Blog
Downtown Artist Market
February 11, 2012
The Downtown Artist Market is a dream come true. If you want to escape the dizzying shopping experience, you’ll be pleased to know, you won’t see a shopping cart for miles. Paper or plastic? Nope, you won’t hear that either. Instead, you’ll swap stories and find yourself immersed in a rousing conversation with over a dozen fun and friendly artists.
The El Paso Museum and Cultural Affairs Department hosts the Downtown Artist Market every Saturday morning from nine a.m. to one p.m. inside the über popular Union Plaza Entertainment District. So, not to be outdone by my trendy friends, I decided to explore the market for myself. Armed with my baseball cap and my comfy kicks, I walked along Anthony Street and let my senses do the rest.
Like a young fish in a large pond, I was drawn to every shimmer and burst of color. One by one, each table reeled me in. Although my better half wasn’t at my side, her influence guided me towards the sign that read, Handmade Handbags.
Dressed in a warm coat, the brains of the operation, Sandra Woods introduced herself and we began chatting like old friends. As a retired US Army First Class Sergeant and mother of three, Woods realized her potential as a seamstress several years ago. After adding her own flair to a purse she received from her sister, a chance encounter proved to be her defining “aha” moment. “I had to go to a wedding, so I took the purse with me to the wedding and a lady bought the purse from me,” she explained. “So it was kind of like an answer to a calling that you didn’t know was a calling.”
Once I held the bags in my hand, even my manly discerning taste gave its nod of approval. But it didn’t stop there. The working mom also developed a line of products for children that organizes everything from books, crayons, and markers that are always lost in couch cushions and the bottom of backpacks. “Are your children a big inspiration for your work?” I asked. The answer was clear as a smile blossomed from ear to ear. She handed me a home-made cookie and sent me on my way.
One tent over, I bumped into another gentleman who hand crafted a variety of wooden goods. He guided me through the table that included ornate ink pens, toy trains, and a variety of wooden flutes. He picked up a flute and began a whimsical melody. All the while, as his fingers moved across the instrument his weathered hands showed signs of a man dedicated to his craft. In mid tune, he became visibly excited and pointed to the ground. “See that piece there,” he said. “That xylophone took me over fifteen years to complete.” The wood had to be perfect. The dimensions had to be just right to capture the acoustics that bounced from its wooden belly. There wasn’t a single overlooked detail. The price? You’ll just have to find out for yourself.
By the time noon rolled around, children played tag in the park and others participated at the arts and crafts table that was carefully monitored by volunteers. Their creativity was in full swing as they painted their own masterpiece across the face of the ceramic tiles. Once the paint had dried, their work was ready to be taken home and displayed proudly on a mantle or window sill.
So instead of swiping your credit card in the checkout lane, go local and swap stories with artisans. Instead of leaving with a headache, leave with a memory. As El Paso continues to revitalize itself, I’m glad I can count on the Downtown Artist Market to soothe my shopping cart woes.
For more information about the Downtown Artist Market, you can visit log on to http://www.elpasotexas.gov/mcad/.