Savannah Local Artist Market (SLAM) returns to get longtime and new artists on your radar

Artists are magical in the sense that they depict the many layers of being human in such an authentic way. It's so uplifting to speak to artists such as Deborah Sherron Miller, William Kwamena-Poh, Liz Juneau, Stella Ranae Von Schmid and Charlie Ellis; hearing from them share how they navigate the challenges of life while being creative about their experiences.

Being creative is a journey, it has its ups and downs, and often times speaking for myself, I feel things deeply.

SLAM, which stands for Savannah Local Artist Market, is having its 5th annual event on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is well organized but not in a stiffly structured way, there is a freedom that all the vendors enjoy making the experience fun.

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Ellis, who founded the event, shared that 80 creatives will be participating. “I only thought 30 would sign up for the first one and then 60 did.”

Ellis said he is not a “real” artist but he likes to make find driftwood, make local signs and just enjoys making things. He admits he hasn't been “creative” all his life but later found he enjoyed it. I respectively disagreed about him not being a "real artist" while I understood where he was coming from I told him he was creative nonetheless. He shared how he started “asking around if Savannah has too many or not enough spaces/opportunities for artists. The answer was a loud “not enough!”

So he decided to start SLAM, a very carefree, inviting and inclusive vendor market for all sorts of creatives. Sherron Miller has stepped into the role as co-leader to assist with the event's success.

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Sherron Miller is a self-taught artist who grew up in southeastern Pennsylvania. As a child, she was always enamored with the rural simplistic art of the Pennsylvania Dutch. She also loved drawing cartoons and creating as a whole.

She was drawn to her artistic passion by her grandmother, a talented artist in her own right. With her grandmother’s guidance and her passion ignited, she began drawing and painting. Her grandmother enrolled her in art classes at a young age at the Wyomissing Art Institute, expanding her artistic creativity to understanding the beauty of nature.

She was exposed to ballet, artistic movies, writings, and artwork as well. When she is not making her pieces, she is a web designer and poet, and has taken her talents locally to the cadets at Benedictine Military School as a part-time art educator.

For Ranae Von Schmid, her art is all about process. “I have learned over the years to pace myself and know I can step away from a piece and it will still be there when I’m ready for it."

Ranae Von Schmid’s work consists of  “botanical dyeing and printing derived from centuries-old folk traditions and recipes for coloring fiber & textiles with natural botanical dyes, combined with 'printing' real leaves and flowers in their natural state.”

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Being patient with the multi-step process is key along with the right amount of pressure. Ranae Von Schmid is self-taught and has been improving her craft for over a decade. Keeping her work as “modern, eco-conscious, organic & sustainable, and creating lasting heirlooms” is how she honors her culture and upbringing in her work.

“I have found it nearly impossible to do my art full time, there are spurts when I can depending on if I get a big commission, but it is been very hard to sustain in my case," she said.

“When not creating, I am teaching classes on my work and other methods of contact printing. I am a certified Sound Healing Practitioner and integrate the use of sound healing methods into several of the classes I teach as a form of art therapy, creating mindfulness and relaxation."

For Juneau, she finds the inner practice of the artist to be important. “The idea of self-care is so important and on a bigger scale than a nice bubble bath, which doesn’t get me wrong those are great too," she said.

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“But also knowing the creating process is not just when you physically creating but living life, taking care of one’s self, doing things that keep you fresh, taking breaks from that project you keep making mistakes on, all because you kept pushing when you had to time to take a break."

Juneau is the artist behind Archipelago Jewelry. Her inspiration comes from nature, fashion, people and just allowing her imagination to wander.

Her pieces have a unique touch such as shells, feathers, and acorn tops, her work may include vintage surprises. The name “Archipelago Jewelry” is based on the concept of a chain of islands and how beads can form a chain. Juneau creates her jewelry in her midtown bungalow in Savannah and believes her work provides connection with the wearer.

“I think of my jewelry as telling a story," she said. "I shared how this is relatable as when I am looking for items of jewelry I am either looking for a statement piece that either reflects my culture and family style or the mood of the occasion, while other times I am looking for something more simple and minimal that will match anything outfit, whether in my everyday wear or for an event of the photoshoot. Accessories can indeed add to the story of the person."

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Kwamena-Poh is a full-time self-employed artist, who was born in Anukrom, Ghana. His work is very much influenced by his culture and what he has learned about himself both in Ghana and here in the United States. He shares that he hasn't always been self-employed but has worked extremely hard to put on a lot of shows to make sure his expenses are covered but that he can also enjoy the joys of his labor.

Without a doubt, it is hard and takes an extreme amount of discipline but he also takes breaks when needed when he has life and/or creative blocks. "It's important to create work that powers through and reflects the time, sharing pieces of our energy in a way that people don't typically share. We have to be mindful that our message is clear and that spring it forward, to not be misunderstood, as visual art has to be interpreted differently vs a song or sculpture."

All of the artists strongly agreed SLAM offers an environment that is breaking barriers both for the creators and the public, and the affordable vendor fee is always a plus! Some other environments may have an unintended ‘weird” vibe that makes people not really want to return.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah GA events: Savannah Local Artist Market, SLAM