Penn Treaty Park, on a foggy day.
Craft Foundry is based on a vision artist Minna Aaparyti has a of place where people can come and find eco-friendly crafts and gifts for the body and home. Visitors can also sign up for a class in bookbinding, creating paste papers and handmade cards. The web site is an extension of this vision.
Minna Aaparyti was born in Helsinki, Finland and lived in a small town of Kauniainen for ten years. She spent a part of her childhood in the Middle East, lending her visual world added color in contrast to her original Scandinavian background. Since then she has travelled extensively, all the way from India to Mexico, always on the lookout for new and interesting materials. She arrived in America in 1981, and received a BFA at the University of the Arts in 1990. This education gave her a solid background for the future creative work. She has been designing books and jewelry since 1992, with styles ranging from clean Scandinavian to exotic and tribal, always looking to transcend time and trend. Minna’s love of journals stems in part from having traveled a great deal in her child hood: the journals were portable. She combines different papers, textures and fabrics to evoke a well-worn, comfortable space where one can write one’s ideas, thoughts and hopes. Frequently ancient symbols such as the sun become powerful starting points for painting and shaping a book cover. She enjoys using ancient bindings such as the Coptic binding, which produces a book that opens flat. Some of these books were purchased by Oprah's Angel Network. Minna Aaparyti uses an exciting assortment of materials in the jewelry she produces. Whether it is an antique bead from Africa, or beautiful amber from the Dominican Republic, she delights in the unique combinations she can produce. Minna looks for the beauty and delicacy of nature for inspiration. She creates earrings and necklaces to wear, for the connection to nature she feels, and to enjoy the timeless yet cyclical qualities that they hold. She has been teaching workshops at The University of the Arts, at St. Joe's Prep and in the studio for five years. She exhibited in the Rosen Show Buyers Market of American Craft for several years in a row, and sold her work nationally. For all items carried at Craft Foundry, Minna strives to be eco-conscious, whether it is in materials, packaging or sourcing. She believes that by doing her part, she can help make a difference in a better future for all. |
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