Buffalo Rising Online

Apr 9th 2008, 5:23pm By Corinne Eberwine

With a secured location and an ever-growing list of participating artists and sponsors, Buffalo Indie Market is set to open on the 2nd floor of the Pearl Street Grill & Brewery this Saturday, April 12, from 11 – 4. Starting May 11, there will be a market open at this same time every second Sunday of the month. Founder Mary Stephens invites you to “discover hand-made from our local independent artists & crafters at a local hot spot.” Showcasing 23 local independent artists, this month’s market will welcome spring with impressive and one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, stationery, handbags, clothing, pottery, art, hand knits and much more. All of these original treasures are offered up to consumers, but that’s not all; many of the artists sell both wholesale and retail, and hope the monthly market will also help get local retailers to stop in and set up accounts.

There has been a flood of enthusiastic interest already shown in this ongoing market. With the help of area vendors and sponsors—not to mention the artists themselves—Stephens has been busy keeping the momentum moving forward to ensure the long-term success of the event. “I am excited and overwhelmed by the response I have gotten from local independent artists and the Buffalo community,” she tells me. “It seems a current monthly market was something they had been wishing for.”

The monthly handcrafted goods for sale are just the beginning of this exciting new community. The Buffalo Indie News is an online newsletter with detailed information on different featured artists each month (check out www.buffaloindie.blogspot.com for the introduction of the first featured artist, Erin Meunier of Elm Studios). There will also be hands-on activities such as pottery wheel demonstrations—which will be provided by Buffalo Plaid Pottery at this Saturday’s event at noon and 1 p.m. And there’s more—local musicians will be at the markets as well. With Deep Thinka Records as the permanent music sponsor, we can look forward to live performances each month. The first event will include Edreys’ poetic, positive-based hip-hop style, and the unique combination of guitar bass, beatbox and vocals by Relevant. Future plans include a special Mother’s Day market that falls on May 11 featuring women musicians, and the lineup for June 8 includes Platypus Rex and KBJune, who will also be selling her hand-made items at the May 11 date.

For the latest information, lists of each event’s participating vendors, and to find out about getting more involved, visit www.buffaloindiemarket.com. You can also email buffaloindiemarket@gmail.com with any questions, or to join the mailing list. And make sure you stop by the first marketplace on Saturday, to experience for yourself the “new way to shop locally.” Admission is free and open to the public. See you there!

Artists participating in this Saturday’s Buffalo Indie Market:

1. Ry Stephens: high-end handmade cards and custom invitations

2. Buffalosmark: greeting cards and soy candles

3. Lilylu:organic originals

4. Linkage Designs: jewelry

5. Tamaran Designs: handcrafted accessories

6. Pretty Perles: sterling silver & gold wire beaded jewelry

7. Pretty Haute Jewelry Designs

8. River Rock Designs: jewelry and home accessories

9. Kasia Blue: custom jewelry designs

10. Elm Studios: pottery

11. Buffalo Plaid Pottery

12. Lindsay Luu: jewelry and handpainted/handspun yarns

13. Petit Fleur Handcrafted Designs

14. Lucy Knits: handbags & accessories

15. Polkadotbug: Bags and children's clothing

16. Pinkelefant: Handmade bags

17. Baby Peas: Handmade accessories

18. Martinsville Emporium: hand poured soy wax candles, handmade soaps & lip balms

19. 3 Lil Indians: specialty homemade soaps and products

20. Isabella's Whimsey: candles and jewelry

21. Crow Biz: magnets, cards and pendants

22. Jeffrey Vincent: handmade doll creations & artwork

23. Jack Bee Thimble Studios: hand dyed, batik Quilts and handbags