Artists Julie and Ken Girardini, of Sykesville, and Edward Kidera, of Woodbine, will join 650 of the best creators from across the country at the American Craft Show on Sunday. The nationwide juried show is held each year in Baltimore, and brings together the best craft creators, including ceramic artists, jewelry makers, metalworkers, glass blowers and more.

Julie and Ken Girardini have been attending the American Craft Show for 23 years. Together the pair create handmade contemporary metal designs, including home decor like clocks, candle holders, furniture, vases and more. Julie Girardini said they began creating their art solely out of a desire to own something in the style they create in.

"When we were younger, one of the things we loved was contemporary Italian-designed furniture," Julie Girardini said. "We couldn’t afford it, so we asked ourselves, ‘Why don’t we just make it?’ "

Artist Edward Kidera will exhibit his work at the American Craft Show Sunday, in Baltimore.

Artist Edward Kidera will exhibit his work at the American Craft Show Sunday, in Baltimore.

Together they taught themselves how to mold steel into their designs, with Ken Girardini showing up at a class in steel sculpture at the University of Maryland on his way into work as a NASA engineer each day. After creating a few pieces for themselves, friends began to notice the quality of their work and encouraging them to sell some pieces. Soon, they began experimenting with new forms and creating art and functional pieces to sell.

"I love that at the end of the day, every day, I can come up with something I made with my hands and say, ‘That’s what I did today for work,’ " Julie Girardini said. "That’s a singular feeling of accomplishment."

To create deneme bonusu each piece, they begin with industrial steel, in either bar or sheet form, and begin cutting, grinding and polishing pieces into a list of parts needed for each design. The pieces are bent, formed, shaped and welded before finally being colorized and sprayed with a protective lacquer.

Julie and Ken Girardini will sell their work at the American Craft Show in Baltimore, Sunday. – Original Credit:

Julie and Ken Girardini will sell their work at the American Craft Show in Baltimore, Sunday. – Original Credit:

Julie Girardini said they love the opportunity to come out to the American Craft Show and see all of the customers and fellow artists that they’ve bonded with over the past two decades.

"It has the feeling of a family reunion, having us all come together like this," Julie Girardini Betsidney said. "At a juried show, there are artists of a certain caliber there, and you see some of the same folks four or five times a year."

One of the fellow artists at the show is Edward Kidera, who creates functional and decorative devices out of found objects. Kidera said creating things with his hands has been a passion since he built his first car at the age of 14.

Today, he takes old pieces of steel, copper and brass and cuts them up and welds them together to create bells, iPod speakers made of old brass instruments and decorative airships. Kidera said the thing that continues to drive him to create is his love of play.

Our classic wall clock in copper and steel. 12" w x 30" h; 6.5" dia copper face. $320 User Upload Caption: Julie and Ken Girardini will sell their work at the American Craft Show in Baltimore, Sunday. – Original Credit:

Our classic wall clock in copper and steel. 12" w x 30" h; 6.5" dia copper face. $320 User Upload Caption: Julie and Ken Girardini will sell their work at the American Craft Show in Baltimore, Sunday. – Original Credit:

"I’m still a little kid who never really grew up," Kidera said. "I was always playing with Lincoln Logs, Tinkertoys and Erector Sets."

Kidera said new pieces usually come out of a combination of looking at objects and determining what new can be done with them and coming up with a concept and working backwards to figure out what he needs to execute it. Though he appreciates the chance to meet with other artists and with lovers of his craft, Kidera the show circuit can be difficult.

"Applying to the shows and taking all of your pictures and submitting applications takes time and packing the van takes hours," Kidera said. "Then you set everything out and Sunday night it’s the reverse. That aspect doesn’t get any easier, but on the whole, when you get to meet with the people and see the other artists, it’s worth it."

If You Go

What: American Craft Show

When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26

Where: Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St., Baltimore

Cost: $14 one-day pass. $34 three-day pass

For more information: Visit www.craftcouncil.org

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