A group of savvy young arts makers and entrepreneurs in the Orange area are taking their work directly to the people through the funky new Orange Verandah Markets.
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Selling their own hand printed stationary, jewellery made from magazine pages through to homewares and origami creations, the group of young creatives are bringing their work out of their home studios and onto the footpaths of Orange.
Started in October last year by local Prue Brennan, the markets have been held on occasional Sundays across the summer on the wrap around verandah of eatery Byng Street Local Store.
Limited to just a dozen stalls, the focus is on boutique and quality rather than volume. They’re designed as a showcase for young, emerging talent.
“It’s about people with a passion for what they are producing, gathering to support each others’ talents in a laid back, social environment,” stall holder and upholsterer Georgie Goldsmith said.
An alternative to renting permanent shop space - something out of the reach of most of the makers - the markets have been as much about raising profiles of local creatives as about selling work.
“It was started as a place for locals with goods to sell, both handmade and sourced, who wanted an opportunity to gauge the market reaction to their wares,” Ms Goldsmith said.
Makers on show have included artists like Madi Young and Amelia Herberston who both show original screen printed artworks and stationary, Maggie Warell with her unique Post Press handmade print media jewellery, kids fashion designer Renee Reid and Molong artist Josephine Jagger Manners. Sarah Powell of Find Your Happy moved to Orange a year ago, bringing her bold contemporary basket weaving techniques with her and has likewise found a new audience through the markets.
Orange’s Georgia Goldsmith works by day for local upholsterer Wolfgang Shumann. She’s in her third and final year of upholstery at TAFE, which she travels to Sydney for. She’s recently started her own brand, GGUP, working in a studio space she’s built at home. She uses the markets to test drive her own designs which combine traditional methods with vibrant modern fabrics.
Most makers also have an online presence, selling on sites like etsy or Country & Co, but the opportunity to show what they make to their local community is what draws them out on Sundays.
“Online selling is a great option however only works with some products,” Georgie Goldsmith said. Her handcrafted upholstery and leather items are tactile and she encourages visitors at the markets to run their hands over them and have a chat about the process. Ideally she’d love one day to have her own workshop and showroom space, but in the meantime the shared market space in Orange is a good alternative.
Eryn Corlett crafts jewellery from semi precious stones in what she calls a ‘bohemian style’ and sells them under her Pep and Poni label. For her being involved in the markets are about inspiration and to “push your imagination” by seeing what other people are making. She says people visiting the markets seem to be looking for small, fun items but are also really responsive to meeting and finding out about up and coming local talent.
Orange Verandah Markets will be held at Byng Street Local Store 9am-12noon Sundays April 14 and 21 as part of Orange F.O.O.D Week and on Sunday April 28, before taking a break for the winter.
Arts Sunday is your extra dose arts news, artist profiles and photo galleries from the NSW Central West, brought to you by Arts OutWest and Fairfax. Arts Sunday is published online on the first Sunday of the month. If you’ve got a story to share contact artsoutwest@csu.edu.au.
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