Welcome Media!

Thank you for your interest in our company and our products.  We are pleased to offer information and interviews.

Our Company:

Images in Bloom is an art and handcrafted goods business which features the work of husband and wife duo Stephen and Barbara Bloom.  Our company formed in 2010, through the discovery that our work was interesting to our friends.  The earliest days of our company were simple – 4-5 different cold processed soaps, and a few scarves.  As our friends encouraged us on, and we began participating in Art shows and developing a customer base.  Handcrafted Cold Processed Soap is a growing business, and our customers are interested in natural products with minimal to no chemicals.   Our soap is made in the cold process method with plant based oils (Olive, Coconut, Palm, Shea Butter, etc), locally sourced botanicals and is handcrafted in small batches using lye.  The soap is made in 4 pound batches, hand cut, cured, and wrapped.

Stephen

Stephen creates handcrafted natural cold processed soap from the most amazing ingredients available.  Rich lather, luxurious fragrance and gentle chemical free cleaning differentiates his soaps.  He is pleased to also offer shaving soap, and a growing line of soap products for men.   Stephen makes several specialty soaps, including a chunky bar of Pink HImalayan Salt Soap infused with Lemongrass and Eucalyptus.   Pink Himalayan salt offers more than sodium chloride (salt), with analysis tests showing the salt  also has a presence of 18-20 minerals and elements that benefit the skin.   He does extensive research to develop soaps that help various  skin challenges. Recently he developed a facial bar that utilizes French Green Clay.  The benefit of the clay is to detox the skin, and neutralize the pH of the skin surface, reducing the skin conditions that cause acne to thrive.

Stephen holds a bachelors degree from Cleveland State University and has previously worked in the Cleveland Not For Profit environment, as well as managed a sizable portfolio of property.  Steve is a member of the Handcrafted Soap-maker’s Guild.  Steve serves as Chief Executive of our company, and handles retail outlet relations as well as the financials.

Barbara

Barbara creates unique and colorful hand painted silk scarves in the french resist (serti) method Her work has been juried into many fine art shows, including the Cleveland Museum of Art Textile Art Alliance annual Boutique and Fashion Show and a multitude of juried art festivals. She also is the creator of unique earrings made from silk cocoons that have been dyed, and then glazed with a clear acrylic to protect the finish, stitched with pearls and vintage beads.  She also creates one of a kind brooches from crocheting wire, and embellishing with a dense amount of beadwork.

Barbara holds a masters degree from Cleveland State University’s Levine College of Urban Affairs, and has previously worked in the health care arena. Barb serves as Chief Creative Officer, Marketing  specialist,  Package Designer and Logistics and Planning specialist.

Together 

Our work has been juried since 2010.  See the tab marked Juried Shows for a listing that is updated routinely. We maintain an active schedule through the summer and early fall months, and have our products in a number of shops and galleries around Northeastern Ohio.  Together we strive to expand our market, and enlarge our customer base.  We have traveled throughout Ohio, and have done a few events in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Membership

We maintain a membership to the following organizations:

• Bay Arts
• Collinwood Arts
• Handcrafted Soapmaker’s Guild
• Textile Art Alliance

We offer a printed press kit upon request.

 Articles and media coverage regarding Images in Bloom:

Getting Ahead: Time Management- Prioritizing to-do lists can limit stress, by Amy Stossel, Cleveland Crain’s, March 12, 2012

Artist creations always in Bloom, by Sam Boyer, Sun News, August 10, 2012