Catching up with . . . Connie Bloom

Paula and I attended the Taste of Hudson event a few weeks back and strolled through the arts & crafts section of tents. We came upon this happy-looking blonde with a “Connie Bloom” sign on her tent. Connie, once my co-worker in the Beacon Journal Features Department, is into fabric art, commonly called art quilts, in a major way. And impressively so, I might add.

I asked Connie to email me an update on her life since the BJ, which wasn’t that long ago for Connie. Here it is:

Hi John,

I have a working studio in the artsy Northside district of downtown Akron, next door to Luigi’s. Facing Luigi’s, you find four doors off the sidewalk in a row. One of them is for Red Light Galleries (111 N. Main Street, Akron).

Up the stairs, I am the third door on the right in the historic bordello building few people notice. That's where I create, with the help of the "girls." (Editor’s note: That would be the spirits of the former bordello professionals.) The studio is open to visitors whenever I am there, usually in the daytime, but we get little random traffic. I ask people to call ahead – (330) 472-0161 -- so they aren't disappointed if I'm not there.

I am on the monthly Art Walk, first Saturday of every month from 6-10 p.m.

I have been winning awards at local festivals, done some one-woman shows and given talks at local galleries and other organizations. I won second place for art excellence at Kent Art in the Park. There were 90 artists in contention, so that is a big deal for me. Kent is a fairly prestigious festival with a very high national ranking.

In short, this validates the scary big step I took by leaving the paper last year. I did the right thing. This change of career has blessed me in a million different ways.

The funny thing is I thought I would have more time, but far from it, I am running from early morning to late at night. I have a lineup of commissions that will keep me busy for the next year. I also teach a number of adult students seeking their muse.

My husband's name is Bob Shields. We have been together about 10 years and were married in September 2008. I kept my professional name. Bob is an affable guy with a heart of gold, very supportive of my work. He calls himself my roadie.

It was wonderful meeting you again John. I have many fond memories of our working together.

Warmly,
Connie

------------------------------------

Connie doesn’t mention it, but one of her commissions is a $5,000 project. Most of her art, of course, is in the three-figure range. One of Connie’s fabric art works that interested me, and most BJ folks, I would think, is the one she did in 2008 for BJ reporter Kim McMahan, a memorial for Kim’s late daughter Brooke McMahan. Connie uses clothing, jewelry and other items of the deceased and talks to a survivor to get a feel for the spirit and personality of the person being memorialized in fabric art.

On a happier note, Connie also uses toys, clothes and other childhood items to do fabric art of family members who have grown into adults.

In line with her BJ column about pets, Connie does fabric art on dogs and cats, including Connie’s own dog, Emily. Llamas, too, which you can see in a Peninsula business.

You can email Connie at

Connie@conniebloom.com

Click on the headline to see photos of Connie, her fabric art including the Brooke McMahan memorial and Connie’s business cards.