Liverpool Summer Arts Market: our highlights
Open Culture’s Summer Arts Market returns to Liverpool this month, filling the grandeur of St George’s Hall with creativity and innovation from across the region.
More than 100 local artists, designers, makers and creative types will be selling their wares at the event across the weekend of 25-26 June.
Here at The Skinny we're excited to have our own stall once again (toot toot!), where some of the illustrators we've had the pleasure to work with will be showing off their creations (scroll down for more info!). But we’ll also be checking out the rest of the market's impressive roster of vendors. They'll be selling everything from photography and screen prints to vintage clothing, textiles and jewellery, so come on down.
Here are just a few of the artists we’ll be looking out for – and recommend you do too.
Liverpool Summer Arts Market: eight to see
Caroline Dowsett
Inspired by botanicals, pioneering women and food (a trio of things we can definitely get on board with), Caroline Dowsett’s colourful, graceful illustrations are instantly recogniseable. You might know her name from her several credits as an illustrator for The Skinny; Caroline designed our Food and Drink Survey-themed front cover in 2015, among other things. We love her work, and we know you will, too.
Crown and Leaf (aka Steph Piercy)
Stylish, minimal pieces go alongside colourful friendship bracelets – each made patiently with over 1,000 knots – in Steph Piercy’s line of jewellery, Crown and Leaf. All items are made by hand using vibrantly coloured embroidery threads, beads and gemstones, and we’re as besotted with the bracelets and necklaces themselves as we are by the slick, simple branding.
Violet Campbell (aka Nicola and David Rasores-Parry)
The pseudonym of Nicola and David Rasores-Parry, Violet Campbell specialise in homewares inspired by 1960s Italian ceramics, 1970s wooden objects and other kitsch and iconic styles. Spurred on by a love of all things mod and mid (century, that is), the duo create lino print works that either function as standalone original art pieces, or become fabrics and homewares.
Kate Patterson
A Liverpool-based artist who graduated from Manchester School of Art with a degree in Illustration with Animation, Kate Patterson uses a combination of pencil and digital colouring to create intricate images inspired by different cultures, history and fabric design. Her greyscale base is brought to life by vivid colours, producing a whole lotta depth and atmosphere for a two-dimensional image.
Bear Essentials (aka Josh Elleray)
Just in time for the sunny months (we hope), Josh Elleray will be showcasing his line of unique, handcrafted wooden sunglasses, which see traditional, timeless materials brought bang up to date by contemporary designs. Originally conceived for life on the mountains, his designs stem from a passion for nature – there's a durability behind the neat, polished look.
Samantha Jervis
We’ve been very busy lately swooning over Samantha Jervis’s ceramics, made by hand from white or terracotta earthernware clay in her small home studio in Liverpool. There's everything from mugs, plates and planters to small pieces of ceramic jewellery on offer, and each piece is one-of-a-kind, as Samantha rarely makes duplicates of the same shape or colour. Trouble is, we kind of want it all.
Lost Plots (aka Lisa Robson)
Lost Plots is the project from graphic designer, illustrator and ‘craft curiosity maker’ Lisa Robson, who creates handcrafted prints and greetings cards. With influences as far-flung as Alfred Hitchcock, Angela Carter, Fleetwood Mac, Tim Burton, wolves, full moons and magic, Lisa’s work combines references to popular culture and iconic imagery with her own imaginative illustrations.
Dawn Jackson
A hobby that turned into a business, Dawn Jackson’s handcrafted fused glass and mosaic designs perfectly exemplify the creative, entrepreneurial spirit that we respect – and know we'll see plenty more of at this year’s Summer Arts Market. We particularly love Dawn's jaunty 80s-style coasters, which look like lots of tiny neon tube lights set in glass.
...and of course, pay a visit to The Skinny stall!
Featuring talented illustrators and designers from across the Northwest throughout the weekend, The Skinny stall welcomes Josie Sommer, Jess Ebsworth and Emma Brown Owl on 25 June, before Holly Bagnall and Anthony Jaycott all show us what they're made of on 26 June. Come and say hello.
Summer Arts Market
St George's Hall, Liverpool
25-26 June
- Read more news from across the North's cultural scene
- Find out how you could win some lovely prizes