If you not yet found a reason to visit the Hive, there’s a good one coming up this week. The Spokane Public Library is hosting the 33 Artists Market at the Hive this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Hive is home to artists in residence throughout the year, but on this occasion they welcome an even wider variety of local crafters, jewelers, painters, potters and more to gather and sell their goods. There are no booth fees and the artists get to keep 100% of their sales, making the event a great opportunity to support the local arts community while getting a jump on holiday shopping.
This will be the market’s third year, after being founded by local artist Gwyn Pevonka in 2022.
“The Hive holds a special place in my heart because it’s where my journey in Spokane began. After moving here, I visited the Hive and immediately knew I wanted to be involved,” Pevonka said.
She was accepted to the artist-in-residence program and used the space as a painting studio. Pevonka creates her paintings in layers, consecutively painting one layer each day for about 20 to 30 days. She then carves into what she has built up, adding even more texture and abstraction.
The artists-in-residence program works as an exchange – the library provides free studio space to the artists and in return, the artists help create programs for the public. The 33 Artists Market was Pevonka’s idea, and she partnered with Spokane Public Library arts education specialist, Eva Silverstone, to kick it off.
“She had this idea that one of the programs she wanted to do was to do an art market where newer artists that have never done a market before could learn from more experienced artists and just have a chance to experience what it’s like and see if it’s something that they want to pursue,” Silverstone said. “The first year was great. We had almost 700 people attend.”
With the success the event has had at the Hive, Pevonka has had the chance to host the event at various other venues around Spokane.
The Hive’s 33 Artists Market is a family-friendly event, with a scavenger hunt to make sure everyone has a way to participate.
“We make it fun also. There’s like a bingo sheet for our scavenger hunt, where guests at the event can talk to people or look at things, and then they’ll be entered into a drawing for an original artwork. Makes it a little more interactive,” Silverstone said.
The market is curated with a mix of former and current artists in residence, as well as other artists from the local community. Silverstone and Pevonka collaborate to review each application and ensure the market has a hearty variety of items.
“When we curate the show, Gwyn and I really look at the applications and make sure it’s not too much of any one thing, that there’s a nice variety, and also a variety of price points,” Silverstone said.
Whether you’re out to find a gift, souvenir or decor, the market has something for everyone.
“There’s all sorts of things from hand-printed T-shirts, hand-made journals … stickers, and there’s three different potters that will be there, all different styles of pottery, original artworks like paintings and prints,” Silverstone said.
For those with no particular shopping agenda, this year’s market will have a coffee cart providing beverages and pastries to enjoy while you peruse and chat.
“It’s also just a great time to see the Hive,” Silverstone said. “It’s a cool building. It’s a library of spaces as opposed to a library that has books and computers.
“You can actually check out a space with your library card if you need to have a meeting, or book club or birthday party. So if you’ve never been to the Hive, it’s a wonderful opportunity to see the space.”
Visit spokanelibrary.org to learn more about the Hive, and visit 33artistsmarket.com to view a full list of the artists as well as other upcoming 33 Artists Market events.
