By Emily Rostek
Each semester, student artists, creators, and musicians gather at the student market to celebrate their artistic endeavors with the community.
The student market is put on by the Puget Sound ECO Club and is then delegated to a student who is passionate about art and community involvement. This year, sophomore Sophia Munic is in charge.
“I think it’s really important to support local art and with artists especially …. People sometimes forget that that’s something you can pay them for. And people forget especially when you’re starting out that artists actually need to earn money from what they’re making just so they can keep making it,” Munic said. Munic was dressed head to toe in mix-matched patterns and wore earrings from last semester’s student market. The earrings were long rectangles made from concrete and dipped in gold paint. They were created by senior Alana Yang.
The market features crafts of all types; Munic said that over 25 vendors signed up this spring. Each table sells something different, all handmade and unique to each artist. This year the range of crafts is larger than usual; students will be selling prints, ceramic pieces, patches, embroidery, soap, and more.
“It’s cool to see what different students do and the different ways that people in our community explore their creativity. It gives us a lot of insight to the diversity of interests on our campus,” said junior Emma Schmidt.
“Most artists usually sell drawings or prints of their work. Ceramics club sells pottery. There are some other independent 3D artists. There are people selling knitting, jewelry, and this year there is also someone selling homemade coffee and some baked goods which is really fun,” Munic said. Munic is selling handmade screenprints, cards, sketchbooks, jars, and stickers. Munic values the student market because of the opportunity it gives students. She highlighted the importance the market gives because it offers student artists a chance to sell their work and also gives them a confidence boost when their items are sold.
Munic has also brought another aspect of community involvement to the student market. With the ECO club, Munic has partnered with Hilltop Urban Gardens. Artists have been asked to donate one item they are selling to a raffle and the raffle ticket proceeds will be donated to Hilltop Urban Gardens. Munic said, “I thought that donating to Hilltop would be a really great way to add a fundraising aspect to the student market and give back to the community. It’s not only profitable to the students but also to other important organizations that ECO club supports.”
In the past, music performances have taken place at the student market, drawing more attention to the rotunda. This year, the student market will be held in the Tahoma room in Thomas Hall. Munic expressed worry over the lack of a central location but hopes the music performers will bring more students across campus.
This semester there will be five local Tacoma groups playing at the student market including Dagne Gorham, Topless Pit, Nayra Halajian, Angela Cookston, and Anj Cunningham. The student market will take place on Friday, April 28 from 4 pm-7 pm in the Tahoma Room.