UWM October Artist Fair 2024 Showcases Self-Expression

Foldable tables lined UWM’s Union Concourse, forming two large circles, illuminated by the afternoon sunlight. Each table was set up with a black tablecloth and chairs behind them for vendors to use. At each table, artists set out their unique pieces of self-expression for students and visitors alike to see. From jewelry to crocheted pieces and print work to paintings, the concourse drew the attention of countless individuals throughout the day. 

The Studio Arts and Craft Centre, or SACC, organizes four artist’s fairs throughout the academic year. The October Artists Fair is the first of them, which took place on Oct. 14 this year from 9a.m. to 4p.m. The first and third fairs are one day events and are focused on student and alumni artists, while the second and fourth take place over a three-day period and are open to all artists wanting to sell their art. According to SACC, their goal is to provide an opportunity for students, alumni and community members to sell their art. 

Rory Sterbenz and Logan Zabkowicz are seniors at UWM and were vendors participating in the October Artist’s Fair. They are a part of a student organization on campus called Object.  

“We basically do a lot of fundraising,” said Sterbenz. “Not only do we use funds to go on trips and conventions for metalsmithing, but we bring in visiting artists and do fun activities. We’re always trying to raise money and just sell our jewelry.”  

The goal of Object is to build a better community between themselves and other jewelers.  

Sterbenz and Zabkowicz have been selling their jewelry through Object for roughly two years, participating in galleries at UWM and other artist fairs put on through SACC.  

When asked about what inspires them to make jewelry, the artists had this to say. 

“Mainly for me it’s other artists and just like stuff that I see every day and stuff that I really love in life, I guess,” said Zabkowicz. 

“It’s kind of a special thing to be making wearable art but also, it’s a special thing because no one needs jewelry,” said Sterbenz. “It’s more of a good that makes you happy and the fact that your art is wearable and has a purpose I think is why I make jewelry.” 

Margaret Kennedy was another student vendor participating in the fair this year. She’s a senior majoring in art history with a minor in psychology who owns her own business called Mags Crochet Studio, which she started about a year ago. Kennedy said she heard about the opportunity to sell her art at the fair through a UWM events email sent out earlier this year.  

“I make beanies, I make tote bags, keychains, usually plushies although I’ve sold out of most of them,” said Kennedy. 

Kennedy shared that she started crocheting in middle school, learning by watching videos on YouTube, but ultimately decided to stop. It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that she picked up the craft again. 

“I was like I need something to do indoors that’s making something not just reading or watching TV,” said Kennedy. “It just took off from there basically.” 

Esther Stauffer was another student vendor who is the owner of a business called Discountlesbian and sells their prints in a variety of sizes and colors. They are a senior majoring in art education with a focus in printmaking. Joined by their fiancé Annaliese Kunst, the couple has been participating in every SACC artist fair they can. Stauffer first heard about the fair when an email was forwarded to them by the head of the art department. Stauffer has been selling their art for almost three years now. 

“A lot of my work focuses on my identity as a sapphic person as well as some other kind of issues with like gender identity and some of my stuff has been leaning more into religious iconography,” said Stauffer. 

For those who don’t know, sapphic is an umbrella term that refers to the romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or both between women while also being inclusive all genders and sexualities.  

“A lot of my work is very near and dear to my heart and you can kind of see with this one, this one is a lithograph I did called “Sluts”,” said Stauffer. “It has this Pulp Fiction lesbian couple there from a lesbian erotica novel that was made in the 40s and it focuses on the sexualization of female people as well as sapphic representation.” 

When asked what inspires them to make their prints, Stauffer responded with this. 

“I’ve been thankful enough to have a lot of people who do relate to my artwork and also the meaning behind it,” said Stauffer. “I think that honestly what inspires me is being able to share that with people and also as a way to express myself as someone who is sapphic and someone who is non-binary. I think it’s very important to have that kind of diversity within the art community.” 

According to SACC, the artist fair started back in the ‘80s and was more of an event for community members to come and sell their art. It wasn’t until about 10 years ago that they pushed to make it more centered around student artists. SACC sends out invites to apply to be a vender to Peck School of the Arts students as well as past vendors. Students not a part of that list can still apply by emailing SACC directly. The next fair is scheduled for Dec. 9 through the 11 from 10a.m. to 5p.m. in the Union Concourse.