About the Artists
Fra Angelica Gallery & Studio is a retail store located in the beautiful Galleria in the heart of downtown Cleveland. It features amazing knitwear, jewelry, and art handmade by more than thirty American artists, many of them from greater Cleveland. The store specializes in one-of-a-kind items. Linda Damiani owns Fra Angelica and creates unique, one-of-a kind jewelry and fiber art-to-wear.
Linda's Artist Statement
I love to knit -- no suprises there. I began my knitting life with my first project -- a pink and fuchsia poncho. What seemed to be a simple project sparked a passion for the craft. Soon my house was strewn with design books and magazines. Instruction from my grandmother and professionally conducted local classes exposed me to a multitude of specialties to incorporate into my pieces. including: embroidery, beading, macrame, and crochet. This wonderful new world sustained me through a dull, colorless, boring corporate career.
Once released, I was allowed the time to explore innovative techniques and unusual fibers culminating with knitting as an art. It's all about design, color, and texture. My one-of-a-kind wearables combine the finest fibers, colors, textures, and gauges; creating the unexpected and offbeat. All my knitwear (shawls, scarves, purses, and yes, ponchos) are knit and finished by hand -- no knitting machines or other gadgets are used. The human touch is the most essential element in a truly innovative design.
As my creative and technical abilities have gotten bigger, my needles have gotten smaller. They have allowed me to move into the intricate art of knit jewelry. The two have come together -- the use of fiber techniques to make jewelry and the use of beads and crystals to embellish my hand knits. When looking at my jewelry you will quickly realize that these aren't ordinary necklaces, bracelets, and rings. You'll find Swarovski crystals, chunky coral, and other gemstones. The yarns have moved from silk and wool to copper and sterling silver. Leather, suede, semi-precious stones, and vintage elements are occasionally mixed in to bring out the best effect. The variety of designs allows me to offer the perfect pieces for evening or daywear.
You won't find perfect bling, mix-and-match baubles, or look-alike fashions in my work; just meticulously handcrafted works of art.
Other Artists
In addition to Linda's original art, the Fra Angelica offers the artwork of more than thirty artists.
| Artists |
Medium | Work |
Lois Bosworth |
knitwear, fused glass jewelry |
|
| Art of Cloth | handdyed fabrics, textiles | |
| Marilyn Akerson - Corbitt | fiber art | |
| Echo of the Dreamer | vintage elements jewelry |
|
| Elaine Coyne | jewelry |
 |
| Mary Smith |
garden variety jewelry | |
| Margaret Dorfman | vegetable jewelry, bowls | |
| Denise LeVasseur |
jewelry |  |
Michele Poulos |
jewelry |
|
Sarah Cavender |
jewelry, accessories |
 |
Alice Forsythe -Bowley |
wire wrapped jewelry | |
| Kaja Jensen |
beach glass jewelry | |
| Mary Hegarty |
gourd art |  |
| Gloria Gerber |
stainless steel/ rubber purse | |
| Amy Brill |
knitwear |
|
| ARTIST |
MEDIUM | WORK |
| Angelo Vlahos |
photography |
|
| Mark Yanochko |
photography | |
| Jack Coville |
acrylics |
|
| Susan Parsley |
ink paintings, ceramics |  |
| Paul Ray |
ceramics | |
Pewabic Pottery |
ceramics | |
| Kimberly Rorick |
ceramics | |
| By Golly By Holly |
ceramics |  |
| Roseann Dover |
stained glass, textiles | |
| Melanie Moldovan |
illustration, shadowboxes | |
| Danielle Crissman |
copper sculpture | |
| Eucalan |
eucalyptus soap | |
| Betty Rozakis |
author | |
| Jan Thorpe |
author | |
…and where did we get the name?
Fra Angelica was an Italian painter of the early Renaissance
who combined the life of a devout friar with that of an accomplished
painter. He was called Angelica (Italian
for “angelic”) and Beato (Italian for “blessed”) because the paintings he did
were calm, religious subjects and because of his extraordinary personal piety.
In 1982 Pope John Paul II beautified the Dominican
friar. Two years later, the Pope
declared Fra Angelica the patron Saint of artists.
