Featured Artist: Melissa Lowery of SSD Jewelry(Jewelry)

Melissa Lowery is going to be here for First Friday! Her designs have been flying off of our shelves since she first brought them into the shop. Come by and check out her new and unique designs because they won't stay in Epona & Oak for very long. We will serving all sorts of snacks and beverages for the event so swing by and meet this very talented artist.

“I am the creator, owner and designer of ssd jewelry. I'm mostly a self-taught metals artist who loves to read, and experiment on my own! My approach to metal-smithing is very organic and in my opinion, it's the end result that matters, not how you get there!

I strive to make high-quality and original designs. I love incorporating vintage finds (old spoons, weathered leather bracelets, old charms, etc.), recycled and upcycled metals, and positive quotes in my jewelry. Jewelry can be very personal and adding a special message to it makes it even that much more smashing!”

Featured Artist: Jody Cedzidlo of Flytrap Studios (Apparel and Home Decor)

This is going to be a really fun First Friday here at Epona & Oak. Jody Cedzidlo is the designer behind those adorable jersey dresses and the famous "Raleigh Bike" tee. She will be bringing tons of new designs with her as well as her close out tees that she will be selling for just $15 a pop!
We will have a keg from Aviator Brewing Company and fresh baked cookies from The Cookie People.

“I am extremely fortunate that Flytrap is my full-time job. After a long and difficult road of six million lattes, 16 months living in a very large tent, three drop-out-of-college-crises, finally a Bachelor of Fine Arts, three murals, three states, eleven apartments, and a whole bunch of questionable fashion decisions, I finally have what I want. I am making a living with things I create. And I have finally given up on overalls--I'm just not tall enough.

One day I will live in a small house where I will collect eggs from my own chickens--they, in turn, will live in a handmade, highly ornamented coop decorated with my mother's bizarre, ceramic yard art. I will bake steamy, golden pies from homegrown blueberries. Sadie will run wild. And I will buy this house with the money I made selling lovely t-shirts I printed with my own two hands.”

Little Monsters
Featured Artist: David Eichenberger (Fine Art)

David Eichenberger creates some of the most endearing and captivating artwork that I have ever seen. I always want to know more about his central figures and find out what kind of adventure they are on.

David Eichenberger earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from Savannah College of Art and Design. He has had several exhibitions in Raleigh and was recently an artist-in-residence at Artspace.

David's new work will be up at Epona & Oak for the entire month of May so please stop by and check it out.

If you would like to know more about David Eichenberger, please visit http://david-eichenberger.carbonmade.com

Featured Artist: Elizabeth Galecke Photography

There will be raffle prizes donated by local artisans to benefit these charities including photo sessions, massage certificates, jewelry, and more.
If you would like more information, please visit: www.elizabethgalecke.com.

Left:Jodie Matthews, 1999
Make-A-Wish^® Foundation of Eastern North Carolina

Featured Artist: Alena Hennessy
(Jewelry, Apparel, Art, and Home Decor)

To find out more about Alena, please visit www.alenahennessy.com

Featured Artist: Leigh Salmon of Rivet Jewelry
(Sterling Silver and 14K Jewelry)

To see more of Leigh's pieces, please visit visit www.rivetingjewelry.com

Featured Artist: Captive Collective (Hand Printed Apparel and Accessories)

Captive Collective is the combination of two Raleigh, NC designers, Strenf and Odcity.

Strenf was brought to life in 2008 by Jared Lambert. In case you were wondering, the name comes from an urban spin on the word strength. Strenf is the product of a designer who has always had an appreciation of screen printing and it's abilities. The designs are deliberately simple and usually involve elements of nature, strange happenings or objects

Odcity was created by Margaret McNealy in 2008. Drawing inspiration from the odd natured experiences and surroundings of life, Odcity is sure to appeal to anyone that can appreciate a mixture of styles. Playing with urban quirky and eclectic styles Margaret alienates the odd nature of every design to convey an experience that everyone can relate to.

If you would like to know more about Captive Collective, please visit http://www.captivecollective.com

Featured Artist: The Handmaidens (Jewelry, Apparel, Home Accessories, and Paper Goods)

The Handmaidens are a North Carolina collective of artists, designers and crafters who create handcrafted jewelry, apparel, accessories, paper goods, art goods, housewares and more!
In 2004, we joined together to begin collaborating in collaborative trunk shows and local shopping events to promote our individual businesses and each other's work.
We are the founders and producers of Raleigh, NC's The Handmade Market, a semiannual shopping event that features the best and brightest artists, designers and crafters from NC and beyond.

If you would like to know more about The Handmaidens or The Handmade Market, please visit http://www.thehandmaidens.com and http://www.thehandmademarket.com. To learn more about North Carolina Wineries, please visit http://www.visitncwine.com/.

Featured Artist: Kristin Matwiczyk (Fine Art)

I love to paint. It is therapeutic, messy, colorful and sexy. It is an extension of what my words fail to express. As a bashful exhibitionist, I cannot hide behind what my brush strokes reveal. It is an action of coy emotions, whimsical imagination, imperfect beauty, and where undesirable outcomes create conscious results. It makes the complicated simple and the simple divine. It makes my life make sense.

In 2001 I graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelors of Art. I now live in Raleigh, NC. I tend to switch my painting style and subject matter around often and usually each show is different in its diaristic nature. Oil is my main paint of choice but I also use acrylic, watercolor, markers, paint pens, glue guns, Mod Podge, house paint, etc.

If you would like to know more about Kristin Matwiczyk, please visit http://www.kmatw.com
To learn more about Aviator Brewing Company, please visit http://www.aviatorbrew.com

Featured Artist: Mary Ellen Kim, Twist Style (Jewelry)

I live here in Virginia with my little family. We have a happy home just south of the city with a big garden, lots of flowers and two cats. My husband, Dave, and I think we are just about the luckiest people ever.
Every morning, after Dave leaves for work and the kids are off to school, I head off to my studio. Once I get past the overwhelming mess (I'm a very sloppy artist), I find inspiration everywhere! Tubes of paint, piles of fabric, bowls of beads and buttons - I am a bit of a supply junkie.
On the days that I'm just not "feelin' it," I head downtown for a coffee and to hit some of my favorite junk stores, antique shops, and flea markets. It never fails that I find something to inspire me among all those forgotten artifacts - and sometimes a pair of shoes follows me home - it's weird!
I hope you enjoy the vintage finds and I especially hope you feel my designs: they are truly a reflection of the joys in my life; my family and the creative process!

If you would like to know more about Twist Style, please visit http://www.twiststyle.com
To learn more about Shelton Vineyards, please visit http://www.visitncwine.com/.

Featured Artist: Monica Myers Shelton of Ablutions Spa (Bath & Body)

My name is Monica and I am the creator of Ablutions Spa, a culturally and spiritually inspired line of skin care and bathing rituals created from certified organic and naturally sourced ingredients. Ablutions Spa is the result of many years of work as an esthetician and spa owner, my passion for handmade, wholesome skin care products combined with a longtime interest in other cultures and spiritual practices and my total obsession with all things related to spas and bathing. The word 'ablutions' literally means the act of washing or cleansing the body and is often used when describing ritualistic bodily purifications before prayer or meditation.

Ablutions Spa is a complete line of facial and body care products, formulated for use in treatment rooms of spas and skin care salons, and for home use. I created this line to offer my clients products that are effective, luxurious and affordable, a combination I was unable to find in the marketplace.

All Ablutions Spa products are vegetarian, most are vegan and we don't perform or support animal testing. While striving to use the most natural ingredients around, we do use some safe synthetics to enhance the feel and performance of certain products and in many cases, to extend the shelf life and stability as well. This combination of nature and technology ensures safe, consistent products that smell, feel and work beautifully.

Find out more about Ablutions Spa at http://www.ablutions-spa.com.
To discover more about North Carolina wineries, please visit http://www.visitncwine.com/.
To order awesome organic cupcakes, please contact Tammy at http://sweettcakes.weebly.com

Featured Artist: Tasha McKelvy (Pottery)

My clay work is intended to be useful - this is art that is meant to be touched. In the past, everything we used in the home was made by hand. Today our homes are filled with stuff stamped out by machines. When we seek out handmade art we make our surroundings a little more human.

I throw on the potter's wheel or use slabs of clay to hand-build my clay forms - then I add that little something extra.

To see more of Tasha’s work, please visit her website at http://www.tashamck.com.
To discover more about North Carolina wineries, please visit http://www.visitncwine.com/