Erika Knipe- Cofounder
Hello, I am Erika. I am a maker who is passionate about sustainable and slow fashion. I am on a mission to teach folks how to make and mend their clothing and household items. Through my work I hope to encourage a “Mend and Make Do” mindset when it comes to our habits as consumers. I have been sewing for myself and my family for 20 years and started teaching these skills to my community in 2022.
My love for mending started in my early 20s when I got a job repairing and altering clothing at a local dry cleaner. In more recent years my mending has become more visible and creative making each item a unique work of wearable art. I value the message of the saying “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without” and reference it often in my classes.
When my son was born in 2007 a friend taught me to sew tiny clothing and cloth diapers for my kids. I started making creative play items like coloring wallets, felt crowns, and cloth dolls and selling them at local shows like the ever popular Wintry and Hip Holiday Markets. As an avid thrifter I started upcycling wool sweaters and making darling pixie hats and fingerless mitts.
From 2014-2017 I had the opportunity to work with amazing sewists at a local custom sewing and fabric shop. The years I spent working for CLOTH textile studio allowed me to expand my knowledge of garment sewing and tailoring clothing.
When I am not sewing you can find me thrifting, knitting, experimenting with plant dye, making botanical cyanotype prints on fabric, tending my garden, foraging, and creating herbal medicine. I have a part time day job as an herbalist and shop steward at The Vervain Collective apothecary in Garden City where I offer tea blends, oxymels and other herbal goodies under the brand Wild Ginger farm+forage. I have an amazing family and my partner and I have several super rad kiddos (some grown and a couple still at home) and two equally as rad dogs.
Thank you for visiting my little corner of the internet.
xx, Erika
Stephanie Oster- Cofounder
Hello friends. I'm Stephanie Oster, a proud jack of all trades. I am a lover of so many things, but mostly I'm an adventurer, an artist and an activist. I graduated from BSU in 2006 with a BFA in sculptural ceramics. I dabbled in the maker space, and did alright for myself, but mostly I was burnt out, and wanted to get out.I started working seasonally for the National Park Service. It was a wonderful lifestyle. It took me to some of the most beautiful places in the country. Hungry for adventure, I used my furloughs to travel the world, volunteer with Elephants, guide snorkel and whale tours in Hawaii, climb the Himalayas, and just completely fall in love with this beautiful planet. I have always been a creative, and through my nomadic ways, I picked up photography, writing, watercolor, and textile art.
I think the moment I truly fell for textiles, is when my host family taught me how to weave a traditional Karen bag in the village I was volunteering in in Northern Thailand. The colors of hand dyed silks combined with the tedium of the loom; I was hooked. It was really hard, and surprisingly physical. I was so proud.
Gradually I started collecting textiles, taking workshops, and forming a deep respect for the intensive processes that go into our materials. Fabric requires SO MUCH WORK. I continue to be baffled at how under appreciated textile art is.
Like all great obsessions, my love led to my own process. I started weaving, latchhooking, punchneedling and tufting. I love the tedium, the colors, and the flexibility that fiber art allows me. I can take a loom on the go.
I returned to Boise 4 years ago, and am now cultivating a new chapter. one that is a bit more rooted in community. I am taking full advantage of the available space and encouraging artist community here. I really believe that BOLT can become a collaborative third space for all people, one where we can push each other into our best creative selves. This space feels like a catalyst for me to realign with my maker roots, and artistic soul. I crave collaboration and I hope to host other artists while working on my own personal goals of aligning my fine art background with my unique experiences with sewing and fashion to create a tapestry of new and exciting work...hint, a weird and WILD fashion show.
Making is a radical act. Living Loud and authentically is a radical act! I want BOLT to be a judgement fee environment where everyone can get weird and pursue their creative musings without judgment. let's all take up more space, push our creative selves and create the world we want to live in.
Hi, I’m Dorothy “Dot” Martin, a youth and adult art educator, fiber artist, and sewist! I’ve fallen in love with all things fiber arts and sewing in the last few years, and am passionate about classic women’s fiber crafts being seen as the art they truly are. Come sew with me so you can say the best phrase on the planet: “Thanks, I made it!”
Dorothy "Dot" Martin
Hello my name is Kitty! I moved to Boise almost 10 years ago and, have fallen in love with this beautiful community! I am an avid crafter and, although I adore knitting, I don’t discriminate when it comes to art. I love stamp carving, scrapbooking, ceramics, and anytime I get to create with friends.
Kitty Campbell
TRISTEN ROB / CERAMIC ARTIST
Delve into the world of ceramics with Tristen Rob, a master of shaping clay into captivating forms. Tristen's intricate sculptures and functional art pieces reflect a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation. Explore the tactile beauty of Tristen's ceramics and witness the artistry in every detail.
DONNA LEONARD / MIXED MEDIA ARTIST
Experience the fusion of art forms with Donna Leonard, a versatile mixed media artist who weaves together various materials and techniques to create visually stunning compositions. Donna's eclectic artworks invite you to explore the depths of creativity and embrace the unexpected. Immerse yourself in Donna's world of artistic diversity.