Artists Come Together for The Makers Market
A festive array of creative makers is in store for you from Monday the 27 'til Sunday the 3rd of December. Made in Plymouth Community reporter Janice Gordon takes a look at the artists and the work involved - and why events like this are important for local makers.
The Venue for this year's Christmas Makers Market is an incredibly special place called Vacancy Atlas. Their mantra is “Finding Spaces in Unlikely Places” which encompasses exactly what they do. They want to match creatives in the broader sense with a place to work, breathe and most importantly provide them with a space to creatively flourish. They work with Plymouth Culture, Plymouth City Council and The City Center Company to take over vacant shop units in the centre of Plymouth. They believe there is a need to revive and reinvent our city centres to create a sustainable future for Plymouth.
This year, 14 inspired makers have come together for a Christmas pop up. A mixture of ceramists, artists and makers chosen to sell their work at this exciting local event.
Alice Crawford who organised this event, said she felt that cities were missing that small artisan feel from bygone days when towns were full of local people selling their home-grown wares from small market stalls. Alice, herself a specialist leatherworker who studied 3D design at Loughborough, will be bringing her selection of well crafted original accessories and bags to the maker's market.
So, meet the makers who will be selling their beautiful and unusual creations at Vacancy Atlas.
Stevie Smith “off the wall” metal smith, and maker of interesting collectables, for example the lamp made from an oxygen bottle from the Virgin Challenger boat which still resides at Hexton Quay, Plymouth.
Stevie will be displaying his eclectic treasure trove of urban goodies which will be lighting up the space, and a home near you soon!
Christina Peters a ceramicist who uses locally sourced Wild clay found from Plymouth riverbanks.
Pip Greeves a print maker with a love of folk lore and the macabre uses lino printing to produce her unusual artwork, this age-old art starts with the image being cut into a piece of lino which is then printed onto paper.
Tula and the whale created by Kathrine Hoey are repurposed quirky jewellery pieces, in bright young funky colours, every piece is an off-cut piece of leather painted and finished by hand.
Angela Trzaskas ceramics are based in Cornwall and are inspired by Cornish mythology and post-humanism (a belief that humans are not more important than any other life form) her work is made from porcelain and local clay that she collects from waterways which adds another real depth to her sea like creatures, she will be bringing her horned gods, mermaids and marine creatures.
Camilla Rose is a traditional sign writer and reverse glass artist.
Her work can be spotted outside many well-known local pubs and businesses as well as adorning boats and glass windows.
Camilla brings a colourful take on traditional sign writing with her oil enamel on wood signs, with an almost playful take on fairground / circus visuals, bright and bold, with a hint of bygone years.
Kevin Jenkins, a lecturer for the BA in Product Design and Technology at the University of West of England.
Kevin first entered the world of ceramics as an antidote to sitting bent over a keyboard for much of his life as a product designer. This free-flowing physical side of pottery was a creative match for him and brought something new to the table. Kevin is displaying his table ware.
Next, who does not love a piece of repurposing or to the uninformed ‘up-cycling’ using things that would otherwise add to the pile of land fill.
Two interesting artists who specialise in up-cycling waste products within their artwork.
Lucia Yonge who describes herself as a creative re-purposer is showcasing her beautifully crafted plates. Individual old plates reworked with a crafty edge. She finds discarded and broken plates and brings them back to life and purpose.
Nicky Sadler an artisan coppersmith and Jewellery designer who often reclaims her copper from old plumbing pipes. Nicky’s Jewellery is made from enamel, copper and sometimes silver. Her inspirations come from driftwood, rugged rocks and seed pods; she also much prefers using old tools to work with as they can produce more interesting results.
Jodie Hansen is a mixed media artist who takes her inspiration from nature myth and dreams, she will be show casing her brass jewellery.
She likes to not only use nature as her blueprint, but she prefers to incorporate plant-based dyes, home tanned fish leather and ethically sourced silk.
Another layer of this pop up are three final year students from the ever-popular Craft and Material degree at Plymouth Art college, all three bring an edge of excitement and enthusiasm with them.
Grace Crawford who goes by the name of ‘howtocutandpaste ‘does what it says on the box and will be enticing you with her quirky look at life through her humorous eyes with her selection of modern-day collage artworks.
Victoria Sutton, a ceramicist, is showing a selection of her earthy carved bowls, and Sirun @sirunmakes who likes to experiment with colour, texture and materials will be selling a selection of his unique pots.
The Maker's Market is at Vacancy Atlas at 107 Cornwall Street, Plymouth
Running from 10-5 every day except on Sunday which opens at 11
Monday the 27th to 3rd of December.