Summer market finds a place to graze

GAIL L. RICHARDS

June 19, 2008 at 3:13PM AKST

A steady stream of buyers and curiosity seekers welcomed Seward’s first summer market last week, as vendors soaked up sunshine and fastened their wares from being tugged off tables by rogue gusts of wind.

Market organizer and owner Joanie Merritt was still hanging pieces in a room full of mermaid items when friends arrived with good luck gifts and wishes for a successful first season.

Situated at 312 Fifth Ave. across from city hall, the Grazing Moose Summer Market is scheduled to be open through mid-September from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays. The grounds will accommodate nine tent vendors and up to five food carts.

“We’re starting out small,” Merritt said of last week’s turnout, “but more vendors are already inquiring about spaces, especially for the Fourth of July weekend.”

A little red house on Merritt’s property provides a more permanent display area for her mermaid room, shelves full of handcrafted dinnerware, assorted crafts and a nacho stand.

“Right now we have paintings and silk screening work, art and handicrafts from Bali, Native Alaskan art, metal sculpture and plants,” Merritt said. “The vendors vary from day to day and week to week. We’re still looking for additional food vendors to feed us all.”

Last week, the rich aroma of reindeer sausage and onion rose from the grill in Annette Villa’s booth. She also sold flower baskets and fresh produce from her brother’s farm in the Matanuska valley.

“On Thursdays, as the season progresses, we’ll be bringing a wider variety of produce — oh, and fresh pastries and breads from a French bakery in Anchorage,” Villa said.

“I’ve already sold all the cucumbers we brought today.”

Villa’s mother, Alberta, sold chocolate products that were prepared over low heat to preserve the integrity of antioxidants. Her booth also boasted a display of specialty jams, jellies and vinaigrettes from the Alaska Tribal Cache in Seldovia.

Abby Mariah Wentworth, who designed the market logo, was featured as artist of the week on opening day. Her original artwork is created in the confines of a 10-by-12 foot cabin, minus the luxury of electricity or running water.

“There is a touch of dog hair and woodstove ash in everything that I make,” Wentworth admitted as her dog, I.O., meandered in and out of the artist’s booth.

Merritt, who is a member of the Seward Arts Council, moved to Seward from California about one year ago. She came to town with a plan to start a business — but wasn’t sure, at first, what that would be.

“I had attended the Arts and Music Festival before I moved to Seward and loved it so much that it solidified my decision to move here. I wanted to do something to support the art community, and came up with the idea of the summer market when I was brainstorming and looking at all my options. I also really wanted fresh produce,” Merritt said.

Gail Richards is a Seward artists and freelance writer. She can be reached at 224-2426 or gail@gailrichardsart.com.