Accent on the South

Photo by Carlton Riffel

The “makers” movement of the last decade exploded with online craft retailers such as ETSY and Artful Home, and through the DIY smorgasbord Pinterest. But craft is also regionally defined, and Greenville’s Indie Craft Parade has a decided Southern flavor.

It’s not your granny’s craft bazaar, though — there aren’t any crocheted toilet-paper cozies, and nothing’s put together with Mod Podge. Begun in 2010, the event is about hip, handmade items. Tea towels aren’t monogrammed, they’re hand-stitched with sassy sayings, and artisanal chocolate has a place alongside keepsakes made of paper and wood.

The event’s early success spurred organizers to create a related business conference, Makers Summit, and the umbrella nonprofit Makers Collective, whose written mission is to “empower creative entrepreneurs while cultivating a supportive community around them.” It connects artists, who often work in isolation in their studios, with each other and their customers. “Artists bounce ideas off each other, exchange small-business advice, and get immediate customer feedback, which may influence future work,” explains Makers Collective Creative Director Lib Ramos, who works with Community Director Jen Moreau and Event Director Erin Godbey.

New York and San Francisco are fabulous design hubs, Ramos points out, but the local org gives Southern artists needed, focused representation. “Every piece at the Indie Craft Parade has been made, in a Southern state, by the person behind the table. We require artists to attend the show, unlike many other shows,” she says. There, they can tell visitors and peers the stories behind their wares — “how they’re made, details about their process. Perhaps it’s a skill they learned from their grandparents, or they make their art with vintage machinery. This [communication] only happens through these interactions.”

Ramos talks about her makers almost like beloved children. “It’s fun to watch them grow and their businesses evolve,” she says. “It’s cool that we still have artists from the first couple years participating” (the mix of new and repeat artists is now about half and half). That said, it is a competitive show — 80 artists are selected from up to 400 applicants.

Seven-thousand guests typically attend the Indie Craft Parade, and Ramos urges first-time attendees not to be disappointed if they see a line going down the street. “It moves fast,” she says.

The Indie Craft Parade is held in the Huguenot Mill and Loft at the Peace Center in Greenville (101 West Broad St.). The event runs Saturday, September 16, 9am-6pm, and Sunday, September 17, 11am-5pm. $5. For more information, see makerscollective.org/indiecraftparade.

0 replies on “Accent on the South”