Spring Fair artists bring handcrafted goods to JHU
Every year Spring Fair transforms Hopkins into a cultural hub for three days. Restaurants come from far and wide to set up booths on the Freshman Quad. Over the weekend, many varieties of food ranging from Thai to Greek to funnel cakes and fried Oreos were available.
If the sheer quantities of junk food didn't induce nausea, there were also rides by the Mattin Center that weren't just for the kids.
The Keyser Quad became a place for artists and craftsmen to sell their works to students and Baltimoreans. Like the food, these stands had something for everyone.
There were toys for the kids, and candles, clothes, bags, jewelry and more for everyone else. It was easy to tell from the variety of goods at Spring Fair that it is a well-publicized event that draws many different kinds of people.
"We've been coming here for seven years," said vendor Joseph Bound, who sells amber jewelry at the Fair with his brother. "Another vendor told us about [Spring Fair]."
For them, it's a family business, and they have found that Spring Fair patrons are very interested in their unique products.
"University towns are very responsive. We find that there's a correlation between education and the appreciation of amber." They were just one of the many artists manning jewelry stands in front of Gilman.
For the Bounds, the selling of amber is a family business, but for others, these fairs are for fun and for making a little extra cash.
Sophomore Krista Rieckert is pre-med and majoring in history of science and technology, but making jewelry is a hobby for her.
"I haven't done any work at my desk this semester because it's just covered with beads!" she said. This was her first year selling her wares at Spring Fair, but she is definitely interested in coming again next year. "It's pretty awesome," Rieckert said. "My friends have been helping me sell stuff. All the other craftspeople are really nice, too."
Many of the vendors were quite impressed by the Homewood campus. "This is my first time here," said Victoria Lynn, who sells her homemade Bling Bags, which are made out of clothes. "The campus is beautiful. It's very impressive. I started with the purses and kept improving on them. It keeps evolving. I'll just think one day that I can make backpacks out of baby overalls!"
If the sheer quantities of junk food didn't induce nausea, there were also rides by the Mattin Center that weren't just for the kids.
The Keyser Quad became a place for artists and craftsmen to sell their works to students and Baltimoreans. Like the food, these stands had something for everyone.
There were toys for the kids, and candles, clothes, bags, jewelry and more for everyone else. It was easy to tell from the variety of goods at Spring Fair that it is a well-publicized event that draws many different kinds of people.
"We've been coming here for seven years," said vendor Joseph Bound, who sells amber jewelry at the Fair with his brother. "Another vendor told us about [Spring Fair]."
For them, it's a family business, and they have found that Spring Fair patrons are very interested in their unique products.
"University towns are very responsive. We find that there's a correlation between education and the appreciation of amber." They were just one of the many artists manning jewelry stands in front of Gilman.
For the Bounds, the selling of amber is a family business, but for others, these fairs are for fun and for making a little extra cash.
Sophomore Krista Rieckert is pre-med and majoring in history of science and technology, but making jewelry is a hobby for her.
"I haven't done any work at my desk this semester because it's just covered with beads!" she said. This was her first year selling her wares at Spring Fair, but she is definitely interested in coming again next year. "It's pretty awesome," Rieckert said. "My friends have been helping me sell stuff. All the other craftspeople are really nice, too."
Many of the vendors were quite impressed by the Homewood campus. "This is my first time here," said Victoria Lynn, who sells her homemade Bling Bags, which are made out of clothes. "The campus is beautiful. It's very impressive. I started with the purses and kept improving on them. It keeps evolving. I'll just think one day that I can make backpacks out of baby overalls!"
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