Happenstance on 7th

Happenstance on 7th ✔️ CURIOUS?
… in the alley @ 1244 7th Avenue
Marion Iowa

🧡 HAPPENSTANCE
art•vintage•more
studio.

gallery•store

Located in Uptown Marion
👀 Since 2010

ARTIST: gae sharp richardson
hunter&gatherer Hi… my name is: GAE sharp RICHARDSON. For the past forty years... I have made and promoted and marketed myself and my creations. I’m going to take a break and just create to create. I see “gift giving” in my future. In “another life” I was a teddy bear artist = I am the origi

nal creator of the jointed bean bag bear (copyright 1985) �

My entire life revolves around: recreate / reinvent / reconstruct / recycle / reuse... if it’s old... I love it... if it’s broken... I “fix” it. I love gathering materials for my THINK boxes and mixed media dolls and balls (I love balls!)

I create found object art and jewelry. I’m currently working with beads and fiber and fabric. I consider myself a mixed media fiber artist = one day “this” the next day “that”. Currently, I love working with vintage fabrics harvested from worn out rag rugs. I entertain myself with assemblages involving vintage photographs and jewelry. I don’t know what I will do tomorrow. Find me on Instagram: and and

i hope - without the responsibility of running a chocolate shop for the past 17 years ---- i will have time and energy to create again. I hope - with time on my hands - I’ll use my hands more. I’m retired = I look forward to this new adventure.

This morning: My husband and I Yarn Bombed the ROCK in Riverside Park for Salida Fiber Festival | Sept 12 & 13, 2026 😃✔️...
09/08/2026

This morning: My husband and I Yarn Bombed the ROCK in Riverside Park for Salida Fiber Festival | Sept 12 & 13, 2026 😃✔️

This. THIS is my FAVORITE thing I volunteer to do every year. I love how the rock is transformed into this giant colorful “CURIOUSITY” in the park and how it promotes The Fiber Festival weekend!

We’ve figured out all the “potential problems” before they happen and it’s getting easier and easier to install every year.

Thanks to my sister Lia Lia Dielschneider Buursma and my friend
Julie Newton McLaughlin for helping me in the past.

I love talking to the people who gather and watch the HAPPINESS happen!

Check out SALIDA DREAMER for my yarn bombed mannequin … part of the window decorating contest for the festival. Vote number 11 if you think we THOUGHT OUT SIDE THE BOX and showed our true Fiber Colors.

G*e Sharp-Richardson

This morning… I repaired the cotton yarn bomb that has been on this dead tree on the lower part of our property for five...
09/07/2026

This morning… I repaired the cotton yarn bomb that has been on this dead tree on the lower part of our property for five years.

Heading into a long weekend cozied up at home and I have some miscellaneous projects I’m working on. 1) I washed the pl...
09/03/2026

Heading into a long weekend cozied up at home and I have some miscellaneous projects I’m working on.

1) I washed the plastic I am using for this years Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity RE.store RE.cycle GALA style show … and now that it’s clean and dry: I’m ready to start experimenting and I’m excited to go big (REALLY BIG!) on this years runway show garment. Mark your calendars for October 15!

2) I decided to participate again in the Salida Council for the Arts Mini Masterpiece silent auction for the Salida Art Walk. I’m starting with the leftover felt - handmade by PJ Bergin Studio 126

3) Thanks to my friend, Joan who rescued a big stack of denim jeans and denim scraps and denim balls (BALLS!) for me. I’ve got plans for them already!

4) Tri.form… coming soon! Did I mention the style show is being announced by Cedar Rapids great: DJ Commando (sponsored by Uptown Snug) and after the style show there is: A DANCE PARTY! My models will be wearing their garments to the party for closer inspection and (for sale).

Happenstance ARTIST: G*e Sharp-Richardson

🐈‍⬛ I’m letting the proverbial CAT OUT OF THE BAG: I’m excited to have this fabulous denim bag accessorizing one of the ...
08/27/2026

🐈‍⬛ I’m letting the proverbial CAT OUT OF THE BAG: I’m excited to have this fabulous denim bag accessorizing one of the outfits for my “Same Same… But Different” runway collection for the Tri.form Style Show.

September 26!

The bag was made by my friend, JENNY. 😃 and… it will be for sale after the show. .

A year ago, I taught a reverse applique workshop to 17 ladies in Salida Colorado. I supplied each of my students a piece of Dori’s Split Face Fabric to use for their patches and we experimented embroidering the colorful faces. Dori Patrick

Jenny took my workshop and WOW… has made award winning denim bags with her beautiful hand stitching!

😎 Did I also mention that the majority of the clothing that I made for the style show will be for sale after the Style Show: The models will be wearing their outfits during the after party dance party (with local favorite - DJ Commando) sponsored by: Uptown Snug. So you can see them up close and personal.

See you THERE!

Special thanks to my friend, Michele from Uptown Marion’s “Designs by Michele” for saying YES this morning when I needed to find another model for my show.

Garment Artist- specializing in making creative re-use sustainable clothing and repurposing textiles. G*e Sharp-Richardson

I’m pretty excited about how the green cape is coming along this morning… Made from a faded and torn chenille bedspread....
08/25/2026

I’m pretty excited about how the green cape is coming along this morning… Made from a faded and torn chenille bedspread. I’m layering it over THE polka dot dress.

AND… I spent the afternoon outside: putting together three necklaces made from stamped vintage “silver&gold” rings (made in Hong Kong) and two costume jewelry rings necklaces.

Address

1244 7th Avenue Alley
Marion, IA
52302

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