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The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | Thursday, October 22, 2015
the b-side
It was a cold afternoon as I made the turn onto North Fifth Avenue. The
streets were empty as I turned toward the large Ann Arbor Farmers Market
enclosure. Despite the brisk October weather, the Sunday Artisan Market was
fairly busy. Several artists lined the sidewalks under the overhang and a small
group of customers were making their way up and down the aisles, stopping
to talk to the artists or to try on something that caught their eye. Walking
down the aisle, one could find a huge diversity of goods, everything from large
pieces of wood furniture to tiny pieces of jewelry. Each of these items had an
artist to go with them, ready and willing to share what they made and how
they made it.
The market was founded in 1991 by a group of local artists with one major
phrase in mind: “From our hands to yours.” Each piece of work sold at the
market is handmade, and is usually sold by the person who made it.
Meghan Lee, the market’s manager, expanded on the market’s aims in an
interview with the Michigan Daily.
“The goal of the market is to provide that space to bring art to the community,”
Lee said. “Also certainly sell (the artists’) work … and to help new artists grow.”
One of the most striking elements of the market is the wide array of products
sold there. Just walking down the aisle I saw photos, jewelry made from several
different materials, soap, clothing, hats and wooden furniture.
“I think there’s a lot of amazing work here in totally different veins,” Lee said
“You can get fantastic soap, made by local artisans, that are more affordable
than if you were to get some specialty soap at some fancy store,” Lee said.
Though Lee indicated that the diversity of the wares often naturally equals
itself out, she also said. Sometimes the market will put caps on the number of
sellers within a certain category.
“Each Sunday market differs,” Lee said. “Some artists come annually, others
hold a booth for a full year and some just come for a day.”
Indeed, the difference between my two visits to the market was noticeable.
The second Sunday was a beautiful fall day and the market was noticeably
busier. Many people milled around the artists lining the sides of the enclosure,
sifting through the myriad of products that hadn’t appeared the week before.
The market also does a few events each year, the biggest one being when
self-titled Urban Fairyologist Jonathan Wright comes to sell posters and lead a
scavenger hunt throughout Kerrytown. The market also features demonstration
days, where, as long as it’s safe, artists will show off how they make their
products. Live musicians stop by as well; at my second visit, local artist Ed
Dupas played.
“I think the music definitely adds atmosphere to the market, (providing) a
nice background.” Lee said, of the music.
She added that the artists also support the musical presence when it’s there.
“I’ll usually send around an envelope because artists will contribute, too, because
it’s nice to have them here. You just want to make it a worthwhile opportunity
for them, too. We appreciate (that) they’re adding to the market.”
No season is more important to the market than the holiday season, which is
the time of year artists often feature small trinkets or pieces of art that can be
given as small gifts.
Peter Smith, a woodworker who sells his carved furniture at the market, also
noticed growth in his sales around the holiday season. “Towards the holiday,
more and more people really are out looking for holiday gifts. A lot of the artisans
have very unique products to offer,” he said
And just as the products sold are diverse, so are the stories of how the artists
got to where they are now.
Teresa Kovalack, who has been going to the market for four years, makes
crafts from repurposed items, such as birdhouses from teapots or garden decor
from silverware. After she got pregnant, she started to make crafts after starting
out as a painter. One of the aspects of her work that she emphasized is how each
piece she makes is different from the other.
“I don’t think anybody should have two of the same thing because nobody’s alike.
So, why make things alike?” Kovalack noted.
Mary Green Kerr is new to the market, having only been there for four weeks
when we spoke. She makes products from fused glass, including jewelry and
coasters that have pictures embedded in the middle.
“I lost five in my family in one year, including my dad. My husband says,
why not get a little microwave kiln,” she said. “It gives me something to do. I’m
actually a photographer. I got into glass as a side, and I’ve been messing around
with it ever since.”
She continued to explain why she ended up selling her work at the market.
“We thought it would be easier because I sell on Etsy, where you can’t really
get the feel of the glass,” she added. “Being a photographer, I can’t take product
photos very well … I thought, ‘get it out where people would see it.’ (And) it’s
been doing good.”
Some of the artists are retired workers, who picked up their pastime after leaving
their jobs and were looking for something to do.
Smith, a retired teacher, started a woodworking company called Pleasant Lake
Hardwood with a longtime friend who owns a wood lot.
“I went to him and said ‘Let’s use up some of the lumber we’ve sawed up for
years, start a small business,’” Smith said. “We found that selling lumber is much
harder than we thought, or at least that I thought. I thought we’d just do some value
added. We’re both woodworkers, so we started selling these Leopold Benches at the
market about four years ago.”
Inside
Ann Arbor’s
Artisan Market
See KERRYTOWN MARKET, Page 2B
by Alex Intner, Daily Arts Writer