Local artisans to show off at 3rd Annual Backyard Craft Show in Essex Junction
Arts and crafts made by Jennifer Murphy of GlitterVT on display at last year's backyard craft show. She said the show is a “very special and a hidden gem of the area.”
Courtesy GlitterVT
ESSEX JUNCTION — Artists are set to show off their wares this Saturday at the third annual Vermont Backyard Artisan Craft Show.
Around 15 vendors will be selling and making art at this year’s show, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 1. Some of the featured goods will include handmade baby blankets, painted miniature geodes, pottery pieces, animal and personal portraits, rugs and fresh honey.
Folks interested can find the event at 103 Iroquois Ave. in Essex Junction.
The idea first came about among a group of friends, including the current organizers, Sheilagh Claire and Tina Corron. When arts and crafts fairs across Vermont closed down, Claire, Corron and other collaborators saw an opportunity.
“‘Hey, none of these craft shows are happening,’” Claire recalled thinking. “‘Let's just do one ourselves.’”
A core group of artists in Essex wanted to get a show up in running — something lowkey and accessible, in someone’s backyard. Word started to spread; people invited their talented friends. Claire compared the growth to “branches on a tree.”
The branches grew further and further to bring together crafters from around the state, Claire said. And they formed a community.
The organizers said they were impressed with the turnout at the first two shows. Each time the show happened on a day it was pouring rain, they said, but people still came out. This year forecasts say there will be some sunshine — and no rain.
New to the show this year is Johnson artist Jenn LeBlanc. Her table is set to feature such metaphysical offerings as candles made using mullein, a herb used in traditional medicine and spirituality, and bee's wax collected from cemeteries in New Orleans said to be haunted.
LeBlanc hopes “to spend time with my community, make a few new friends and to get my product out to people who never experienced it before.”
Some of what has seemed to keep people coming to the show is its uniqueness compared to traditional craft shows.
“[It’s] not like your typical fair or high school gym craft event,” Claire said.
Jennifer Murphy, who runs GlitterVT and is a returning vendor, described the show as “very special and a hidden gem of the area.”
“The people here put much time and effort into making the products and the beauty really represents the artisan and the soul of creation,” she said in an email.
For some of the vendors, this is the only event they sell their crafts at. Murphy moved to Connecticut but will be making the trip to Essex for the show, her only one planned in Vermont this year.
