This holiday shopping season, on November 30th, 2019, this free, indoor, public event welcomes San Antonians to browse and buy verified handmade items from local artisans at the Leon Valley Community Center. The pop-up shop event is being created and organized by a local artist and creative, Ellice Sanchez, who wanted to offer a more comfortable selling experience for artists, and guests alike.
“I know not everyone will agree with the name, but I grew up with the word ‘Hand Job,’ to mean something that was too detailed, to delicate, or too unique to be made by machine; this describes exactly the type of items I am looking for at this market,” Sanchez said. “I considered other names, by my inner spirit kept driving me to this name. Beyond that calling, the artist in me likes that the event name, like good art, pushes viewers to re-think the perception they jump to.”
This event offers advantages over similar existing markets.
- Safe, Free parking – This is a big deal for Texans. Guests do not have to dig around for coins to pay for metered parking, and can have peace of mind with free, on-site parking.
- Free to the Public – Instead of paying money for guests to walk in the door, the event organizer asks that you instead spend your money on goods from the featured artisans/artists. You can support these artisans to cover the cost of venue space and encourage them to continue their craft. Accessible parking and entry to the venue is available to guests with such needs.
- Indoor Event – This indoor event has air conditioning, so guests will stay comfy and dry while they browse the goods in the market.
- Verified Hand Made Items – Upon application of booth space, the artists/artisans must submit some photographs demonstrating that they are the ones making the items, and items are simply not re-sold from bulk products.
- All sales profits are retained by the artists – While some markets request a commission of the sales, this market lets the artists keep the money in their own pocket. Guests can directly support the local artists and crafters financially, and walk away with handmade creations.
“As a guests to markets and fairs, I have also seen issues. Sometimes when fairs are in parking lots or in grassy-fields, people who use wheelchairs can’t maneuver around and you can see their sadness of not being able to shop around like everyone else.,” Sanchez said. “For myself, it can be difficult to sift through the multi-level management vendors at pop-up markets to find the crafters who have put their hearts into their creations. Those are the people I want to shop from.”
As an artist and crafter, who has tried arts and crafts shows locally and across other cities in Texas, organizer Sanchez felt that the whole experience could be easier for artists too.
“I have had first-hand obstacles with outdoor events. I have had paintings get rained on. Humidity often adds risk to the shelf life of my bath bombs. I have had to park in unsafe alleys. When I tried to sell items in 28 degree (f) weather this March, I decided I was done with outdoor markets,’ Sanchez said. “And so, my hunt was on for indoor markets, but those have obstacles as well, like vendor fees that break the bank, or in another case, I have been on a wait list to get into another popular indoor market for two years and counting. Even finding and applying to markets without any dedicated websites makes the whole onboarding process confusing. I decided I would use my professional graphic design skills to craft an arts and crafts market that I would want to go to. Surely, there has got to be other artists/crafters starving for a similar experience.”
The event is set to recur twice a year, to allow for weekend artisans and moonlight artists enough time to bring stock back up in between shows. One instance will occur before the holiday shopping season, and the other instance will occur in July, when most outdoor markets are canceled or experience reduced shoppers from the intense summer heat.
To date, the market has onboarded vendors offering: handmade crafts such as organic soaps, vegan bath bombs, woodwork / furniture, tapestries, hand painted bags, silver/gemstone jewelry and graphic artwork.
“I spent a lot of my life doing things because they had business value, or they made ‘sense’ to do them. I am organizing this event, because I want to do this.” Sanchez said. I invite creative person in all of us to join me in this event, as a vendor or guest, as there is more to do in life than just work. Come out and do something that you look forward to doing… something that can bring you joy.”
The event organizer invites guests to RSVP to the event on their website, so they can receive a select few email reminders as the event date approaches.
“Whether guests want to frame themselves as supporting this woman, minority run business venture, or they want to support the all-female artists/crafters (to this point in time) who put their heart and talent into their creations, I hope guests come out this Small Business Saturday and shop. Making arts and crafts takes an incredible amount of time and talent, and when people buy, it really encourages all these micro-entrepreneurs to keep going,” Sanchez said.
The event also welcomes new artists and crafters to apply for a booth on the event website. The venue offers on-site tables and chairs, which can be a welcomed relief to artists under a budget or muscle crunch.
Guests and prospective artists/crafters can learn more at the event website: gotohandjob.com.
Event Information
Hand Job™ is an indoor gathering of pop-up booths showcasing hand made fine art and artisan crafts to the public.
- November 30, 2019, 12pm – 8pm
- Leon Valley Community Center
- com
- Free to the Public
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