{LOCAL ARTISTS & MAKERS}
We are passionate about supporting unique and masterful artists and makers in our local community. Each piece in our shop from these local artisans is handcrafted or carefully curated and each maker has a unique story. Learn a little more about our talented partners and stop by the shop to see some of their latest work.
Ann Marie Giannace
Ann Marie Giannance, a native to McDonough, GA, is pursuing a career teaching Spanish in Georgia College’s Graduate Program. However, in her undergrad, she pursued photography as a minor and expanded her natural skills. In her work, she captures the beauty and uniqueness each place she photographs. Blackbird Café has even displayed her work that captures the essence Milledgeville, GA. Ann Marie is passionate about landscape and photojournalism and hopes to inspire people to travel the world through her photography.
Ann Vinson
What started out as a childhood pastime developed into a desire to educate others through notecard paintings. Vinson attended the University of Georgia where she majored in Art/Commercial Design. Her first notecard series was called, “Painting of the Month” where she would paint flowers that were blooming at that time of year. She has continued to paint over the years and currently has ten shops in Middle Georgia which carry her notecards, but Vinson also produces notecards for special events like weddings.
Ashley Brady
Ashley Brady is the owner of Aspire, where old or forgotten furniture comes to life once again. Ashley was born and raised on independence and love right here in Milledgeville, Georgia. Ever since she was young, Ashely believed in not needing a man to help her accomplish her goals and dreams. Now, She is a cavity fighting dental hygienist by profession, a painter of any stationary object by obsession and an over consumer of caffeine! Discover your new favorite household piece at Market Collective today!
Heather Pendergast
Heather Pendergast is a native to Gwinnett County and an alumni from Georgia College. Before she began her search for incredible brands to sell under her pop-up boutique Bicycle Belle, she was involved with city building and many executive boards that gave her the opportunity to travel all over the country. In her travels, she discovered great cities and great stores that she wished she could bring locally. Heather has spent many years helping others build their dreams, but now she has taken the initiative to begin her own dream of entrepreneurship as she brings great brands to Milledgeville. Now, Bicycle Belle can be found exclusively at Market Collective
Lizzie Odom
Lizzie Odom is a Milledgeville native who graduated from Georgia College with an Art Degree while studying Alternative Process Photography and Ceramics. Later she pursued her MFA at East Carolina University where she discovered she would be expecting a daughter in July and moved back to Milledgeville to be closer to family. Since she was little, Odom was always surrounded by mentors who inspired her to embrace her artistic nature. The greatest advice she has ever received was, “that failure is the mother of success” and is the motto she follows on a daily basis. One day Odom would like to turn Little Blue Knot into a design studio as well as a bridal boutique. Out of all her creations and projects her most favorite was the wedding bouquet and floral arrangements she made for her own wedding. But what does Odom do in her free time? In her free time she is an avid journal writer and sketcher. She is rarely found without a sparkling water by her side and is an avid lover of fresh bread. Also, she is a talented musician who can play the oboe and once portrayed Mr. Rogers in a school play.
Kim Stewart
About a year ago Kim Stewart was introduced into the world of candle making by her sister. Immediately, Stewart was fascinated by the inspiring smells she could create and the shapes they could form inside retired beer bottles. She greatly appreciates the uniqueness of craft beers and uses the bottle’s artwork as her inspiration for selecting the perfect scent for every bottle. “I let the bottle’s artistry help decide what smell I incorporate it with,” said Stewart. But it does not stop there she uses a wide variety of unique containers as well such as teacups and handmade glassware in order to insure that no two products are the same.
Madison O'Brien
Madison O’Brien is a Georgia College Art student who found her talent one afternoon when the perfect prom bow tie was nowhere to be found. She then decided to continue on with her hobby and transform it into her own company Madison Ties. Madison Ties creates unique ties for all occasions such as prom, Greek events, weddings, and everything in between. As her company grows larger, Madison has found her love in the wedding portion of tie creation. Madison’s ultimate dream for this company is to provide a service for brides who have lost a loved one. By taking a significant fabric of a lost loved one and creating it into a bow-tie, the bride can feel the presence of the loved one right by her side. Discover the perfect tie for any occasion with Madison Ties at Market Collective.
Mary Stramm
Mary Stramm is a senior at Georgia College majoring in Community Health from Savannah, Georgia. Later this year she will be starting nursing school at Augusta University. She has always had a passion for art, but she really honed in on her talent when studying in Italy last summer, where she started drawing and painting people’s homes. Her biggest inspiration is Joanna Gaines from the HGTV show “Fixer Upper”. Stramm is inspired by Ms. Gaines due to her creative mind and both her and Stramm did not study art but used their natural talent to get to where they are. Currently, Stramm loves her work creating Millynotes, which keeps her very busy. However, Stramm’s dream project would be to partner with a real estate or interior design company to paint pictures of houses to help sell them to families. Mainly because Stramm thinks it would be a beautiful gift to give to the new home owners. Outside of her school and art work Stramm loves Italian food and wine which reminds her of her trip to Italy and listening to Jack Johnson’s music.
Sarah Cook
Sarah Cook is a college student from Tifton, Georgia who now lives in Milledgeville studying Special Education at Georgia College & State University. In her free time she runs her new company Broke Girl Bracelets where she created beautiful wire bracelets for a reasonable price. Not only is she crafty, but Sarah can also paint and write calligraphy! She is a bundle of joy who runs on coffee, friends, and happiness from her customers.