You’ve seen the entreaties on Facebook and Google+ to shop local this holiday season with the great graphics and trendy tag lines. At the North Market we broadcast the benefits of supporting small local merchants, farmers, artisans and musicians 365 days a year and we walk the talk. North Market merchants provide outstanding locally raised meat, produce and dairy products not to mention an amazing array of authentic ethnic cuisines made from scratch daily. North Market farmers travel to the Market on Saturdays with just-picked crops for your family’s meals. The live music that you enjoy while shopping and dining on the weekends always features local entertainers and our artisan events showcase a range of handicrafts from candles to jewelry to pottery.
Since ‘tis the season for holiday shopping we let our local artisans take over the second floor for a weekend bonanza of locally handmade goods and gifts. We sent out more than 300 invitations to submit applications for our Holiday Craft Extravaganza. We received 80 submissions for the 45 available spaces. A jury of six combed through the entries and selected what we believe is an admirable assortment of our popular “regulars” (those who participate in Artisan Sundays and past Craft Extravaganzas) including Clinton Reno– rock poster designer extraordinaire, Umbrella Girl Productions– creator of sewn stationery, potholders and headbands and Moon Garden– with luxurious artisan soaps and soy candles. Then we mixed in interesting newcomers like Sparrow Vine’s intricately cut paper artwork, Team Chipmunk’s upcycled kids clothing, and Little Critter Plushies with their whimsical creatures.
Jennifer Sadler of jsadlerdesigns is a returning vendor who is dedicated to supporting the arts in Columbus on a full-time basis as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator with GCAC. She started with GCAC as the Columbus Arts Festival Coordinator in 2002 and she clearly loves working for an organization that funds creative enterprises that run the gamut from larger arts organizations down to individual artists.
Jennifer has been making jewelry part-time for 20 years, a pursuit that began, coincidentally, when she worked for Larry Henry and Nancy Stranahan at Mill Creek Farm in the Quonset hut version of the North Market. The stall had a small gift shop that sold beads and jewelry findings and Jennifer started creating her own pieces that she was permitted to sell. Her work quickly sold, encouraging her to keep designing new pieces, and through the years she has developed a style that is recognizable to her admirers. She dubs it “modern design with vintage flair” as many of her pieces incorporate vintage components and recycled materials. She seeks elements from antique and thrift stores, often dismantling older pieces to integrate portions into her work.
Jennifer loves participating in the North Market Holiday show as it gives her the opportunity to catch up with acquaintances from “the old days” at the Quonset hut. “There are folks who were regulars 20 years ago who are still loyal North Market shoppers and I am amazed and delighted that they still recognize me!” Jennifer muses.
Come visit Jennifer and 44 additional local crafters and enjoy unique holiday shopping during the North Market Holiday Open House & Craft Extravaganza. Event hours are Saturday, December 3 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, December 4 from 12 – 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please visit www.northmarket.com.
GCAC Presents is a bi-weekly column brought to you by the Greater Columbus Arts Council – supporting art and advancing culture in Columbus – in partnership with the Columbus Arts Marketing Association, a professional development and networking association of arts marketers. Each column will be written by a different local arts organization to give you an insiders look at the arts in Columbus.
