With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, local artists are creating work specially themed for the holiday. Showcasing these artists and their Valentine-styled pieces, Crafts & Drafts: Local Love is a craft show held at the East End Brewing Company located in Larimer. The event allowed local Pittsburgh artists to showcase their art in a community-oriented space in preparation for the coming holiday.
Celebrating its 11th year, the brewery holds this event annually as a holiday tradition. It also hosts a number of other craft fairs throughout the year, including a winter holiday event and Mother’s and Father’s Day-themed shows. Matt Buchholz, from Greenfield, is the creator and organizer of the event. The event has grown immensely since its creation in February 2015, expanding from just a group of friends to a full-fledged market for artists.
“Crafts and Drafts initially was just a small gathering of friends inside the East End Brewing taproom,” Buchholz said. “Since then, we’ve expanded into the brewery space and invited dozens of local vendors, makers and vintage sellers into the space.”
The brewery itself has a warm and welcoming environment with friendly employees. The event offered guests and vendors local brews and food to purchase while taking part in the craft fair. The relaxed environment of the brewery created a close, intimate setting, allowing visitors to connect with the artists. Buchholz highlights the low-key atmosphere as one of the great things about holding the event at a brewery.
“Breweries aren’t bars anymore,” Buchholz said. “These days, they’re often as family-friendly as many restaurants, and offer something for everyone. Plus, there’s a great overlap between people who like locally brewed beer and locally made crafts!”
The show’s theme of “Local Love,” combined with the holiday coming up, inspired vendors to theme their creations around Valentine’s Day. This included Valentine-themed stickers, heart-shaped ornaments and handmade heart rugs. Themed craft shows can help artists market their work. Buchholz remarks that the time of year of the event gives community members something to do and gives the artists a chance to make a profit.
“Valentine’s Day is a big shopping time and a good time of year for artists to sell gifts,” Buchholz said. “But it’s also a time when folks are looking for something to do together, and in February, when it’s dreary and cold, it’s exciting to step into a welcoming, warm brewery for a fun event like this.”
This sentiment was shared by Sarah McCabe, a resident of Brighton Heights and creator of Evil Toaster Art. McCabe works in a variety of different mediums, from painting to sticker design to rug making. She believes that having an event like this around Valentine’s Day helps inspire artists to make themed work in their own style.
“Themed events are fun because a lot of vendors will take their perspective on what the holiday is, so they might have a unique Valentine’s set,” McCabe said. “It’s kind of fun to play towards an event but then do it in your style.”
Like Buchholz, McCabe finds that the brewery environment promotes a sense of community and can be a great place to present the talent of local artists.
“A place like East End is a really good community brewery,” McCabe said. “There’s a lot of people just coming in anyways and then they can shop local vendors. It’s nice to see local vendors at a local brewery in a community that shows up and supports it.”
This idea of building a greater audience within the community is an important aspect for Stephen Wludarski and his organization, Reimagined Recycling, located in Larimer. Reimagined Recycling is a nonprofit that transforms recycled code five plastics into practical items and gifts, including earrings, coasters, carabiners and more. Wludarski values the brewery venue as it helps bring in people who would otherwise not know about his cause or the local art scene.
“It brings in a different group of people who may not sometimes think about, at least for us, the sustainability aspect,” Wludarski said. “So it’s a great way to meet a diverse group of people coming in.”
Wludarski also believes the art made for these types of craft shows during this time of year is particularly special. In consideration of Valentine’s Day, he finds that giving handmade, creatively designed gifts is more sentimental than gifts that are simply purchased online. Gifting pieces of art can show love for someone in a meaningful way.
“I think there’s something about buying something that’s handmade that’s also made with an element of care and love,” Wludarski said. “I really think it’s a great way to say ‘I’m thinking about you and also thinking about something crafted with love.’”
The Crafts & Drafts: Local Love event created a space for community members to support the work of local artists and celebrate with the community. The brewery created a tight-knit, welcoming environment, making it a place that artists and visitors alike can enjoy each other’s company and celebrate love in all forms.
