Ever since she was a little girl, Lindsay Viker has had a passion for all things beautiful. She has translated that passion into sharing about her favorite emerging fashion, beauty, and culture on CoutureintheSuburbs.com. With her team of dedicated writers, Lindsay highlights the best people and businesses in Phoenix, Arizona and other cities around the United States. 

What Lindsay loves most about being part of the Jackalope Arts & Craft Fair Jury is getting to meet new inspirational creators. Now, Couture in the Suburbs has launched a shopping platform where they are sharing their favorite, hand-selected products with their audience. Lindsay is excited to find awesome new vendors to participate in Jackalope's upcoming show and feature on Couture in the Suburbs. 

Meet The Painted Ladies: 
The Painted Ladies consists of myself (Jeni) my husband Jonathan and my 3 sons. Jonah who blows me away with what he does on wood and paper canvas. Reid who surprises me with each creative piece, and Cayden who is the youngest and each piece becomes more his style. People ask me what is with the name if I am the only lady, I call the canvas' "Ladies" when I am talking about them,  and The Painted Ladies was the name that stuck when it was tossed out there.

How would you describe your style?  Are there any artists / designers that you particularly look up to?  
I have really never thought about our style and can't seem to put it into a specific definition.we are all over the map in style but our reclaimed wood canvas is the constant.

I am inspired by all artist that perfect their field weather it be clothing, jewelry, painting, baking, sculpting, building, stylist,,,, when someone is passionate about what they do and always aspires to be and do better then they were and did yesterday, that inspires me.

What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own? 
I feel what makes us unique is we use reclaimed pallet wood, we allow the wood to be as much a star as what we paint on the canvas we have created. We hand sketch and hand paint everything, and leave the wood in its raw, aged, battered state. If these pallets could speak there would be some amazing stories to tell.  

What sort of things inspire you?  Where do you look for inspiration?
We are inspired by Arizona, the desert, music, people, our experiences, emotions, and God.  Inspiration comes from within, you will be able to look trough our varied pieces and see the different personalities.

When do you feel the most creative?
For my son it is in the morning, for my husband it is all the time, for me it is the quiet moments whenever they may be. It is seeing a Robin in the yard, a child looking into the eyes of its mother, a gentle touch, the crows song, being in nature.

What is your creative process like?
We begin by looking for the best pallets we pick through many and collect them from the newer ones to the older ones. we pull them apart and painstakingly clean the wood and our master builder (Jonathan) builds the canvas'. We then begin the choosing a canvas and and an image or saying that works well with the wood. we then hand sketch and hand paint. To keep the old look true I then distress the paint which I feel allows for the piece to flow. 

What's the coolest artistic tip you've ever received?
There is no one way to do or be if you are passionate about and love what you do it will flow from you. Be it within and it will be on the outside.

Where can we learn more about you? 
Instagram is the best place on the web to get a glimpse of what we do and find out where we will be, and meeting us at art shows, in person that would be the best way to learn more about me and my family/team and I love to meet new amazing people 

How would you describe your style? 
I would describe my style as wiggly and colorful.

Are there any artists / designers that you particularly look up to?
I'm a big fan of artists such a Sam Bosma and Zac Gorman.

What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own? 
I suppose my line quality is the most unique thing about how I draw. It's Dr. Seuss-like sometimes, but I can't say that it looks that way by design.

What sort of things inspire you?  Where do you look for inspiration?
Fun and interesting characters inspire me. I look for a lot of my inspiration nowadays on Pinterest.

When do you feel the most creative?
I feel most creative right after I return from a comic con or art show. Seeing other peoples work and career trajectory is very inspiring to me.

What is your creative process like?
My process usually goes like this: Scribble something in a sketchbook, then scan it into my computer and toy with it endlessly until I'm happy with how it looks.

What's the coolest artistic tip you've ever received?
The best artistic tip I've ever received was to do lots of figure drawing. If you can draw the human figure you can draw almost anything.

Where can we learn more about you?  
You can learn more about my work at charliebink.com

I will only be selling my game Trekking at the show, however here are some of my art prints for your viewing pleasure:

Shop Trekking the National Parks at Jackalope Art & Craft Fair on April 16th & 17th at Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix.

Meet Jackalope Phoenix Vendors, Barclay & Co.  - creators of Spine Wallet.

How would you describe your style?  
I would say our style is sleek, modern and minimalist. We use titanium because it is strong and light.

Are there any artists / designers that you particularly look up to?
I look up to my brother, Caleb Barclay. He is an entrepreneur and designer with a passion for making Arizona great.

What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own? 
We started a little over a year ago and at that point we had most of our process done outside. At this point I am happy to say we have brought almost all of it in house, including the deburring, anodizing, lasering, and blasting. We are able to offer custom pieces at reasonable costs.

What is your creative process like?
My creative process involves a lot of failure. There is so much to learn when it comes to anodizing and lasering titanium. Typically it starts with some frustration and end with a result I am happy with(hopefully)

Where can we find out more about you?
www.barclayco.com

Shop Barclay & Co. at at Jackalope Art & Craft Fair on April 16th & 17th at Steele Indian School Park!

Q: Tell us a little about yourself & your background in the arts & crafts world:

My name is Rachel Malloy and I own Bunky Boutique, a neighborhood shop that has been a Phoenix staple since 2007. Bunky specializes in blending well known lines along with local and indie designers and artisans. I live in downtown Phoenix, love spending time with my husband, enjoy reading, exercising, coffee shops, drinking tea, writing and traveling. The ocean waves on a cold day make me feel alive and the energy of cities makes me feel connected to all of humanity.

 Q: What/who is your biggest inspiration?

My Uncle Tim has been my biggest inspiration since I was a child. He taught me that if I can dream it, I have the capacity to fulfill that dream. He was an incredibly talented dancer and choreographer and he will always inspire me to walk through the fears that come with being vulnerable and taking creative chances.

Q: How did you get into your position in the arts & crafts world?   

As a shop owner, my job is to curate a collection of products that are innovative and unique. I have had the honor to develop relationships and partnerships with local artisans and see their growth and the growth of the arts and crafts world in Phoenix as a whole. 

Q: Tell us about a few favorites of yours: Weekend activity? Food? Color? Animal?

Favorite weekend activity - drinking tea and reading the NY Times with my husband Jim

Favorite color - burnt sienna

Favorite animal - kitties

Favorite Broadway show - Hamilton the Musical

Favorite people - my team Bunky family: Lauren, RC, and Ashley

Q: What do you love most about the handmade movement?

The people I have met and have had the privilege to work with!  They are hard working and have just the right combination of grit and vulnerability to stick with their passions. I admire anyone that has a vision and knows that one of the most important things to creating a peaceful world is to do the thing that makes you feel joy!  

Q: What is most important feature in an artist’s application for you?  

Authenticity. Being a buyer for the past 8 1/2 years has given me a keen eye for knowing when someone's creation is authentic to their vision and self.

Q: What are you most looking forward to in being a part of the Jackalope Arts jury?

I'm looking forward to seeing beauty and art from a whole new perspective and to get inspired by the bold creativity of the Phoenix arts and crafts community.

Q: Where can we find out more about you?

http://www.bunkyboutique.com/about/

https://www.instagram.com/bunkyboutique/

https://www.facebook.com/visitphoenix/videos/10153754105704717/

What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own?
Aside from my designs being simple but also statement making pieces, I use jewelry to promote a message of loving and accepting yourself. It's important to me that Adam Rabbit isn't just another handmade jewelry company. As AR has grown, I've been able to share more of my personal feelings as well as helping others start handmade businesses. My goal is for my message to translate through the designs and although I don't stamp, "You deserve to feel good today." on my packaging,  that's the general theme and energy I want to put out there in a subtle way. 

What sort of things inspire you?  Where do you look for inspiration?
I'm really inspired by nature and the feeling you get when you are unplugged from technology. Sometimes I feel like all of the wifi is frying my brain so it is nice to get outside and feel connected to something beautiful. I'm also a proud supporter of the treat yo' self movement! I use self-care as apart of my creative process to design jewelry from a place that is pure. 

When do you feel the most creative?
I definitely feel most creative in the morning. I love waking up between 4AM-5AM to just spend time in my craft room and see what ideas come before the stress of the daily grind begins. I also teach 6th grade special ed full time so my mornings are sacred to me. 

What's the coolest artistic tip you've ever received?
I've received a lot of advice when I first started AR. Most of it was unsolicited and along the lines of jewelry being an over saturated market.  The best tip would have to come from one of my former students who has autism. One of the only sentences he would say is, "Never EVER give up!" (You have to scream the ever) He would say it at least 20 times a day whenever he had to do something he didn't want to which included walking in a line and getting up to sharpen his pencil. When I think about never EVER give up it brings a smile to my face. 

Where can we learn more about you? 
I really love the Instagram community! I post everything from new designs, daily woes of no longer being able to eat gluten, and pretty frequently gush over my boyfriend Joe. @adamrabbitjewelry

How would you describe your style?  
My particular style has always had a bohemian feel,  I love bright feel good colors and a variety of texture!  
 

What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own?  
I feel what makes my work unique is a combination of my designs and marketing.  I created the Giving Bracelets for a sole purpose, I wanted to create a sustainable business the continues to give back.  After launching a successful handbag company,  I spent some time volunteering for an organization that helps mentor children in the foster care system.  This experience had such an impact, I decided to create the Giving Bracelets and donate the proceeds to them.  

What sort of things inspire you?  
Traveling, culture, nature.   

When do you feel the most creative?
I feel most creative when my work space has no clutter and after having a cup of earl grey tea!

What is your creative process like?  
I design new styles twice a year, in the fall I’m thinking about Spring colors, styles and hardware and in the Spring I’m thinking about Fall colors, styles, and hardware.  

What's the coolest artistic tip you've ever received?  
Design and create the things you love!

Where can we learn more about you?  
www.givingbracelets.com

Shop Giving Bracelets at the Phoenix Jackalope Art & Craft Fair on December 12th & 13th at Steele Indian School Park!

Q: Tell us a little about yourself & your background in the arts & crafts world:

I'm a native Phoenician, who has grown up frequenting the many awesome boutiques and craft fairs of our city. Aside from being on the consumer side of things, I’ve grown up in theatre and have loved nerding out on plays for my whole life. I’ve been creating experimental work for the past several years in the Valley, and love being a part of our arts scene.

Q: What/who is your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspiration these days, are the thousands of people all over our country fighting for equality. I got the chance recently to meet Rika Tyler, Co-Founder and Director of Hands Up United, and she absolutely inspired me. To be so young, leading a movement, and to retain the amount of light that she does... I was taken aback. She and her colleagues are not only protesting for equality, but are actively using their resources to empower the youth of St. Louis, through their Books & Breakfast Program, and their courses on coding. And she still makes time to go out with her friends and enjoy life! I’m inspired by the many people in our community and others doing amazing work to make the world a better place tomorrow.

Q: How did you get into your position in the arts & crafts world?

Through an insatiable curiosity and coquettishness with Phoenix. I grew up going to school downtown, so a new experience was always just around the corner. Whether we were trying out a new coffee shop, bumming around on First Friday, or checking out a new restaurant, there were always so many people to meet and so many things to learn about what made those places unique. I sought out boutiques like Frances or Bunky, and now it’s my pleasure to get to share a life’s findings with our Localists at Local First Arizona.

Q: Tell us about a few favorites of yours: Weekend activity? Food? Color? Animal?

Weekend Activity: Every Saturday I go to the Downtown Phoenix Public Market to stock up on my veggies for the week. It makes me feel connected to our city, and my neighbors, and the families and lives around me.
Food: Pesto Pasta with tons of fresh garlic and veggies. OR Indian food, I love Curry Corner on Apache in Tempe!
Color: Copper
Animal: Lemur, they're so goofy.
Passion: Experimental Theatre, and Social Justice.
Fruit: Fig

Q: What do you love most about the handmade movement?

The arts & crafts world has a lot to do with the placemaking work I do with Local First Arizona. With the Localist program, it’s all about finding the ways the that people connect to their “place”. I love being able to paint a new story for Phoenix, or at least my story. Growing up, it was always easy to get down on Phoenix. We planned of moving away, chasing our dreams and sharing our successes with far away places. To me, Phoenix is a thriving city with an enviable arts scene, and enough boutiques to fill your closet for a lifetime. I get to show people the best our state has to offer, and so much of that is through getting to know our neighbors, and the many talented artists that our state has to offer.

Q: What is most important feature in an artist’s application for you?

To me, the most important feature in the artist’s application is the artist statement. I want to learn who these people are, and why they create what they create!

Q: What are you most looking forward to in being a part of the Jackalope Arts jury?

I’m looking forward to learning even more about what my state has to offer! I’m also looking forward to seeing folks at the fair whose applications I saw waaaay back in summer. Seeing it all come together, that’s going to be great.

Q: Where can we find out more about you?

Check out http://localfirstaz.com/localist to learn more about the Localist Program, and find new ways to see the city! I’m also a part of the Emerging Arts Leaders of Phoenix, which you can find more info about at http://www.ealphx.org/

“Georganne Bryant opened Frances, affectionately named after her grandmother, in the heart of midtown Phoenix in 2006. She personally curates Frances’ revered blend of unique clothing, jewelry, paper goods and handmade gifts.”

Tell us about yourself and your background in the arts & crafts world:
Georganne Bryant opened Frances, affectionately named after her grandmother, in the heart of midtown Phoenix in 2006.  She personally curates Frances' revered blend of unique clothing, jewelry, paper goods and handmade gifts.  Georganne is dedicated to collaborations with other local businesses to enrich the Phoenix community. The award winning annual craft fair, "Frances Crafeteria" has showcased hundreds of independent Arizona crafters and artists.

WIth a loyal following, Frances has been voted "Best Boutique" by Phoenix New Times since 2006. Georganne is also the co-creator of the Phoenix Small Wonders Map, a free guide to local dining and shopping. For her work in the community she was listed by Arizona Foothills Magazine as one the the "Ten Women Who Move The Valley" in 2012. The Frances family shares Georganne's passion for creating a special shopping experience and encouragement of the creative community in Phoenix.

What/Who is your biggest inspiration?
I have to say my parents have been my biggest inspiration. My father was a very successful entrpenuer/dentist while my mom is an artist. Combining their sensibilities and learning from the two of them has helped me build Frances. They were constant and encouraging.

How did you get your position in the arts & craft world?
I started Crafteria, a 45 vendor curated indie craft festival held the first Friday in December, nine years ago after attending the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago.  We also hosted Faythe Levine and her indie film Handmade Nation approximately 7 years ago, I was very inspired by Faythe.

Tell us about a few favorites of yours:
My husband and I love to hike, we love Mexican food and that is why we have to hike!  
I love to hunt for the perfect items for Frances.
Several of my favorite restaurants are: Cibo, Pane Bianco, Otro, Los Compdres, and Via De Los Santos

What do you love most about the handmade movement?
I love that there is a handmade movement still happening, we all know our ancestors handmade items to survive by making their own foods for day to day life or just to make something special for someone.  My mom tells a story of her mom making her a dress from a flour sack and that is when flour sacks were a lovely floral.  It has come a long way from that time in America but the sense of making something with your hands feeds your soul and then taking it into the community for someone to admire and purchase is a beautiful thing.

What is the most important feature in an artists application for you?
Uniqueness, consistency and quality

What are you most looking forward to in being part of the Jackalope Arts Jury?
I am always happy that an artist has an opportunity to show their talent, glad to help the community add another quality event to the Phoenix calendar. 

Where can we find out more about you?

 www.francesvintage.com   
@francesvintage on twitter & instagram
@georganneb on instagram

“Like the bird that shares its name, Phoenix is rising into a beautiful new city that embraces Localism, innovation, entrepreneurship, and diversity. ”

— BALLE

In the beginning days of Jackalope Arts, our team sat together with some of the movers and shakers in the L.A. art scene and talked excitedly about the vision for Jackalope Arts.  One of these notable individuals said they understood why we were in L.A. and Denver with the arts and culture in both cities, but that they didn't know anything about Phoenix and the scene there.  Of course, as a Phoenix native, I proceeded to breakdown all of what Phoenix has to offer in it's rapidly growing and soon to be well known arts economy!

The Jackalope Art & Craft Fair will be making it's home at Steele Indian School Park in Downtown Phoenix, just outside the Roosevelt Row Arts District and situated just steps from the Metro Light Rail.   We will be joining the localist movement in an effort to strengthen the Phoenix community and Arizona economy by growing, supporting, and celebrating locally owned businesses.

There has been a concentrated focus on growing Downtown Phoenix and over the past 5 years those efforts have really begun to take hold!  We are on a roll with a 7% expected growth rate, exceptional when compared to other Downtown growth rates in the US (thiscouldbePHX.com), and Phoenix's Roosevelt Row (RoRo) being named one of the top 10 arts districts in the country by USA Today!

One of the associations in place to help facilitate this growth in Downtown Phoenix and across Arizona is Local First Arizona.  Since it's inception in 2003, Local First Arizona has grown to become the world's largest local business association with over 2,500 members!  Arizonans know how to ban together and make s***t happen and we aim to be a part of that.  

The mission of Jackalope Arts is to create a shopping experience with the highest quality, locally handcrafted goods.  We strive to support local artisans who devote their lives to their creations. We bring a community together to celebrate local artistry, and promote high quality, locally made, artisan creations of all kinds in our weekend events.

Check out this Small Wonders map of the local businesses in the area surrounding our new Downtown home!  We love our Jackalope neighbors :)

Not convinced Phoenix is amazing yet?  Check out the Top 10 Reasons to Love Phoenix from the Phoenix New Times!

The Jackalope Art & Craft Fair will launch in Phoenix with our Holiday shopping event on December 12th & 13th.  
Are you an artisan? Applications are available online and the deadline is September 1st.  
Just an eager local shopper?  Our event is FREE so add it to your calendar and sign up to our mailing list to hear all the exciting updates!

Good Reads & Resources: 

Local First Arizona

Is Downtown Phoenix at a Tipping Point? 

BALLE