ARTFULLY DONE. Are you an artist? Are you interested in being a part of the Eau Claire Makers Market? The only requirement is you need to make something with your own hands (or essentially D.I.Y. something!) to be a part of the event.  (Submitted photo)

Artists of Chippewa Valley can find a friend in the new Eau Claire Makers Market.

Founded by local artists Kala Rehberger and Lexi Kane, with help from Sarah Ryan, the Eau Claire Makers Market recently held its first indoor two-day soirée, which hosted dozens of talented and passionate local artists. And, plans are already in place for the next market in April. 

“We began as a three-woman show, selling earrings and crafts in (my) front yard with Sarah crocheting in a lawn chair to keep us company,” Kane said. “We had no idea it would become anything bigger.”

The market maintains a distinctly D.I.Y grassroots vibe, which has gained popularity right from the get-go, according to founders. 

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as long as you make something with your own two hands, we would encourage you to apply.

Lexi crane

Eau claire makers market c0-founder

“We are so excited about the growth of the market,” Kane said. “It gets bigger every time, from the number of vendors that apply to the number of folks that come in to shop. We hope that the market continues to be a place where artists and the community can connect.”

After the great response to their first pop-up in the summertime, they knew they would need to scale to a larger venue. Enter Forage.

“There's so much talent in this community, and being able to offer a space to showcase that talent is a huge part of why we moved into downtown E.C.,” said Forage Founder Meredith Kervin Blankenheim. “We love the enthusiasm and creativity of these young and young-at-heart artists. Sometimes as a business, it's easy to get stuck in a rut or run low on new ideas, but people like the Eau Claire Makers Market come in with such excitement that it makes everything more fun.”

Though the E.C. Makers Market has grown quickly, its mission remains the same.

“We aim to provide an affordable and accessible way for artists to sell their wares and gain exposure within the Eau Claire community,” Kane said. “The goal of the market isn’t for us to make money as an organization, but rather a D.I.Y. approach to supporting local artists.”

When it comes to who might be interested in participating, the owners are insistent: everyone is welcome. 

“As long as you make something with your own two hands, we would encourage you to apply,” Kane said. “We especially cater to first-time makers, since the venue provides tables and chairs, so there’s very little that makers need to bring to the event.”

The next Eau Claire Makers Market event will take place from 12pm-5pm on April 2-3 at Forage in downtown Eau Claire. 

You can contact Eau Claire Market on Instagram at @ecmakersmarket or via email at ecmakersmarket@gmail.com.