Bethany Lowe

Bethany Lowe is a self-taught artist whose love of antiques and holiday traditions has led her into the world of design. Beth began her career as an artist in 1987 when she created her first Nicholas in “the Nostalgia for Nicholas Collection.” Since then her line has expanded rapidly and is marketed through specialty shops, museum shops and galleries throughout the world. Many are based upon folk art legend characters from around the world. However, her most popular designs have been inspired by her own imagination and life experiences.

Through Beth’s work, everything old becomes new again as she captures the warm memories of her childhood growing up on a Midwestern farm. Holidays were a magical time for Beth’s family and the small community she grew up in with costume parties, mummer’s parades, pumpkin - carving contests, and trick-or-treating through the neighborhoods. Families went for horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice skated together on country ponds, went caroling door to door, and built snow forts and snowmen to greet passersby. As a child, one of Beth’s favorite traditions was creating May baskets from paper and flowers - special gifts to be hung on the doors of friends and family.

Years later, these special experiences are reflected in Bethany’s artwork with her new whimsical collections of holiday decorations for your home.

Today, as she shares her imagination and memories with you, Bethany hopes to inspire fresh new traditions for your family.

Dee Foust Collectibles

Dee Foust’s passion for handmade goods is expressed in her line of personally crafted designs reproduced in perfect detail.

Her creative career began in the early ‘90s when she created the Holly Berry Hill Mail Order Catalog. This unique catalog showcased many of her handmade designs as well as other unique American folk artisans’ works. After several years in mail order, Dee decided to close her catalog and pursue other creative avenues. Her first endeavor took her to Iowa, where she accepted an editor’s position with Better Homes and Gardens© Creative Collection. She enjoyed producing several holiday publications, including the Santa Claus Book, and launching the first edition of Simply Creative Weddings magazine. In 2002 Dee licensed her first line of vintage-style collectibles to Bethany Lowe Designs. Now living in northern California, she continues to enjoy both careers. As an avid collector, Dee finds inspiration from vintage treasures. As an artist, she works to pass on the tradition and to capture the imagination of the past.

“Hobgoblins” from the vintage collection of Bruce Elsass

Bruce Elsass is never more excited than when he has found rare holiday pieces of ephemera in “mint” condition! His love of unusual and unique vintage decorations has taken him cross-country through antique shops, flea markets, garage sales and collector’s events for the past 30 years. All of the “Hobgoblins” designs, which include Valentine’s Day, Easter, Americana, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, are based on these items from Bruce’s extensive collections.

Growing up in the small farm town of New Knoxville, Ohio, Bruce has fond memories of celebrating holidays with his family - especially Halloween. His creative parents encouraged him to dress up and have innocent fun trick-or-treating throughout the town. Those childhood memories have expanded into a lifelong passion for collecting vintage Halloween and other holiday decorations.

Thanks to Bruce’s diligence in finding and preserving these unique and fragile bits of our past, Bethany Lowe Designs now is able to recreate, or “borrow,” from them so we all can enjoy a piece of history.

Virginia Betourne of “Trout Creek Tales”

These wonderful whimsical folk art designs are the work of Ginny Betourne of “Trout Creek Tales.” Using an old-fashioned layered papier-maché technique, Virginia’s fanciful ideas come to life with humor and wit inspired by her creative outlook on the world around us.

“After earning a degree in forestry and working in the woods, I saw many beautiful places that looked like they could be homes for the gnomes and elves,” Ginny says. “Later, while raising my family, I introduced my children to the mysteries and possibilities all around us.

“Fifteen years later, I still haven’t run out of stories or ideas. I see my frogs hop from their pond to go to the flower garden looking for slugs every morning, and my day begins imagining what kind of party the frogs are having there! It is a simple step for me to see a carrot become a maniacal carrot, or a tomato become an angry tomato. I have a lot of friends on my worktable every day!”

“Dresden Star Heirloom Ornaments” by Glenn and Gail Giaimo

Glenn and Gail Giaimo began collecting Victorian glass and scrap ornaments as a hobby in the ‘90s. Over the years they’ve gathered Victorian materials such as glass bulbs and beads, century-old chromolithographic die-cuts (called scrap), tinsel, crinkle-wire, metallic Dresden paper trims and stars, and fabric trims. The Giaimos began using these vintage decorations to create unique, one-of-a-kind Victorian ornaments. Realizing that these Victorian treasures have become exceedingly more difficult to find, not to mention very expensive, they have collaborated with Bethany Lowe Designs to bring you the “Dresden Star Heirloom Ornament Collection.” These are limited-edition reproductions of their original one-of-a-kind pieces. These wonderfully old-looking ornaments are made with authentic gold Dresden trim from Germany and are produced with the same attention to detail in which the original ornaments were created.

Scott Smith of “Rucus Studio”

Inspired by the magic of the holidays, Scott Smith enjoys creating a cast of characters that rekindle childhood memories. He focuses on the lighthearted feeling a child might experience each year when the family decorations are displayed. This is a memory Scott cherishes and hopes to pass on to others.

Scott is a self-taught artist who enjoyed a career as a commercial illustrator and graphic designer. His interest in collecting antique holiday decor led him to begin sculpting his own Christmas and Halloween creations, first as a hobby and then as his occupation. Since 2001, he has focused entirely on creating works of art that capture the natural joy of the changing seasons. Using his vintage collection and holiday ephemera as inspiration, he continues to share visions of holiday fantasy.

The enthusiasm of fellow collectors drives Scott to keep pushing the boundaries of his art, and the attention to detail in Bethany Lowe designs is what prompted him to begin his current association. He sees this as a unique opportunity to lure out the child in everyone.

Casey Mack

What do you say about someone who the last time they went trick-or-treating as a child, they went as a Christmas tree?

Casey Mack began his professional career in architecture, which he practiced for almost ten years in New York City.

Once, when combing the flea market, Casey just missed out on a rare vintage Halloween piece. The memory of that piece stayed with him and the idea of creating his own took hold.

This was something of a family tradition. As a child, Casey spent summers with his grandmother who instilled in him an interest in antiques and the pleasure of crafting. They often made holiday decorations together and those holiday ornaments are still proudly displayed each year.

Although his first pieces were made as gifts for family and friends, other collectors soon expressed interest and encouragement and a new career emerged. Casey maintains his interest in architecture, particularly older buildings, but now enjoys working in an entirely different scale.

Greg Guedel

Greg studied painting at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His venture into woodcarving began with a surprise birthday gift of knives and chisels in 1993. Greg had never thought of woodcarving before but fell in love with the process immediately. As his birthday is in December, Greg’s first carving was of a Santa which started him on his current path. Greg loves pulling characters out of the wood and bringing them to life with paint in great detail. His favorite subject matter to work with are the whimsical characters of the holidays. All of Greg’s carvings are carved from either linden or basswood.

“Captured Carvings” by Anthony Costanza

Very few individuals can say they have made the transition from academia to nationally known artist. Tony Costanza is a self-taught woodcarver creating masterpieces that are regularly reviewed and acclaimed by major trade and retail publications throughout the country. Fashioned from “found wood,” Captured Carvings® are best known for their unique, rough-hewn beauty. Natural cracks and knotholes are used to enhance each carving. Every crack, every knot, every grain of wood is detailed into the resin. Tony’s following is substantial and loyal and we are proud to have the chance to replicate his original artwork.

Teena Flanner

Teena has gathered a following from every corner of the globe for her sparkling, timeless, papier mache collections. The very Ltd Edition Originals, available from the Teena Flanner showroom in Atlanta and the reproductions of her work have been eagerly sought by collectors. Featured in Victoria, Mary Englebriet, Southern Lady, and Country Living, she is a member of the exclusive Country Living magazine Guild.

As a licensed artist new to Bethany Lowe Designs, Teena is excited about the lovely, vintage quality captured in their reproductions of her work. Together Bethany and Teena are hoping to bring her lovely, romantic creations to a wider audience.

Recently, Teena has combined her Virginia and Wisconsin studios into her cozy Elm Grove, WI home to be closer to the people she loves. She is currently writing a beautiful, informative book which will include photos of her home and studio.

Using her collection of vintage ice cream and chocolate molds, Teena lovingly designs her holiday confections to be timeless and classic. With her unique and sparkly touch, the collection is an heirloom to be treasured and tucked away in the attic, gently wrapped in tissue, year after year.

Reddy Teddy Go

Sherri and Terri of Reddy Teddy Go! & co. are identical twins who create eclectic sculptures of childhood fantasies and imaginations and bring them to life using paper mache.

They started creating with clay as children and never stopped. Each has her own personal style and along with their love of nature and fantasy they have merged these two styles to create eclectic one of a kind folkart sculptures. Sherri adds a vintage old time look to each piece and Terri adds a touch of "fun abandon".

Sherri and Terri are self taught artists specializing in halloween witches and spookables, and christmas santas and snowmen. They started their creative career in 1992 making cloth dolls and finally found their passion with paper mache. They have been featured in nationally known magazines and are known worldwide. In their world may you always feel as though you are "somewhere between daydreams and nonsense".

Bethany Lowe Designs is happy to reproduce in minute detail the fanciful work of these two gifted artists.

Debra Schoch

Like many Artists, I am deeply influenced by the antique bug and collecting. A self-taught artist from an early age, I have left my mark on most everything I came in contact with... literally!! I was born in Texas. Grew up all over the southwest and California moved to Michigan, fell in love, married and had a family. Here I stayed.

For many years, with the support of my loving husband we did Art & Craft Shows plus an occasional Doll Show with my own designs. During this time I was always learning and experimenting with all types of mediums. The 'magic moment' happened when I tried Papier Mache. This was it! It's easy to get lost in the momemt of creating-some are planned out and others are happy accidents. They are my babies. They all have a familar look or trait, but each is its own character. Faces are what I look at and what I enjoy doing most. All my work is colorful, sometimes humorous, just silly sweet or even a little scary!! At this point in life, I'm just getting into my stride....So many ideas and critters yet to be born.

Bethany Lowe had acquired "HopHopJingleBoo" original creations for her personal halloween collection before teaming with Debra to market handmade paper pulp reproductions of her work. We are excited to add Debra to our wonderful group of talented folk artists.

Allen Cunningham

Seven years ago Allen started on a journey into dollmaking. With a keen interest in antique storybook illustrations, he decided to bring these quaint images to life.

Each of these whimsical small vignettes is meticulously reproduced by hand from Allen's originals. Up to seven different mediums are used in their construction, making them extremely detailed and difficult to create. Bethany hopes you will share in her enthusiasm for the quality and craftsmanship of these pieces.

"Step into my imagination. Dream a little fancy, make a lovely wish, and be swept away by the emotion of a touch of the past."

Sharon Bloom

Having a passion for painting and a paintbrush in hand most of the time, Sharon creates her whimsical ceramics from her California home. Inspiration comes as naturally as the change of seasons with all its varied colors and patterns. Although Halloween is her favorite holiday, she finds great joy in creating designs for the rest of the year.

After earning her art degree in painting, Sharon continued her creative journey where it led to other painted surfaces from canvas to clay. Hand painted plates and other ceramic wares came soon after. With an endless flow of ideas, she loves to doodle in sketchbooks before the idea rapidly unfolds into another. Her affinity with cats and other animals is also a constant source of curiosity.

Sharon believes that living a creative life and sharing her artwork with the world is the best part of being an artist.

Kathy Seburn

Living in Washington County Maryland has been a great source of inspiration. Surrounded by beautiful mountains, valleys, and streams with places like Cool Hollow, Zittlestown and South Mountain, speckled with clapboard houses, iron gates and old stone walls that arouse the imagination.

Growing up, my Grandmother would come visit and entertain me with rhymes and drawings. The fascination never ended, it is part of me. I have a passion for design and writing children's stories

My sister Lisa and I own a gift shop, Wisteria Cove , that has allowed me to create and design for people in my home town. "Bethany Lowe Designs" has given me an opportunity to design for your home town and other hometowns across America".....it is my pleasure designing for you.