A Curated Shopping Experience Featuring Local Artists
Story by Erika Heeren
Photos by Emma Thompson
Are you ready for the holiday shopping season? If you’re looking for something uniquely local, you will want to visit the Handmade Idaho Holiday Market, Saturday, November 23rd and Sunday, November 24th at the El Korah Shrine on Idaho Street in Boise.
Event creator Angela Stewart is the owner of Ladybug Press, a letterpress and screen printing business located in Boise. After leaving a corporate design career, Stewart thrived in the Idaho arts community and an environment of creativity.
“I loved being able to make something, that’s something I’ve always loved…my business background is as an entrepreneur, but it has grown over the years. There are so many artists that aren’t able to get into the larger shows, we need to have more options [as a community],” Stewart explains.
While Stewart acknowledged that there are other holiday markets and artist markets in the area, very few are completely locally focused. Even fewer are strict about their handmade requirements.
Stewart and her team of fellow creators decided to create a holiday market specifically for artists based in Idaho who handcraft each part of every product they sell. She meticulously reviewed each artist booth submission to ensure a diverse range of products.
“This is a juried, curated show. We rated each vendor based on how much of the product they actually make. We tried to give higher priority to a more handmade craft versus just a designed craft. We have some exceptions, like excellent illustrators, who don’t print their work – but a lot of our artists make everything from the raw materials,” says Stewart.
For the discerning shopper, this means eye-catching décor and one-of-a-kind gifts certain to delight every loved one on your list.
At the market, you can expect handmade goods from every genre. You’ll be able to find jewelry, bath and body products, and even artisan food and beverage products. Stewart noted that if you are looking for hand-painted mugs, custom carved wooden spoons, knife sets, handbags, or knitted items – you’ll be very happy with the selection available.
While some of the vendors may be new to attendees, there are a few familiar makers slated to be at the event. Wear Boise, Sawtooth Glass Project, and Banana Ink will all have booths at the market.
Stewart hopes that the event continues to grow. She is looking forward to taking on new artists and more established artists to promote collaboration in the community. There is a waitlist for vendors for this year’s, but Stewart encourages interested artists to submit their information for consideration in the future.
The Handmade Idaho Holiday Market will be held on from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday, November 23rd, and from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday, November 24th. There is no charge for admission.
You can also attend a special preview night on Friday, November 22nd from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. In addition to more than sixty vendors, attendees will be treated to samples from a local winery, live music, and more. Tickets for the preview night are $16, and a portion of all ticket sales go to the Women’s and Children’s Alliance.
For more information about The Handmade Idaho Market, visit the website at www.handmadeidaho.com.
