Handmade crafts and curated art pieces don’t typically come to mind during a shopping spree, but at the Curated. Crafted. Created. Market, they’re the star of the show.
On Sunday, Oct. 5, Andrea Lyn Events hosted over 70 small businesses and creators for the fourth annual Fall C.C.C. Market. Vendors filled the aisles in the midst of the typical hustle and bustle of Columbia Mall. The market brought a cheerful fall feel, decked out with scarecrows and pumpkins, even including interactive games for children.
While the C.C.C. Market kept spirits bright as days get shorter, it was also a chance for Columbians to showcase and appreciate the arts. For vendor Catherine Pogue, it achieved just that. The market drew in artists of varying skill level and craft, and every one had a smile on their face.
“I think it’s actually great for Columbia because it’s already a community for the college, so it brings in people who are kind of like-minded,” Pogue said. “I think it helps grow the community.”
Pogue’s booth displayed her handmade acrylic paintings, ornaments and wire wrap jewelry, which are all part of her small business, Cat’s Canvas.
Many of the vendors at C.C.C., like Pogue, were driven by the connections that art creates. Kate Seat participated in the market for her second time this year, selling needle-felted fairies, tie-dye dresses and flower crown headbands.
“One of the best parts is people loving [my art] and then telling me why they love them and saying, ‘Oh, this is my favorite color,’ or, ‘My mom read Alice in Wonderland to me,’” Seat said. “That’s the best part.”
Seat’s works incorporate whimsical elements reminiscent of familiar childhood fairytales. For Seat, creating is about not only the connections with others, but expressing herself.
“I think that having some kind of creative outlet is important for every single human,” Seat said. “And so this is just a way for other people to see that this is possible.”
Vendor Paula Danner has spent much of her career in the arts, but she still finds an outlet and personal fulfillment through her crafting. Danner participated in the C.C.C. Market for the first time this year with her jewelry line, Broken Wing Treasures.
“I work in a creative field, but still, it’s just nice to have some kind of creative outlet that’s special for you, whatever that is,” Danner said. “It’s different, and that’s fun to see too.”
Much of Danner’s inspiration to create comes from exploring the natural world. Many of these sources she witnessed firsthand, like Mexico’s unique stones or vibrant turquoise found in Utah and Arizona.
“I had started with being a vintage jewelry collector and being very interested in that,” Danner said. “Then that kind of morphed into, ‘Wow, what can I make with some of these items?’ and recreate something in a very sustainable way.”
Broken Wing Treasures is a side business for Danner, yet she emphasized the value of supporting creative pathways, something that in her opinion, Columbia does well.
“The arts too often are shoved aside because it’s not a place where you can make a lot of money and become rich at, but it’s a place where you can be very fulfilled,” Danner said. “People sometimes forget that’s so important.”
Matilda Kramer, a vendor and junior at the University of Missouri, experienced one of these fulfilling moments during her first time selling at C.C.C. this year with her business, Tilla’s Trinkets. Kramer remarked how happy it made her to sell a bag she had been working on.
“It’s really nice when people support [an artist’s] passion,” Kramer said. “It makes them feel really good. I mean, I’m having a great time.”
Whether it’s a side business, a career or a passion, sharing creative talent fosters connections. The C.C.C. market run is set to run every fall, winter, and spring.
