Downtown Devil is putting together short profiles of businesses that set up shop at First Friday. Here’s who we met this month:
By Amber Reed
Amber Reed, the owner of By Amber Reed, had been working with natural gemstones in
Arizona for over 10 years. She sells handmade jewelry, hairpins, crystals, sun catchers, and aromas, with the mission to “guide, connect, and restore us to the earth and each other.”
“Ever since I was a little girl I’ve been collecting gemstones. I would go to any craft store, and just purchase things to make at home, and little by little this is what came of it,” she said.
Her love of the craft inspired a move from Michigan to Arizona. There are 21 precious gemstones mined in Arizona, making it a haven for artists like Reed.
Each piece of jewelry is a labor of love, taking hours to make. Amber explained the process of creating a hexagonal, stamped gemstone bracelet.
“I hand fabricate everything,” she said. “I solder everything, put the gemstones together. So you have to polish, sand it, it goes through so many processes.”
Reed heard about First Friday through her network of vendor friends, many of which are also small business owners.
“That’s what really drew me to First Friday,” she said. “And then, of course, we’re downtown with our community, it’s absolutely awesome.”
Kristen Carletto
Kristen Carletto, a mixed media artist of pyrography and watercolor, sells “unique, handmade wood burnings that feature live bark edges and freehand designs to ensure every piece is one of a kind.”
Kristen started her business three years ago after obtaining a 5-year degree in accounting and marketing.
“I hated it,” she said. “So I was like, I’ll just be an artist like I always wanted to be.”
First Fridays have served as Kristen’s first venture into the arts after moving from Pennsylvania. She noted how huge the arts community is in Arizona, stating “I came out here just to get into it and meet other artists, and so far so good.”
She’s hopeful that festivals like Friday Friday pick back up after the lull the pandemic created, so that artists and owners of small businesses can continue to thrive in the Phoenix area.
Reilluminated
Patrick O’Brian, Phoenix-based artist and owner of Reilluminated, takes forgotten objects and turns them into unique pieces of art.
He began this project by merging two of his lifelong passions.
“I’m an electrician by trade and photography’s been a passion and a hobby of mine since like Junior High, so five years ago I married the two,” he said.
Patrick has a special connection to First Friday, noting that it was the first show he ever participated in. He’s been a vendor ever since, and expressed just how amazing the Phoenix arts community is.
“I grew up in Southern California which naturally has a good arts scene everywhere and I was surprised–the Phoenix Arts scene is incredible. It’s absolutely incredible.”
He touched on his creative process, and how the pandemic impacted his ability to interact with customers and other creators.
“It’s just nice to see people react to your art and it keeps you motivated, you know,” he said. “During the pandemic, I had none of that, obviously.”
Patrick is excited to get back out into the Phoenix arts community and continue creating pieces that inspire the people he interacts with on a day-to-day basis.
Contact the reporter icleblan@asu.edu.
