"The woman who does not require validation from anyone is the most feared individual on the planet.”
–Mohadesa Najumi
What an amazing time we had with the local artist community at the Makers Arcade in San Diego this last weekend!
The Makers Arcade two-day makers event was held at the Port Pavilion at the Broadway Pier in downtown San Diego. The Port Pavilion at Broadway Pier is a picturesque location that also acts as a cruise ship terminal, a public gathering space and a scenic viewpoint of beautiful San Diego Bay.
This area of the San Diego Bay is considered the Embarcadero. The Embarcadero is also home to public fishing piers, plenty of restaurants along the multiple piers, the historic maritime museum (you can board a tall ship and a submarine docked at the waterfront museum), the USS Midway Museum (on the ship!!) and plenty of outstanding views of downtown San Diego, Coronado and the north San Diego Bay. More to do at the San Diego Embarcadero.
Just south of the Embarcadero is the family friendly Seaport Village also right smack dab on the San Diego waterfront. Dining, shopping, music events, art galleries, a koi pond, an Oslo sardine bar, a historic carousel, and the famous Kissing Sailor Statue (aka “Unconditional Surrender” or “Embracing Peace”) are all what you will find at Seaport Village. That could take up an entirely new blog!
OK, now that you’ve gotten a visual of the area…. back to the Makers Arcade fair…. The rumors were that there were over 2000 people in attendance at the fair! Wow! It was an excellent crowd. Visitors were upbeat, chatty, and enjoying the booths. I was exhausted from all of the event set up, but this positive atmosphere raised my energy level. A huge thank you to all of those that attended!
While at Makers Arcade a gentleman and his lovely wife visited my booth, I recognized him as someone I knew. We chuckled together about how at first glance I thought he looked like Matthew Encina from the Design circles I frequent. He kindly bought multiples of my YOU + ME PHO-EVER sticker. Obviously visiting San Diego, we pointed the lovely couple towards Hillcrest for some Thrift store furniture shopping. But it took me until Monday morning for it to really click in my head and figure out where I knew him from.
I had an inkling he was a tattoo artist. I often watch Ink Masters and follow tattoo artists on IG. I’ve found it fascinating to see Gestalt Principles, which we often utilize in logo design, in action presented in such an entertaining way. Monday morning I couldn’t get the Pho sticker guy out of my head and so I searched for “tattoo artist” and “Maine ,” he had dropped that piece of information. Lo and behold, Phuc Tran of Tsunami Tattoo appeared in a shiz ton of images! Such an honor that he bought multiples of my sticker. He has also written a book. If you get to Amazon from my link I get kudos (in the form of prestige) from Bezos. Maybe someday he will upgrade me to actual monetary kickbacks…ha ha.
Such an honor that Phuc Tran of Tsunami Tattoo bought multiples of my sticker.
My booth was set up with most of my favorite hand drawn stickers and screen printed Mother’s Day aprons. It is always amazing to get one on one feedback on my designs. As visitors come by and comment on my designs and items for sale, I soak up all of that invaluable information. All of the comments are taken to heart and I appreciate all of the honesty and support. That helps me with future projects and where I may want to make adjustments or re-order stock for future event sales. It’s like free data analysis right there! Keep all those comments coming!
The weekend event was a huge success! I met so many wonderful people and had so many great conversations. San Diego, there is a reason I call you home! You always treat me well!! The weekend ended with a beautiful sunset right there on the San Diego Bay. All of this fed my artistic spirit, my creativity.
I love creating! I love making art! I love unleashing my inner maker. Unleashing your inner maker is all about tapping into your creative spirit and bringing your unique ideas to life. Embrace the joy of the creative process. Let go of perfectionism. Make mistakes (it’s ok!) and learn from them. Whether you are a seasoned artist or a beginner crafter, there’s something truly magical about the experience of making things with your own two hands.
When you let your Imagination run wild and allow yourself to experiment with different materials and techniques, you’ll discover new skills, uncover hidden talents, and create something that is truly yours. One of a kind.
Who’s ready to join me in the maker movement and unleash your inner creativity at the next Makers Arcade?
