First Friday is May 6th!

Be Sweet! What is perfect thought for the month of May! Being kind to others is also the premise on which the Be Sweet company was founded.

Friday, May 6th is Northville's First Friday Art Walk. Visit us at the Dancing Eye Gallery that night and meet Yvette Jenkins who represents Be Sweet handbags designed by Mielie in South Africa. These colorful, unique bags are made in a hooked rug technique of recycled fabric by Xhosa women who have learned new skills and invested in their future in a region that once offered little economic opportunity. Some of the profits from sales help support a local school in South Africa.

Yvette will also bring wall hangings and table runners besides purses. Special orders may be taken too.

Another great product that will be available will be the limited edition "yoga for schools" yoga meditation cushion. A percentage of the sales of each cushion goes toward bringing yoga training and supplies to a Michigan school in need.

So, if you are looking for an accessory that is recycled, supportive, thoughtful and one-of-a-kind art, then stop in next Friday from 5-8 p.m. to view the trunk show!

Note: We will be open and accessible during the exciting Streetscape Enhancement Project, as will all businesses. You can check out the progress during the Art Walk. You can also get updates at http://www.downtownnorthville.org/.

Getting to know Gretchen Kramp

Gretchen Kramp's tile work features striking relief images on boldly glazed backgrounds. Her themes deal with everything from fairy tales, everyday items and animals to geometric designs. Her tiles range from an adorable 2x2" to highly detailed 8x8". We wanted to shine the spotlight on Gretchen and let you know a little more about the woman behind the tiles.

Gretchen Kramp received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. After majoring in painting she apprenticed herself to a local ceramicist. In the middle of the 1990s, her tiles were represented in the ceramic collection at numerous local galleries. In Winter 1997, she started Gretchen Kramp Ceramic Tiles, a business that produces art works composed of one or more tiles, including murals (constructed of tiles of multiple sizes and shapes) and tile tables for the home.

Kramp's murals have become popular features at the Detroit Zoological Park. In 2000, she produced a mural for the entrance of the National Amphibian Conservation Center, located at the Detroit Zoo. In 2002, she installed a similar work at the entrance of the Nunavut Gallery in the Arctic Ring of Life exhibit. The eight-foot by ten-foot mural is constructed of more-than 650 iridescent and matte tiles. An immense polar bear stands under the motto NUNATSIAQ, which means "the beautiful land" in Inuit.