Arleta Triangle ‘Makers Market’ hosts only local artisans

You won’t find imported trinkets or mass-manufactured items at this East Portland market. They’ll be back next year …

Set up in the “Arleta Triangle”, another session of the Arleta Triangle Makers Market is underway.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Although not well publicized widely, a unique artisans-only market has been taking place in the Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood during the late summer and fall months.

When visiting the Arleta Triangle Makers Market not long ago, it became clear that the 25 vendors selected for this outdoor bazaar offered distinctive merchandise one couldn’t find at a farmers market, or any other craft show.

Leather crafter, and market organizer, Thomas Miller works on a piece during the show while talking with customers.

“Our mission here is simple: We want to make it possible for artists and craft artisans to have a place to sell their wares – and to do it away from the ‘trinket peddlers’ one typically sees at such markets,” explained organizer Thomas Miller.

“We really are asking for vendors here to be ‘real’ artists, or ‘genuine’ crafters, Miller told East Portland News. “We don’t want ‘slap-it-together-in-five-minutes’ crafters – or vendors who go online and buys a whole bunch of stuff and then tries to sell it here.”

Red, of Art by Red Van Grow, says he enjoys meeting customers.

This idea came up when he – a leather crafter – found himself being squeezed out of vending at shows by non-maker merchants willing to pay for the space, Miller said. “This, plus the ‘Arleta Triangle’ space at SE 72nd Avenue and Woodstock Boulevard has been pretty much in neglect, since it was created.”

Holding one of her leaded glass works, Hailey Chamberlain says she uses products from East Portland’s Bullseye Glass Company, among other sources, and typically uses the “Tiffany method”.

At their fifth “third-Saturday-of-the-month” show there this year. “So far it’s pretty decent; but our biggest hurdle to overcome is that nobody knows our market is here,” Miller admitted.

For more information about the Arleta Triangle Makers Market, see their Instagram: CLICK HERE.

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