Art Star Craft Bazaar 2009

Art Star put on a super Craft Bazaar again this year! The Penn's Landing location is lovely because it's on the water and feels nice and spacious, and they make good use of the amphitheater by having a full lineup of live bands each day. I'm so impressed with Erin Waxman and Megan Brewster for putting this event together each year.

The weather was beautiful and sunny on both days and lots of people came out! Thank you to everyone who came to the Bazaar and stopped by my booth! My booth neighbor, Shoba Ohal, who was great company, commented on the fact that I had so many friends come visit. I love you guys!



My booth! I am so pleased with how it came together. I felt like my work has developed a lot over the last year and I wanted my booth presentation to reflect this, in terms of the palette as well as a cleaner, cohesive look. I sewed a tablecloth to fit the table, and made the banner using iron-on inkjet transfer paper. It was time-consuming, but I believe I achieved the desired effect.







My friend Yasha Butler also had a booth at Art Star. She makes tableware and jewelry from porcelain that is often left unglazed, so that it feels like touching smooth stones, or frosted glass, or bone, which is what she named a series of work. She is about to move to New York and I wish her the best. I'll miss working in the studio with her at The Clay Studio.







This was my giveaway to put in the goody bags that they were giving out to the first 250 people to come to the Art Star booth. I had postcards printed up (m3 Printing, in Philadelphia, good prices, fast turnaround) to which I attached a teabag, the idea being that now that you have the tea, come over and get your mug!




I also had a pastry chef friend make handmade marshmallows, which I thought would be fun to have at the booth. If you've never had a fresh, homemade marshmallow, it's a totally different experience from the "jet puff" ones that come out of a plastic bag (what is "jet puff" anyway?). It was wonderful to see the delighted looks on peoples' faces when they took a bite, and to feel like I introduced them to something very familiar and completely surprising at the same time. Which is what Snowday is about.

May Days

I will be at Art Star Craft Bazaar again this year! Look for the Snowday Ceramics booth.
Saturday, May 30th from 11-6pm & Sunday, May 31st from 11-6pm
Penn's Landing Great Plaza - on Columbus Boulevard between Walnut Street and Market Street in Philadelphia

The best part of last year was seeing so many friends, so I hope everyone can swing by again!

Art For The Cash Poor 2008

Art For The Cash Poor is a really cool art fair event that supports InLiquid, an online artists' resource. Having just done the Art Star Craft Bazaar two weeks ago, I can't help but compare and contrast the two. I think from the outside they look like the same thing: artists and crafters set up with booths, live music, & vegan food vendors. But if you look a little closer, there is more of a fine-art representation to Cash Poor, which makes sense seeing that many of InLiquid's members are painters, printmakers, photographers and the like. Meanwhile, the vendors at the Bazaar seem more likely to be makers of really cute/ironic crafts, jewelry and silk-screened T-shirts, although certainly these folks were represented at Cash Poor as well.


It wasn't until I got to the Crane Building that I realized that Art for the Cash Poor is meant to be a benefit for InLiquid, what with the extensive raffle, and food vendors, such as the nice folks from North Port Fishington Cookie Factory over there to the right, informing customers that a portion of their proceeds will be donated. There were also a festive fotobooth, and an artist wellness area featuring massage and reiki on the spot, which I thought was really interesting, although I didn't have any time to experience it.

And not to say that anyone at Cash Poor was unprofessional, but it seemed a greater number of the vendors at Art Star were fully entrepreneurial, marketing-savvy, prominently displaying their logo and signs, business cards at hand. There were artists at AFTCP whose art I noticed, but unfortunately I can't tell you what their names were.

But here are some booths where I picked up a card: Rotorcaps- Jen Roder makes jewelry from bottlecaps, which sounds at first like a tried idea, but hers are extremely well-crafted with sterling silver, and she has a way of isolating the bottlecap imagery from its context, allowing you to appreciate it with a new perspective. Wolf Bait - Kelly Wolf was selling zippered purses made with *unbelievably cute* fabrics from Japan. They were as cute as the 4-month old biscuit-colored French Bulldog puppy named Olive who came to my table on Sunday. I can't believe I don't have a picture of her. Here is an obligatory picture of my dog Jonah instead. (p.s. this photo keeps automatically rotating itself when I upload it, if anyone can tell me how to correct it, please do)

Would I do these fairs again? Absolutely. I learned a lot at each one and saw them as fun networking opportunities; it also makes me feel like the most popular girl in Philadelphia when so many people I know stop and talk to me at my table.

Art Star Craft Bazaar 2008

Who doesn't love a Bazaar? I was amazed by how many friends came by, SO good to see everyone. Yeah, the weather was a real drag on Saturday, a lot of the vendors closed up, but since pottery can pretty much stand up to the rain I ended up sticking it out, which worked out. Still I was glad that Sunday brought sunshine and lots of foot traffic, to make for a real festival atmosphere. It was exhausting, but fun, and encouraging.

Details to remember for next craft fair:

Have tape and twine. Always.

Get a dolly/cart. My family let me use their "Total Trolley" on the second day which was completely marvelous, as seen on TV.

Use paperweights to hold down the mailing list.

Bring TP and baby wipes, especially if uncertain about the bathroom situation.





The little tent that could!

Oh Jonah, did that load-in tire you out?

Kiln Time

A sampling of results from the kiln we unloaded today, just in time for Art Star Craft Bazaar!







I used Mason Stains in order to get brighter colors. I love them and will definitely test more.

I've also been making these fun cylinders that you can group into pithy, ironic, or inspiring phrases... kinda like magnetic poetry.

Pitching Tents

I will be selling my pottery at two craft fairs this summer!





Art Star Craft Bazaar
Sat May 31st, 11am - 7pm & Sun June 1st, 11am - 5pm
Rain or shine
at Penn's Landing Great Plaza (Columbus Blvd. between Walnut & Market Sts)
My booth is #78, down around the fountain closest to the river.






Art For The Cash Poor
Sat June 14, 1-6 pm & Sun June 15, 1-6 pm
Rain or shine
at The Crane Arts Building
1400 N. American Street (at Master Street, a little north of Girard Av.)

Both events should be a lot of fun, with live music and over a hundred talented artists and crafters at each show.

Leaving my office job in order to focus on ceramics has been simultaneously energizing and exhausting, but overall I am immensely satisfied with this choice. Many people have the opinion that a career in the arts = penniless, but I disagree, and plan on turning this into my livelihood. Although I have sold my work before, being in these shows is a major step. Thanks for everyone's enthusiasm and encouragement.

I'd love to see you at one or both events!