish one of these pieces I hold it in my hand and feel the energy of the stones together and with the metal and all the funky wire components, and it just feels good. I love it when the buyer of these pieces feel it too. Hard to explain.

How do you usually prepare for the holiday season?
Every Christmas I would receive an art or craft kit to complete so I was exposed to a lot of different art activities growing up. As an adult I've played in many different media, pottery, woodburning, woodworking, and sewing.

Website: www.bjchristian.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bjchristiandesigns

Instagram: www.instagram.com/bjchristiandesigns