He(ART) of Bellevue Weekly Spotlight: Anton Yakushev Designs, Barry Roitblat, and More

The Bellevue Downtown Arts Market is a vibrant event that celebrates the artistic talent and creativity of over 110+ artists. The Arts Market is a great way for these amazing artists show-off their incredible work. Get to know these artists better with this week's He(ART) of Bellevue spotlight featuring five exceptional artists with many years of experience and a passion for sharing their art with the community.

Anton Yakushev Designs
Artist: Anton Yakushev

What type of art do you create?

I create metal sculptures and works of art of varying themes and dimensions, each hand crafted with extraordinary attention to detail. Every intricate piece is hand forged from bare metal, no casting involved. Each piece is made from steel with occasional accents of copper & bronze, and finished with a unique patina designed exclusively for that piece. Works include sculptural, functional, decorative forms, jewelry, series of compositions, unique gifts for everyday life, etc. Every work of art is one of a kind.

Where did you learn or develop your technique?

During my study with a focus on drawing and fine arts, metal art and creating in this medium became my passion. It lead me to invent my own techniques and creative approaches to this sculptural medium. The artistic devices I engage throughout my work are experimentation and improvisation. The only technique and material that I permanently dedicate myself to is that all my sculptures are hand forged only and from steel. Showing art in functional form I use traditional hand-forging techniques in conjunction with industrial forging tools and equipment to link the history of the blacksmith’s craft with a contemporary approach to thinking, design, and action.

Where do you draw inspiration from when creating your art?

I love to create independent and isolated worlds for my heroes that are dreams, cloudland cities, otherworld reality where nothing is impossible. The thing that truly holds all my art series together is my enduring love and humanism. This is what drives me to create. What started as a fascination with flora and fauna evolved me into an exploration of their narrative qualities and representational nature through the use of metal. By distilling the appearances of different species into general shapes, I push the limits, while using steel to capture nature, birth and death through a detailed process involving hand-forging methods.

What is your latest project?

I'm working on a hand-forged life-size Eagle (weighing more than 500 pounds and consisting of more than 300 individual hand-forged metal feathers) for a permanent outdoor collection at the High Desert Museum (the Donald. M Kerr Birds of Prey Center) in Bend, OR.

Barry Roitblat
Artist: Barry Roitblat

What type of art do you create?

I specialize in exotic, burl, and embellished wood turnings of bowls, platters, peppermills, and other goods.

How long have you been practicing your type of art?

I have been practicing my art for 20 years.

Where do you draw inspiration from when creating your art?

An engineer by training, I am drawn to forms that are functional and elegant. As an outdoorsman, I enjoy the intricate and natural. As an artisan, I strive to combine these features into something purposeful and attractive.

What is something that you would like to share with the Bellevue community?

I am fascinated by the grand works of art created by “Mother Nature” and enjoy turning nature’s art to a human purpose. I delight in the beauty revealed as an apparently non-descript piece of wood becomes a polished, functional art-piece.

Kris Sproul Photography
Artist: Kris Sproul

What type of art do you create?

I create fine art landscape photography, primarily captured around the Pacific Northwest. My photos are available on vibrant, ready-to-hang ChromaLuxe metal prints in various sizes. I'll have a wide range of these prints on display at the Bellevue Downtown Arts Market, including some new six-foot-wide panoramic prints that I'm particularly excited to display.

How long have you been practicing your type of art?

I've been practicing photography for 19 years and actively selling prints of my landscape photographs for 11 years.

What is your latest project?

While I'll always love capturing the grand landscape, my latest work has gravitated toward more simple and abstract work that makes great wall art. I've also been more focused on creating panoramic photos lately. I'll have examples of my latest abstract and panoramic work on display at the Bellevue Downtown Arts Market.

What is something that you would like to share with the Bellevue community?

I look forward to returning to the Bellevue Downtown Arts Market to share my work in a great setting among many other diverse and unique artists. This event attracts a wonderful crowd of art enthusiasts, and I'm eager to engage with the local community. I'm a relative newcomer to this event, and it's quickly become one of my favorites!

Sara Holmes Jewelry
Artist: Sara Holmes

What type of art do you create?

I create handcrafted Jewelry.

Where did you learn or develop your technique?

I originally learned wire twisting and the basics at Harlequin Beads in Eugene, OR after I signed up for a class. I was self taught from there.

Where do you draw inspiration from when creating your art?

I draw inspiration from my love of the stones/pearls I’m working with.

What is something that you would like to share with the Bellevue community?

I’m honored to be an artist in the Bellevue Downtown Art Market. I hope others feel joy looking at my work like I do when I create it.

Ten2Midnight Studios
Artist: Liane Crigler

What type of art do you create?

I design & craft stained glass & wood suncatcher window ornaments, panels & lighting.

How long have you been practicing your type of art?

I've been crafting this product line since the fall of 2020. This was my COVID quarantine project/pivot.

Where did you learn or develop your technique?

This has been a learn as I go process. My husband and I have been makers for many years and have worked for many art based businesses and have learned a variety of techniques that have helped us develop our suncatcher product line. We both hold Bachelor's Degrees in Studio Art as well.

What is something that you would like to share with the Bellevue community?

I am excited to be a part of the Bellevue Downtown Arts Market this year and share our bright happy color and whimsical designs with people.

The 2024 Bellevue Downtown Arts Market is generously supported by Amazon and the City of Bellevue.

See All 110+ Artists

This blog is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.